Smoky, citrusy and a little messy, these Carne Asada Tostadas just might be the ultimate handheld bite. We’re talking juicy, marinated, grilled-to-perfection skirt steak loaded on a crispy tallow-fried tostadas with creamy avocado, crunchy lettuce and a smoky chipotle salsa to bring it all together. Served with some charred green onions, crisp radish and a squeeze of lime, they’re simple enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for entertaining. If you love carne asada and delicious homemade salsas, this one deserves a spot in your rotation.
Big Flavour, Minimal Fuss: A quick citrus marinade with ingredients you likely already have gives the steak incredible flavour while keeping the prep simple and approachable.
Layer Upon Layer of Flavour: Crispy tostadas, creamy avocado, juicy grilled steak and crunchy lettuce create an irresistible combination of flavours, textures and colours.
Killer Homemade Salsa: A super easy but incredibly delicious chipotle salsa brings heat, acidity and depth to the tostadas, but is also amazing on all types of grilled meats.
Great for Entertaining: Marinate the steaks, prep the salsa and fry the tostadas ahead of time, then grill the carne asada when you’re ready to serve.
Skirt Steak: Steak: Outside skirt steak (AKA entraña, arrachera) or flap steak (AKA vacio, bavette) are my top choices here. Both have a similarly bold and beefy flavour profile, tender to the bite when marinated and cooked to a medium centre, and both are more affordable than premium cuts like a ribeye or NY strip. I recommend letting the marinade work its magic for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours for maximum penetration. Once the steak is cooked, let it rest before slicing it into thin strips or small cubes so they’re easy to eat.
Garlic: As always, measure this ingredient with your heart and don’t let anyone tell you there’s such a thing as too much!
Citrus: A combination of fresh lime juice and fresh orange juice give the grilled steak tacos a delicious and tangy flavour and help tenderize the meat. If you can find fresh naranja agria (bitter orange) you can just use that instead of combining the two.
Fresh Cilantro: Adds herbaceous freshness and gives the marinade that unmistakable Mexican flavour profile.
Herbs and Spices: Some ground cumin, dry oregano and onion powder give the steak some depth of flavour without overpowering it. You can also make life a bit easier and just substitute your favourite taco seasoning.
Kettle & Fire Beef Tallow: This is my preferred fat for frying the tostadas because it has a high smoke point, incredible beefy flavour and creates a crispier, more golden tortilla than neutral oils. It’s grass-fed, all-natural and completely seed oil free. You can find it in stores or buy it online here.
Tortillas: I used corn tortillas here, but you can keep things grain-free by using Siete brand. I recommend the cassava flour ones because they are more flexible than the almond flour.
Green Onions: Grilling the green onions mellows their flavour and makes them a bit sweet. They’re a great bite alongside the tostadas.
Toppings and Garnish: I kept things fairly simple here with some slices of creamy avocado and shredded lettuce on the tostadas, but you can add grated cheese, Mexican-style crema or pickled red onions. I also like to serve the tostadas with some crunchy radishes on the side.
This salsa is smoky, spicy and packed with charred flavour. Instead of roasting the vegetables dry, I decided to cook them in a small amount of beef tallow to build deeper flavour and help with the caramelization. It adds an incredible flavour and mouthfeel to the salsa!
Roma Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are ideal for homemade salsas because they have less seeds and liquid than other varieties, making for a less watery finished product.
Onion: A small amount of yellow or white onion will add sweetness and flavour to the salsa. For best results, char it along with the tomatoes for a deeper roasted flavour.
Garlic: See above for my thoughts on garlic!
Chipotle in Adobo: This is what gives the salsa a delicious, smoky flavour along with a deeper red colour and more heat.
Cilantro: Approximate a small handful or 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro per batch of salsa. The recipe provided here will make around 2 cups of salsa verde, which will be more than enough for the tostadas and leave you with some leftover.
Lime Juice: I tend to like my salsas on the acidic side so I use the juice of at least 1 lime, which usually works out to around 2 tablespoons. The amount of juice you yield from your lime will depend on the lime itself and how well you squeeze it. For maximum juice, try slicing the lime in half, width-wise, stick a fork into the centre and squeeze it while twisting the fork. I find this method yields more juice than even the best citrus squeezer.
Oregano: A pinch of dry oregano goes a long way so add just a bit and taste as you go. You can always add more if you feel like it.
Salt and Pepper: Season the chipotle salsa to taste with some kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
Pat the steak dry before grilling: Give the meat sufficient time to marinate so the flavours penetrate but also be sure to pat it dry before placing it on the grill. This is crucial for getting a proper sear because wet meat will steam instead of chars.
High Heat, Yes. High Flames, No: If you’re cooking over charcoal or wood, you want white ash or embers, not high flames. The goal is to develop a deep and even sear for maximum flavour, but if the flames are too high it can cause the steak to take on a bitter flavour.
Rest the Steak Before Slicing: Always, always, always let the steak rest before slicing. This allows for the juices to redistribute into the meat, resulting in a much better finished product. Ideally, you want to let the steak rest for the same amount of time it took to cook.
Slice Against the Grain: It’s always important to slice steak against the grain but it’s especially the case with cuts like skirt steak, flap steak or flap steak, which have noticeably longer and tougher muscle fibres. By slicing the steak against the grain of the fibers, you shorten them and create less stringy bites.
Fry the Tostadas Fresh: Homemade tostadas are so easy to prepare and infinitely better than store-bought ones. For best flavour and texture, I recommend frying corn tortillas in Kettle & Fire Beef Tallow. They get shatteringly crispy and take on an incredible flavour.
No Skirt Steak? Flap steak is the closest substitute. Flank steak works too and is a great option if you are looking for a leaner cut.
No Beef Tallow? Avocado oil is the best alternative because of its neutral flavour and high smoke point.
Want More Heat? Add an extra chipotle or jalapeño to the salsa.
No Iceberg? Romaine works well and adds a bit more structure. Thinly shredded green cabbage is also great.
Can I marinate the steak overnight?
Yes, but I wouldn’t go much longer than 12 hours because the citrus can start to break down the texture of the steak.
Can I use store-bought tostadas?
Sure, but frying them fresh gives you much better flavour, texture and control over quality of ingredients.
How do I know when skirt steak is done?
For best results, pull it around 130F for medium-rare and let it rest before slicing.
Can I make the salsa ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, it tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 tostadas
16 ounces skirt steak, cut into 6-inch sections, substitute flap steak or flank steak
Juice of 1 orange, around ¼ cup
Juice of 1 large lime, around 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dry oregano
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
¼ cup Kettle & Fire Beef Tallow
4 corn tortillas
4 green onions
2 avocados, thinly sliced
½ head iceberg lettuce, thinly shredded, for serving
4 radishes, quartered, for serving
1 teaspoon Kettle & Fire Beef Tallow
3 Roma tomatoes
1/4 white onion
1 jalapeño, sliced in half and stem removed
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup water
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo, plus 2 teaspoons of the canning liquid
¼ cup fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon dry oregano
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
In a bowl, combine the skirt steak, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper. Toss everything to coat, cover and refrigerate 1 to 6 hours.
Preheat a cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef tallow and heat it until it reaches around 360F. Carefully add one of the tortillas to the pan and cook, slowly moving it in a circular motion with a pair of tongs, until golden and lightly blistered, around 45 seconds. Flip and cook the other side, slowly moving it in a circular motion with a pair of tongs, until golden and lightly blistered, around 45 more seconds. Transfer the tostada to a sheet pan lined with a wire rack and lightly season it with a pinch of salt. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (preheat your Traeger to 500F). Pat the skirt steak dry with paper towel and place it over direct heat. Grill the steak until lightly charred, around 4 minutes. Flip and grill the other side until lightly charred and the thickest part of the steak registers around 130F for a medium-rare centre, around 4 more minutes. Grill the green onions, flipping regularly, until lightly charred, around 3 minutes total. Transfer the steak and green onions to a board and let the steak rest at least 8 minutes before slicing into small cubes.
To assemble, arrange a layer of sliced avocados onto each tostada followed by some of the sliced steak, chipotle salsa and shredded lettuce. Serve the tostadas with grilled green onions, radish and lime wedges for squeezing.
Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the beef tallow and heat until shimmering. Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and garlic and cook, undisturbed, until charred, around 4 minutes. Flip the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño and garlic and char the other sides, around 4 more minutes. Add the water and use a wooden spoon to lift any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add everything to a food processor along with the cilantro, chipotles packed in adobo, lime juice, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse until as smooth or chunky as you desire. Taste the salsa for seasoning and adjust with salt and lime juice as desired. Transfer the salsa to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The salsa will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
This recipe was created in partnership with Kettle & Fire. All opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.
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