Steak Tacos Recipe
This easy marinade recipe makes restaurant-quality steak tacos at home with budget-friendly flank steak, skirt steak, or nearly any cut of beef you like! It features simple ingredients like citrus juices, classic spices and fresh cilantro for the most flavorful marinated steak for making tacos, burritos, salads and more.
Servings: 15 - 18 tacos
Calories: 144kcal
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds steak flank, skirt, hanger, bavette, or sirloin steak
- ½ cup soy sauce GF if needed
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 bunch cilantro about 1 cup leaves
- 4-6 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder or ground ancho chile
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Optional: 1-2 habanero peppers or 1-2 jalapenos
Instructions
- Tenderize the Meat: Use a fork to poke holes over the entire surface of the steak, on both sides. OR use a meat mallet to hammer the meat on both sides. Place the steak in a large baking dish (or a large Ziploc bag) to marinate.
- Make the Taco Marinade: Set out a blender or food processor. Add the soy sauce, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, garlic cloves, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, and dried oregano. If you want to spice things up, add 1-2 chili peppers, stems removed. Purée the ingredients until they are smooth.
- Marinate the Steak: Pour the marinade over the steak and move the steak around so it's coated on all sides. Cover the dish (or zip the bag) and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but up to 24 hours.
- Cook the Meat: You can cook the steak either on a grill or in a hot skillet. Either way, heat the grill/skillet to medium-high, between 400-450°F. When the grill or pan is hot, carefully oil the grates, or add a little oil to the pan. Cook the steak for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness - 3 minutes per side for thinner cuts of steak under 1 inch thick, or 5 minutes per side for thicker cuts. Allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes after cooking.
- To Serve: Move the steak to a cutting board. Cut the steak into thin slices, against the grain for the best texture. Pile the steak onto tortillas and add your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
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- Storing Leftovers - Discard any used marinade immediately after removing the pieces of raw meat. After cooking, the marinated steak will keep well for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
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- Freezing - You can freeze cooked steak for up to 3 months. After it cools, place the meat in a freezer-safe plastic ziploc bag, and squeeze all of the air out before sealing and freezing.
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- Reheating - I suggest lightly reheating pieces of steak in a skillet on the stovetop. Reheating meat in the microwave risks overcooking and drying it out.
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- Shredded cheese or crumbled cotija cheese
- Fresh pico de gallo
- Homemade salsa like spicy salsa matcha, more mild tomatillo avocado salsa verde, or vibrant roasted tomato salsa
- Avocado slices or guacamole
- Sour cream or Mexican crema
- Other fresh toppings like chopped cilantro, diced white onion, or sliced green onions
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco | Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg