For many people, the thought of making carne asada is a bit daunting. After all, it’s not just any old steak – it’s a steak that’s been marinated and then grilled to perfection.
However, with a little bit of preparation, anyone can make a delicious carne asada. Check out the best carne asada recipe ideas that are also keto-friendly!
We rounded up some of the most delicious and easy-to-make recipes for carne asada to make your taste buds jump for joy.
From traditional carne asada tacos to more unique dishes like carne asada nachos, there’s something on this list for everyone.
And the best part is that each recipe is low in carbs and high in healthy fats and protein.
So you can stay on track with your diet while still indulging in fantastic food.
14 Tasty Carne Asada Recipe Ideas
The typical carne asada consists of thinly sliced grilled beef, usually used as the main ingredient in tacos or burritos. However, serving the beef next to typical Mexican side dishes, like rice or beans, is not uncommon.
Seasonings and marinade are typically used to give the beef its iconic taste.
As such, not only did we make sure to include carne asada recipes in our list, but we included some marinade and seasoning recipes as well, and you’re to mix and match them however you want.
1. Carne Asada Fries Recipe
Starting off our list is a recipe for carne asada and fries that we discovered on Lemons for Lulu, and we’re very excited to share it with you.
The thinly sliced beef is cooked to perfection and then topped with your favorite taco toppings, like cheese, sour cream, and salsa.
Ingredients:
- Flat iron steak
- Salt
- Milk
- Cumin
- Paprika
- Olive oil
- Oregano
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Tomatoes, diced
- Processed cheese
- Chopped red onions
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Corn (to be replaced)
- Frozen French fries (to be replaced)
The real star of the show is the french fry base. These are no ordinary fries since potato fries are a big no-no in keto diets, so we recommend that you try oven-baked keto zucchini fries that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
More so, the original recipe also teaches you how to make your cheese sauce, but if you want to make sure that your carne asada will turn out completely keto, we recommend that you follow a different recipe for keto cheese sauce.
2. Instant Pot Carne Asada – The Best Carne Asada Recipe
Just because the traditional carne asada recipe ideas require meat grilling doesn’t mean you can’t improvise by preparing it in other ways.
For example, you can use an instant pot to make your carne asada, and The Diet Chefs have a great recipe that we highly recommend.
Ingredients:
- Flank steak
- Beef broth or beef bone broth
- Sliced red onion
- Fresh lime juice
- Liquid aminos
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Black pepper
- Chili flakes
- Olive Oil
- Salt
The recipe is completely keto, so there’s no need to swap out any ingredients, but feel free to experiment with the seasonings to find a flavor you love.
It’s also very straightforward, and the best part is that it doesn’t require any marinating time, so you can have your carne asada ready in less than 30 minutes.
Plus, thanks to the instant pot, the meat will be cooked evenly, and it will turn out incredibly juicy and tender, so eating this dish will be a real treat.
3. Keto Surf and Turf Burrito – Best Recipe for Carne Asada Burritos
Whoever came up with the concept of Surf’n’Turf (a dish made with seafood and red meat) was an absolute genius because it’s the perfect way to combine two of the best things in the world into one meal.
And Keto with Mona has an amazing recipe for a Surf’n’Turf burrito that we just had to include on our list since it combines beef and shrimp to make this version of the carne asada rather unique.
Ingredients:
- Flank steak
- Shrimps
- Haas avocado
- Salt
- Cumin
- Pepper
- Swerve
- Cilantro
- Egg thins
- Lemon zest
- Avocado oil
- Lemon juice
- Minced garlic
- Mixed greens
- Garlic powder
- Chopped onion
- Coconut aminos
- Chopped tomatoes
- Chipotle or jalapeno
- Shredded Mozzarella cheese
What we liked most is that it’s not just a simple recipe for carne asada, but it combines 3 different foods into a Surf’n’Turf burrito: carne asada, grilled shrimp, and tasty guacamole.
4. Keto Street Tacos – Best Recipe for Carne Asada Tacos
Have you ever noticed how the food you buy from street vendors always seems to be the tastiest?
There’s just something about the simplicity of the recipes and how the food is cooked that makes it so irresistible.
And if you’re looking for delicious carne asada recipe ideas for tacos, we highly recommend this one from My Keto Recipes.
Ingredients:
- Thinly-sliced skirt steak
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Pepper
- Salt
- Sliced Provolone cheese
The first question that probably pops into your mind is, how can you make tacos if taco shells are not keto?
My Keto Recipes has the answer to that as well, as they used the Provolone cheese to make cheesy zero-carb taco shells. Another great alternative would be to make keto almond flour tortillas since those too are zero-carb.
5. Marinated Flank Steak – Best Recipe for Carne Asada Steak
Many people wonder whether marinated flank steaks and carne asada are the same, and the answer leans towards “yes.”
The main difference is that carne asada is usually made with a more Mexican aroma, while flank steak is simply marinated and then grilled.
So, if you’re looking for a recipe for carne asada steak, this recipe from Heal Nourish Grow is the perfect one for you.
Ingredients:
- Flank steak
- Garlic
- Sea salt
- Lime zest
- Lime juice
- Orange zest
- Orange juice
- Black pepper
- Torn cilantro
- Sliced jalapeno
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Worcestershire sauce
- Chopped white onions
As you can see, this recipe for marinated flank steak abandons its Mexican roots in favor of a more Texan approach, particularly thanks to the Worcestershire sauce.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since it’s simply a different way to prepare the dish, and it’s ultimately up to you to decide which version you prefer.
As for what side dishes would go best, we recommend that you serve this marinated flank steak alongside some oven-roasted broccoli and a nice glass of red wine.
6. Low-Carb Carne Asada Steak Taco – Carne Asada Tacos Recipe
The typical taco contains many ingredients not recommended for keto, the most notable one being the tortilla shell.
Fortunately, this recipe from Trifecta Nutrition uses jicama (a type of Mexican turnip) shells to create a delicious and low-carb taco.
Ingredients:
- Flat iron steak
- Jalapeno
- Lime juice
- Avocado oil
- Orange juice
- Garlic powder
- Jicama shells
- Dried oregano
- Diced avocado
- Quartered limes
- Chopped cilantro
- Salsa of your choice
- Chopped yellow onion
- Chili powder or smoked paprika
Thanks to the ingredients and the way this recipe is made from A to Z, it’s safe to eat when on a keto diet, especially since it’s loaded with protein from all that beef and healthy fats from all that avocado.
The biggest challenge will probably be getting your hands on jicama shells. But you can make them by taking a jicama root and slicing it thin or using lettuce leaves.
7. Easy Keto Street Tacos – Best Carne Asada Taco Recipe
If you love that whole street food vibe, another recipe that you should check out is this one from Eating On A Dime, as it makes for some truly delicious street tacos.
The best thing about their recipe is that they focus on keeping things as budget-friendly as possible, so if you’re on a tight budget, this is the recipe for you.
Ingredients:
- Flank steak
- Vegetable oil
- Chopped onions
- Fresh limes
- Cilantro
- Pepper
- Butter
- Salt
- Mini corn tortillas (to be replaced)
Unlike the traditional carne asada, where the beef is grilled, this recipe calls for searing the flank steak in butter instead, which gives it a whole different flavor.
As for the tortillas, you can simply substitute them with some lettuce leaves, or you could even make your keto-friendly tortillas if you’re feeling ambitious, using either almond flour or oven-baked shredded cheese.
8. Keto Carne Asada and Chimichurri Sauce – Authentic Carne Asada Recipe
Many believe that you should always try to get as close to the authentic recipe whenever you eat a traditional foreign dish.
For this reason, we include this recipe from I Breathe I’m Hungry, which is about as authentic as it gets when it comes to carne asada.
To make things even better, the recipe also comes with a delicious chimichurri sauce that takes this dish to the next level.
Ingredients:
- Flank or skirt steak
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Avocado oil
- Minced garlic
- Ground cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Chopped cilantro
- Apple cider vinegar
- Ground black pepper
- Dried oregano leaves
- Chopped parsley
- Red pepper flakes
- Red wine vinegar
- Garlic, chopped
- Dried oregano
- Lemon zest
This recipe is authentic, but it’s also keto and Whole30-friendly, so you can be sure that you’re eating healthy while still enjoying all the flavors of a traditional carne asada.
Besides, the green chimichurri sauce is delicious, but it’s also very healthy, thanks to all the herbs and spices used in its making.
9. Mexican Carne Asada Marinade with Skirt Steak – Authentic Mexican Carne Asada Recipe
We love it when a recipe is simple since it makes our readers believe that they can pull it off without making any mistakes.
This is why we include this recipe from Easy and Delish, which is delicious and very easy to make.
Ingredients:
- Skirt steak
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground cumin
- Ground black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes.
While the ingredient list might seem a bit long, only 3 of them will be used for the actual carne asada, while the rest are needed to make the seasoning.
Besides, most of these items are probably already in your pantry, except maybe the skirt steak. But even that can be easily replaced with another type of beef.
10. Smothered Carne Asada Burrito – Wet Carne Asada Burrito Recipe
When it comes to making burritos, there are two approaches that you can take, the dry version or the wet version.
The dry version is when you simply fill a tortilla with all the ingredients and then roll it up so you can eat it with your hands, while the wet version is when you smother the burrito in a sauce and serve it on a plate, and you eat it with a fork and knife.
This recipe from My Latin Table is for the latter, and it results in a truly delicious and mouth-watering burrito that will have you coming back for more.
Ingredients:
- Carne asada
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Heavy whipping cream
- Guajillo peppers
- Chicken stock
- Pico de Gallo
- Guajillo Salsa
- Black beans
- White onions
- Garlic cloves
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Tomatoes
- Paprika
- Lettuce
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Salt
- Rice (to be replaced)
- Large four tortillas (to be replaced)
The only caveat with this recipe is that two ingredients will need replacing: the rice and the tortillas.
For the rice, you can simply use keto cauliflower rice or any other type of keto-friendly rice, while for the tortillas, you can either use low-carb tortillas or lettuce wraps.
Note: this recipe does not teach you how to make the carne asada per se, just the burrito you’ll be using it in. Follow any other carne asada recipe ideas to make the carne asada, then continue making this burrito.
11. Pork Carne Asada Tacos – Carne Asada Tacos Recipes
It’s good to try something different from time to time, and when it comes to carne asada, many people like substituting beef for pork.
While pork is frowned upon in typical calorie-restrictive diets, it’s perfect for keto diets since it has the two most important macro-nutrients that you need: fat and protein.
This recipe from Ruled Me is for pork carne asada tacos, and it’s the perfect example of how delicious pork can be when cooked properly.
Ingredients:
- Pork
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
- Oregano
- Flax tortillas
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Yellow pepper
- Chipotle powder
- Romaine lettuce
- Jalapeno pepper
Since the biggest change here is using pork instead of beef, you’re probably wondering what kind of pork would go best to make these tacos.
Well, since your pork will end up either cut into thin slices or even entirely shredded, we think it’s best to try using pulled pork, especially if you happen to have some already in your fridge and have no idea what to do with it.
12. Quick-Seared Carne Asada – Quick and Easy Carne Asada Recipe
If you’re handy with a skillet and have a soft spot for Mexican cuisine, you’ll positively fall in love with this quick-seared carne asada recipe that we found on A Spicy Perspective.
It’s simple, it requires very few ingredients, and you’ll be done with it in less than half an hour. And the best part? It’s delicious.
Ingredients:
- Skirt steak
- Salt
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Fish sauce
- Ground cumin
- Cilantro leaves
- Habanero peppers
- Ancho chile powder
- Brown sugar (to be replaced)
The secret behind this particular recipe is marinating the meat properly for as much as possible before searing it, so the marinade is the real star here, not the steak.
Unfortunately, while the marinade is tasty, the original version isn’t exactly keto since it contains brown sugar that’s used to mellow out the sour and the spice.
Fortunately, there are plenty of keto-friendly sugar substitutes that you can try, and if you use the right ones, you won’t even be able to tell the difference.
13. Mission-Style Carne Asada Burrito – Burrito Carne Asada Recipe
Burritos can come in all sizes, from simple pocket burritos that you can finish in 4 or 5 bites to king-sized behemoths that are almost too big to fit in your mouth.
This recipe from Serious Eats tends to be close to the latter, and not only will it teach you how to make the carne asada but also how to prepare the beans and the rice that you’ll use to fill the burrito.
Ingredients:
- Skirt steak
- Lime juice
- Bay leaves
- Kosher salt
- Cooking oil
- Orange juice
- Minced garlic
- Tomato paste
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Dry pinto beans
- Chipotle powder
- Chopped cilantro
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Diced yellow onions
- Chicken stock or broth
- Long grain rice (to be replaced)
As you can see, the list of ingredients is quite extensive, befitting a burrito known for its immense size. However, if you want to make this gargantuan dish keto, you’ll need to replace the rice with a keto alternative.
Our suggestion would be to try replacing it with our version of garlic-flavored cauliflower rice since it’s just as tasty as what the original recipe asks for, but it has just a fraction of the carbs.
As for the tortilla, use whatever keto-friendly substitutes you can find.
14. Easy Marinated Carne Asada Recipe
Carne asada is defined by the unique taste it gets from being properly marinated. While you will have to wait for a good couple of hours (or even overnight) for the flavors to blend in properly, the results are worth it.
This recipe from Wholesome Yum is one of the simplest that we’ve come across, and it will teach you how to make both a delicious marinade and the carne asada that will soak it all in.
Ingredients:
- Flank steak
- Minced jalapeno
- Fresh cilantro
- Minced garlic
- Black pepper
- Lime juice
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Cumin
The toughest part of making this version of carne asada will be waiting for around 8 hours for the beef to soak up all the dishes, but other than that, everything is pretty easy.
The original recipe suggests that you then grill the beef, followed by a quick baking session in the oven, which will result in very tender strips of meat.
As for side dishes, we suggest that you pair this carne asada with some keto BBQ mushrooms if you’re looking for a protein-oriented dish or some oven-baked asparagus if you’re trying to keep things lean.
8 Best Carne Asada Recipe Ideas for Marinade and Seasoning
You can’t have carne asada without a good marinade. Since it’s usually where sugars get added, it’s essential to replace that ingredient and make it keto-friendly:
1. Lisa’s Favorite Carne Asada Marinade – Best Recipe for Carne Asada Marinade
Citrus is a common ingredient used in marinades since the naturally occurring acids help break down the protein in beef, therefore acting as a natural chemical tenderizer.
This recipe for carne asada marinade that we found on All Recipes uses both lime and orange juice to provide that characteristic tang while also throwing in some garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano to give it a bit of an extra kick.
Ingredients:
- Orange juice
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
- Chili powder
- Minced garlic
- Dried oregano
- Ground cumin
- Ground paprika
- Chopped cilantro
- Ground black pepper
- Chopped chipotle pepper
The marinade is so flavorful that you don’t need to add any extra spices to the steak itself. Simply soak it in a plastic bag filled with this mixture, then cook it to perfection.
Remember that you’ll need to marinate the meat for at least 24 hours if you want the flavors to blend in properly, and you can cut down on the waiting time by using a meat tenderizer on the beef slices.
2. Carniceria Carne Asada Marinade Recipe
Just like with the carne asada itself, the marinade can also be made to taste more or less “Mexican,” depending on what ingredients you use.
If you want to feel that Latin flavor, then this recipe from Latino Foodie is the one you’re looking for.
Ingredients:
- Sliced white onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced jalapenos
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Seasoned salt
- Black pepper
- Dried oregano
- Vegetable oil
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Mexican lager beer (to be replaced)
This particular marinade uses Mexican lager beer in addition to citrus juice to help make the meat more tender, and it’s also packed with flavorful spices like garlic powder, onion powder, and jalapenos that will make your mouth water.
Unfortunately, most beers are heavy on carbs, so we recommend that you try looking for some low-carb varieties since plenty are available.
3. Authentic Carne Asada Marinade Recipe
Whenever you’re making a traditional foreign dish, one of the hardest things to do is managing to get everything that’s on the grocery list, especially when you have ingredients that are hard to find, expensive or both.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case with this recipe from Diethood, as they teach you how to make a great carne asada marinade using things that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Ingredients:
- White wine vinegar
- Black pepper
- Orange juice
- Garlic cloves
- Jalapeno
- Olive oil
- Cilantro
- Lemon
- Cumin
- Limes
- Salt
This marinade is very similar to the ones we’ve seen before, but it also includes white wine vinegar for a bit of extra tanginess. In addition, if you can’t find fresh cilantro, you can use dried cilantro instead.
As for marinating the meat, leaving it in the fridge overnight should suffice, just as long as you let it soak up the juices for more than 2 hours.
As for a side dish, we recommend that you pair this dish with some oven-roasted Brussels sprouts.
4. Authentic Mexican Carne Asada Marinade Recipe
If you follow any of the authentic Mexican carne asada recipe ideas mentioned earlier, it’s best to pair them with marinade sauce of the same category.
For example, we were impressed by a particular marinade recipe from Hilda’s Kitchen Blog.
Ingredients:
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Soy sauce
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Orange juice
- Diced onions
- Minced garlic
- Chopped cilantro
- Red wine vinegar
- Lime or lemon juice
- Diced Serrano pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
There are no fancy preparations involved in making this marinade, as everything pretty much ends up in a bowl mixed and then poured in a ziplock bag alongside the skirt steak.
Let it soak up all of the flavors of Mexico for at least 4 hours, then grill it until it reaches the perfect level of doneness. Any leftover marinade can also be repurposed, such as a dressing on a delicious keto taco salad.
5. Marinade Carne Asada Recipe
Marinating meat is considered by many to be an art form since it involves more than just letting meat soak up the juice from a watery herbal mix.
That’s why we would like to showcase this marinade recipe from Lil’ Luna because not only does it teach you how to make a very flavorful marinade, but it will also take you through an entire crash course on how to marinate meat the right way.
Ingredients:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Chili powder
- Minced garlic
- Cumin powder
- Chopped cilantro
The secret lies in the marinade’s timing. According to the author, you should allow the meat to soak for no more than 3-4 hours – anything beyond that will toughen the steak.
6. Spicy Carne Asada Marinade with Beer – Recipe Carne Asada Marinade
This last marinade recipe is from Dad with a Pan, and it’s everything you could ever want from a carne asada marinade – savory, spicy, and most importantly, contains beer.
Ingredients:
- Dried guajillo peppers
- Ground black pepper
- Mexican light beer
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Orange juice
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon juice
- Chili powder
- Lime juice
- Cumin
- Salt
- Cilantro
- Oregano
- Green onion
- White onion
- Jalapenos
The best beer you can use for this particular job is Corona – Corona Premier is closest to keto since it has 2.6 grams of carbs per bottle.
The other ingredients are what you would expect, with a few surprises such as smoked paprika and cumin, which help give this marinade its unique flavor profile.
7. Carne Asada Seasoning Recipe
For carne asada to stay true to its name, it needs to have both steaks and heavy seasoning. However, not everyone is a big fan of extensively juicy marinades, and some are more partial to flavorful dry rubs.
One such dry rub that we found to be most impressive is this recipe from Recipe Magik.
Ingredients:
- Mexican chili powder
- Ground white pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
Since this is supposed to be a dry rub, make sure that whatever kitchen utensils you’re using (bowl, spoon, etc.) are completely dry, otherwise, all of the ingredients will soak up the moisture, and it won’t be as effective.
The best thing about dry rubs is that they store for much longer, especially if they are kept in airtight containers somewhere that’s dry and moist.
In terms of the ingredients themselves, there’s not much to say except that they are all very common in Mexican cuisine, so you should have no trouble finding them at your local grocery store.
8. Texas-Style Carne Asada Seasoning – Best Recipe for Carne Asada Seasoning
The last seasoning on our list strays away from its Mexican roots as it embraces a more American flavor profile.
This recipe comes from the blog Urban Cowgirl Life – a perfect blend of both Mexican and Tex-Mex spices.
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Granulated garlic
- Texas chili powder
In terms of heat, this seasoning is on the milder side, but it more than makes up for its rich flavor, especially thanks to the Texas chili powder (use plenty of it).
Besides, the list of ingredients for this dry rub is much shorter than the other ones, so it’s easier to make. Besides, all of the spices used in this recipe are very common, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding them at your local supermarket.
FAQ
Learn more useful information about carne asada recipe ideas:
Does carne asada have carbs?
While the beef itself has zero carbs, the same thing cannot be said about the marinade or dry rub – usually beer, white sugar, or brown sugar.
How do you make carne asada keto?
Since there are no carbs in the meat, ensure that all ingredients used in the marinade or dry rub are keto-friendly. Also, replace any sweet ingredients with their keto-friendly counterparts, like using stevia instead of sugar.
Is carne asada a lean meat?
The most common meat slices used for carne asada are flank or skirt steak, which are relatively lean.
Is there sugar in carne asada?
It depends on the recipe. Some require white or brown sugar, making the beef dark-brown color and giving it a subtle caramel flavor.
Is carne asada good for weight loss?
Yes. The steak in carne asada recipes is typically very lean, so the dish will be packed with protein.
As for the seasoning, most spices have zero calories. As long as you avoid common sources of carbs, such as beer and sugar, it becomes ideal for weight loss.
Closing Thoughts
If you want to make things easier on yourself, you could always buy a pre-made carne asada seasoning blend from your local supermarket or online.
But, as we’ve seen in this post, it’s not that hard (or time-consuming) to make your blend at home.
What are your favorite carne asada recipe ideas? Let us know in the comments below!
