Carne Asada with Fajita Vegetables is a lightning-fast, Mexican-inspired marinated skirt steak and fajita vegetables. Meal prep by making the marinade and slicing the veggies the night before!
Carne Asada with Fajita Vegetables: a mojo-like marinade
(Updated post.) Let me first say that marinating meat is magic.
You take a thin cut of meat—like flank or skirt steak, a chicken breast, or a pork chop—and put it in a mixture of spices, aromatics, herbs, acid, and oil.
As the meat sits in the marinade, the acid goes to work on the connective tissue to tenderize the meat, while the herbs and spices give it flavor.
The oil comes to the party to help the meat brown, but alsof for flavor as some aromatics, herbs, and spices dissolve better in oil than in vinegar.
The marinade I use for this carne asada is similar to Cuban mojo.
It has orange and lime juice, plenty of garlic, cilantro, Mexican oregano, cumin, and jalapeño.
In addition, I add a tablespoon of Asian fish sauce, I know, no authentic. But great for adding umami AND salt without detectable fishy flavor.
I make my marinades early in the morning in a zip-top bag and let the magic sauce transform the meat in the refrigerator while I'm working.
Then, near dinner time, I pull the meat out of the marinade (scraping off most of it with a silicone spatula)...and it's a simple zzzhhhh-zzzzhhh in a cast iron skillet or on the grill.
You can see that we prefer our carne asada on the rare side of medium-rare, which also lends itself to a lightning-fast cook time.
Carne Asada with Fajita Vegetables: Meal prepping the fajita veggies
I like to serve carne asada with fajita vegetables.
The fantastic thing about this is that you can slice up the veggies the night before and store them in a refrigerated zip-top bag.
I cook the veggies in the same skillet that I use for the carne asada while the meat rests.
I don't wipe out the pan beforehand because the flavor of the meat and marinade seasons the vegetables quite nicely.
fact, I like to reserve 2 or so tablespoons of the marinade to mix in right when the fajita vegetables are done cooking.
Alternatively, you can add in a teaspoon or two of our Homemade Taco Seasoning.
Carne asada: about the meat
My favorite cut of meat for this carne asada recipe is skirt steak, with flank steak running a close second.
Skirt steaks are long and thin, and they absorb flavor from the marinade really well. Apart from that, the flavor of the meat itself is incredibly yummy.
Something to keep in mind is the orientation of the muscle fibers, also known as the "grain" of the meat.
Cutting "with the grain" means that you're cutting along the length of the muscle fibers, which will give you non-delicious, stringy, tough meat.
Slicing "across the grain" means that you are cutting thin cross-sections of the muscle fibers, which yields very noshable, tender, delicious meat.
Skirt steaks, because they are so long, are sometimes easier to deal with if you cut them into thirds (e.g., if your skillet isn't big enough).
In any case, I always cut the steak into sections before slicing it, because trying to slice a steak that's a third larger than my knife would just be silly.
For carne asada with fajita vegetables, I cut with the grain to create the sections, and then across the grain after the steak has cooked and rested.
Serving the Carne Asada
My family loves their condiments: there's always hot sauce, sour cream, cilantro, and cheese.
So, I set out the sliced meat, veggies, warm tortillas, and the condiments buffet style for a DIY fajita bar.
It's always a hit with the kids. So there you have it: if you work ahead and do the meal prep in advance, this meal comes together in under 20 minutes. Use up your leftovers in quesadillas (recipe linked below)!
I hope your family loves this fun, Mexican-inspired feast! For more cookout and potluck inspiration, check out my Virtual Memorial Day Potluck Recipes Roundup!
Or, if you want more Latin American-inspired recipe ideas, check out my Mexican-Inspired Recipes for Cinco de Mayo!
—xoxo Michelle
Carne Asada with Fajita Vegetables
A lightning-fast, Mexican-inspired marinated skirt steak and fajita vegetables. Meal prep by making the marinade and slicing the veggies the night before!
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE
- ⅓ cup lime juice, ~2 limes
- ½ cup orange juice
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, with stems
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp. Mexican oregano
- 1 tbsp. Asian fish sauce, (see Recipe Note #1)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
FOR THE STEAK
- 1 2- lb. skirt steak or flank steak
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
FOR THE FAJITA VEGETABLES
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 Vidalia onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp. reserved marinade
- ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste
- ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
FOR SERVING
- warm tortillas
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Mix all marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag. Reserve two tablespoons of the mixture for the fajita vegetables. Prep the steak by removing any membranes and patting dry with paper toweling. Add the meat to the marinade. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Massage the marinade into the meat. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 4 hours (can be marinated overnight). Turn the meat occasionally if you can.
- Set a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil (see Recipe Note #2). Remove the meat from the marinade, removing as much marinade as possible (I use a silicone spatula to scrape off any solid bits). When the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat to the pan. Brown well on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let rest while making the fajita vegetables.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet (do not wipe the skillet out). Add the fajita vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Toss with the reserved marinade and remove from the heat.
- Cut the steak into manageable sections WITH the grain. Thinly slice each section ACROSS the grain. Cut slices into bite-size pieces.
- Arrange the steak and vegetables on a platter and set out buffet style with warm tortillas and condiments.
Notes
- The fish sauce is optional: it adds umami AND salt, but you won't detect any fishy flavor in the final product. If you choose not to use fish sauce, simply increase the amount of salt from ¼ to ½ tsp.
- The steak is also fantastic on the grill. Give the skirt steak a good sear on both sides over direct heat, then move the to the side, cover the grill, and finish cooking to your preferred doneness. NOTE: skirt steak cooks very quickly and will continue rising in temperature for a few minutes as it rests.
- If you don't have reserved marinade for the fajita vegetables, try adding a teaspoon or two of my easy 5-Ingredient Homemade Taco Seasoning.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
About Us
Hi there! We're Michelle and Phil, the blogging duo behind flipped out food. Our mission is to inspire you with our favorite strategies for delivering easy, healthy dishes—even at the busiest of times.
mimi rippee says
Wonderful flavors in your marinade! I so love skirt and flank steak for Mexican and southwestern meals like this. I remember a long time ago that the Cook's Illustrated test kitchen experimented with meats and acidic marinades, and their conclusion was that there was no tenderization after all, but there was certainly an enhancement in flavor. Well, whatever. I still love marinades (I just posted on marinades last week) and I think it's especially important to cook meat properly so it's as tender as can be.
Michelle says
Thank you, Mimi! I think I saw the same article from Cook's Illustrated about marinades. I'm with you: still love 'em. The flavor can't be beat! And absolutely, cooking the meat properly is critical.
Colleen says
Yum! This looks delicious and I always use flank steak. Skirt steak isn't something that I see in the stores here, but maybe I can ask a butcher. We usually make this on the grill in the summer, and I miss it, so thank you for the inspo!
Michelle says
Thank you very much, Colleen! Skirt steak was hard to find here as well until just a year or so ago. If you can't find it at the butcher's, this recipe would totally work with flank steak.
Janice says
Wow, this looks just so delicious, fajitas are one of my favourite meal and I love how you have made fajita vegetables.
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Janice! This is a lifesaver for us on busy weeknights. 😉
Bailey Mills says
I don't think I have ever seen such mouthwateringly perfect beef in my life. I am definitely trying this one!
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Bailey! I hope you love it! 😉
debi at Life Currents says
We love carne asada around our house. We always make it for family gatherings. We will need to try your recipe.
Michelle says
Thank you, Debi! I hope it's a hit! 🙂
Heather says
I love a good marinated steak recipe and this one with vegetables sounds superb (and healthy! bonus!) Thanks for sharing!
Michelle says
Thank you, Heather! The fact that it's so fast, too, makes this one of our favorites for busy weeknights!
Monika Dabrowski says
How fabulous! I love Mexican inspired dishes and marinating is so good in meat dishes. It infuses them with so much flavour. Your recipe looks really great, thanks for bringing it to #CookBlogShare!
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Monika!!
Cat | Curly’s Cooking says
This sounds amazing! Love the flavours in your marinade and it looks so quick and easy to make. I’ve only had flank steak once before and found it a bit bland and I now know I was cutting it the wrong way. I’ll have to try it again with this recipe and cut it across the grain.
Michelle says
Thank you, Cat! Flank steak can be amazing—IF you marinate it! And definitely cutting across the grain will make a difference.
Angela @ Allergy Free Angela says
I have wanted to find a good recipe for carne asada. I can't wait to try this, MIchelle! 🙂
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Angela! I hope you love it!
Patty @pattysaveurs.com says
One of my favorite dishes, no fuss and full of flavors, I love marinated meat and that you know about cutting it across the grain, super yummy!
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Patty! 🙂
Deborah says
First of all - YUM! I had been looking for a good carne asada recipe for a while. Mission accomplished and recipe saved! I recently made this recipe and I thought the flavor was awesome.
I babied the meat and gave it a nice massage before stowing it in the fridge to marinate overnight. When I got home from work, this was a super easy meal to prepare and I have to say that everything from the meat to the veggies was spot on.
Afterwards, I took the leftovers and saved them in little insta-meal packs (a little of the veggies and a little of the meat). What a great pick-me-up for when it's been a long day and I don't feel like cooking.
My only problem was that I forgot that I needed to have cilantro as a garnish (in addition to the amount I put in the marinade). Oopsie. Oh well, there's always next time.
Michelle says
Thanks, Deborah! I love your idea of storing your leftovers in insta-meal packs! I'm so glad you loved it. 🙂
Agness of Run Agness Run says
I've never heard of this recipe but I'm so enthusiastic to try it! Yummy!
Michelle says
Thanks, Agness! I hope you love it!
Beth says
Love Carne Asada! You like your steaks exactly like we do. Marinating is a crucial step, right?
Michelle says
Absolutely! Thanks, Beth!
Don Pepe says
Michelle,
¡Increíble! Estoy super sorprendido y agradecido por tu comentario.
Better than any semester project I've ever graded! 🙂
Your recipes rock!
Michelle says
¡¡Don Pepe—qué bueno saber de tí!! You are so welcome: you stand out in my memory as one of my all-time best teachers. I'm very honored that you stopped by. Thank you so much! 🙂
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto says
Marinating meat is magic -- totally agree! Love how a good marinade can completely transform a cut of meat!
Michelle says
Thanks, Vicky! It's such a time saver, too! ????
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
I absolutely agree that marinating meat gives such a great flavour and just adds that extra niceness about it. Your Carne asada sounds and looks delicious, with a great combination of ingredients.
Michelle says
Thanks, Helen! ????
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
I don't think I've ever eaten carne asada! It looks so flavorful though- I bet the husband would love!!
Michelle says
Thank you, Sarah! I hope it's a hit.
traditionallymodernfood says
This is new to me . I have never tried it. I usually like the food which is marinated gives nice flavour to the dish. I can imagine the flavors in carne asada
Michelle says
Thanks, Vidya!
Lisa Bryan says
Carne asada is the best! It so flavorful and great in fajitas for sure!
Michelle says
Thanks, Lisa! I agree!