These Steak Street Tacos are super simple, yet full of flavor. They are loaded with juicy marinated skirt steak, cilantro, onions, salsa verde, and cotija cheese. You can grill the steak outside or use a grill pan, either way it is delicious!
To be honest, I don’t think I ever get tired of eating Mexican food. It is by far my favorite cuisine. That is why you see me creating so many mexican inspired recipes. We eat it on repeat. What is something you never get tired of eating?
I am team steak when it comes to tacos. Don’t get me wrong, I love chicken too. I don’t discriminate, but if I have my choice I am going for the steak.
This is my go to simple steak taco recipe. The marinade is super easy to prepare and while the meat does require some time to marinate, the rest of the recipe is pretty hands off.
As far as toppings, I also like to keep it simple. Visiting Mexico, I learned that authentic tacos typically just have cilantro, onion, and maybe salsa. But I could not resist adding a little cheese on top as well.
Highlights
- Simple & fresh dinner idea
- Authentic street tacos
- Boldly seasoned marinade
- Cook the steak inside in a grill pan or outside on the grill
- Juicy & tender skirt steak
Ingredients
Steak Marinade
- Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika has more depth than regular paprika so I recommend using smoked. In a pinch, regular can be used instead.
Tacos
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Instructions
before you start
- Locate a large bowl or gallon size bag to marinade your meat in.
- Make sure you have a cast iron skillet, grill pan, or heavy duty skillet. This will help you achieve a nice sear on the steak.
- Trim the skirt steak. Remove any large pieces of fat by running a knife along the steak. You do not need to trim all of the fat. Fat adds flavor and moisture.
- Prep your garnishes. I like to keep my street tacos simple. So I finish them with cilantro, onion, cotija cheese, and salsa verde. Feel free to customize them however you like.
Step 1:In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, lime juice, brine, garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and oregano.Place the steak and the marinade into a large resealable bag. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 1: Grease a large skillet or grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. Grill each side for 4-5 minutes or until the meat reaches desired doneness.
TIP - The longer you marinate the meat, the more flavor! While your steak is marinating, prepare all of your garnishes and toppings.
TIP - To check if your oil is hot enough, wet you fingers and flick the excess water in the pan. If it crackles and pops, the oil is hot. If nothing happens, the oil needs more time to heat.
TIP - Flick some water in the pan to see if it is hot. If the water sizzles, the pan is ready.
Step 3: Let rest for 5-10 minutes on a cutting board.
Step 4: Slice the meat against the grain into long strips. Cut again in the opposite direction to make smaller chunks. Assemble tacos and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Marinate the skirt steak. Marinating the meat overnight will impart the most flavor. The acid in the marinade will also tenderize the steak. However, I do not recommend marinating the meat longer than overnight. It can break down the proteins too much and make the steak mushy.
- Use a grill pan or outdoor grill. I live in an apartment so my grill pan is something I could not live without. However, you can also grill the skirt steak on a gas or charcoal grill outside. Regardless, be sure to use high heat to create a nice crust and char on the outside.
- Be sure your pan/grill is hot. You want to get a nice sear on the steak. Never put a steak into a cold pan.
- Use a meat thermometer. The best way to ensure that your steak is cooked to perfection is to use a thermometer. For medium rare, I aim between 130-135 degrees. A thermometer also helps you avoid cutting into the meat over and over again to check it. This releases all of the juices.
- Cut the steak against the grain. You can see which way the grain runs along the meat. Cut in the opposite direction of the grain. This makes the meat more tender to chew. Check out this carne asada post for photos demonstrating this.
- Don’t forget about the toppings. Traditional street tacos are finished with cilantro, onion, and sometimes salsa. I like to top mine with these and cotija cheese. Customize these with your favorite taco toppings!
FAQs
Store leftover steak separate from the tortillas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the meat and build tacos right before serving.
If you are serving this for a crowd and want to prepare as much as possible ahead of time, I recommend marinating the meat and prepping the garnishes 1 day in advance. Then all that is left is to cook the meat right before serving.
I like to serve mine with a simple salad, rice, beans, or chips.
A street taco is an authentic Mexican taco. They are typically stuffed with small pieces of meat served in corn tortillas, with onions, cilantro, and lime. The tortillas are smaller than standard tortillas so that you can eat them while you walk on the street (hence the name).
Yes. In fact what we call a street taco in the U.S., is just a taco in Mexico. A corn tortilla, meat filling, cilantro, onion, and lime is a true Mexican taco.
I prefer skirt steak. It is a little fatty and has a bit of a bite, but if prepared properly is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. The key is to marinate the meat with some acid to tenderize it. Don’t overcook the steak. And lastly, be sure to cut the meat against the grain. Some people prefer flank steak, but I do not think it has much flavor.
Authentic mexican corn tortillas are small and thin. Oftentimes they are not hefty enough to hold up to all of the filling. The extra tortilla serves as a backup in case the first one breaks or fillings fall out.
Related Recipes
Steak Street Tacos
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons brine from pickled jalapeños
- 5 cloves garlic, grated
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika*
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ pounds skirt steak, cut in half if needed to fit into grill pan
Instructions:
- Review all recipe notes and instructions before beginning.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, lime juice, brine, garlic, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and oregano.Place the steak and the marinade into a large resealable bag. Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Grease a large skillet or grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. Grill each side for 4-5 minutes or until the meat reaches desired doneness.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes on a cutting board.
- Slice the meat against the grain into long strips. Cut again in the opposite direction to make smaller chunks. Assemble tacos and enjoy.
Just made these, and only marinated for 1 hour and they were still amazing!!! Will definitely be making these often. Next time I’m giving myself more time to marinade!! Don’t change a thing , the amounts are perfect! Topped with pickled onions too, and it was so yummy. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear that! Pickled onions are a great topping. 🙂
What do you do with brown sugar. Nowhere on recipe
It goes in the marinade. Let me fix that. Thanks!
This really made me super hungry!