Carne Asada Fries

| |

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure.

Meaty carne asada fries are a California favorite, made famous in San Diego. The flavorful carne asada marinade delivers an authentic south-of-the-border flair. It’s perfect appetizer for Taco Tuesday and Game Day.

📌 PIN CARDE ASADA FRIES

Carne Asada Fries served on a white platter with fresh wedges of lime.

🛒 INGREDIENTS

FOR CARNE ASADA MARINADE

  • Flank steak or arrachera (skirt steak, thinly sliced)
  • Olive oil
  • Limes, juice and zest
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Cloves of garlic
  • Chili powder
  • Coarse salt
  • Freshly-ground black pepper
Ingredients for preparing authentic carne asada.

FOR BASE AND TOPPINGS

👩🏻‍🍳 TIPS FOR FRENCH FRIES: For serving this dish as an appetizer, select sturdy fries like steak-cut potatoes or crinkle-cut. For serving carne asada fries as a meal with a fork and knife, extra-crispy shoe-string fries are a great option. For extra flavor, choose fries that are battered or seasoned.

Authentic Mexican Guacamole and Pico de Gallo.

WHAT IS CARNE ASADA?

It’s thinly-sliced beef seasoned with Mexican flavors. Traditional carne asada seasoning is very simple: salt, pepper and powdered garlic.

The most popular cuts of beef for carne asada include flank steak, arrachera (thinly-sliced skirt steak), and trimmed brisket cut into thin strips.

Carne Asada marinade

Authentic preparation of carne asada includes searing and grilling the beef to perfection over mesquite charcoal. The exterior is lightly crisp. The center is tender and juicy.

Arrachera and flank steak

Carne asada is an important part of Mexican culture because it preserves our collective memory of vaqueros (Mexican cowboys) celebrating life on the ranch with music, dancing, and a plentiful spread of darn good food. At these lively fiestas, neighbors are family and strangers are friends!

Carne asada fries on a serving platter with Mexican garnishes.

As we prepare heathy meals for our families, we know beef is packed with essential nutrients: protein, iron, zinc, niacin, B-vitamins, and more.

Comparing proteins, 93% lean cooked ground beef has less calories, total fat and cholesterol than 93% lean cooked ground turkey.

Some cuts of beef are as lean as a 3-ounce skinless chicken thigh. Learn more nutrition facts at Beefitswhatsfordinner.com

CARNE ASADA FRIES RECIPE

Follow these easy step-by-step instructions for marinating and grilling carne asada and prepping your fries!

  • STEP 1: Prep the carne asada marinade: whisk together the ingredients. Add the steak to a large zip-top bag. Roll down the sides a bit to give it stability on the countertop. Pour marinade over the meat. Roll up the sides of the bag and zip it closed. Massage the bag to distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight.
  • STEP 2: Remove marinated steak from the fridge. Arrange the frozen fries on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. This will help them to crisp up nicely. Bake the fries in the oven according to package directions so they’re nicely crisp.
  • STEP 3: Heat up a grill pan over high heat. Add a drizzling of oil to the pan. Drain off all the marinade from the steak. Place the meat on paper towels and dry it off. This is important! Without wet marinade covering the beef it can be properly seared.
  • STEP 4 Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Transfer it to the grill. When it hits the hot pan you should hear it sizzle. Sear for 1-2 minutes. Flip and sear the second side. Reduce heat to medium/high. Continue grilling until the internal temperature on a meat thermometer reads 140°F – medium rare, 155°F – medium, or 165°F – well done.
4 step-by-step images showing how to cook carne asada.

PREPPING CARNE ASADA FRIES

When the crispy fries come out of the oven, sprinkle cheese over the top. Return them to the oven to melt the cheese. Keep a eye on them! The cheese melts quickly.

Crispy French fries with melted cheese on a baking sheet.

Transfer steak from the grill pan to a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices on top can deeply penetrate the center. This step is very important! It’s how chefs ensure their grilled meats are tender and juicy.

With a sharp knife, slice the steak against the grain. Chop meat into bite-sized pieces. If desired, sprinkle the pieces with a pinch of kosher salt.

Carne Asada on a cutting board with a sharp Cutco knive.

HOW TO PLATE CARNE ASADA FRIES

  1. Transfer a layer of cheesy fries to a large plate.
  2. Sprinkle a generous amount of beef over the fries.
  3. Add pico de gallo over the beef.
  4. In the center, add generous scoops of guacamole and sour cream.
  5. Garnish with jalapeno slices, chopped cilantro, and slices of lime.
Beautifully plated carne asada fries loaded up with all the fixings and garnishes!

    👨🏻‍🍳 FAVORITE BEEF RECIPES

    If you love beef as much as I do, these are the recipes to add to your collection. Each dish is savory and delicious.

    RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Flavor testers rated this the BEST carne asada fries recipe. The deeply-flavorful meat boasts an authentic Mexican taste. The crispy fries and classic toppings bring this dish to the next level. It’s a restaurant-quality appetizer.

    If you agree this is recipe is a must-make for parties, give it a 5-star rating in the comments below. Then be a recipe hero! Share it. Pin it to Pinterest.

    Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Carne Asada Fries served on a white platter with fresh wedges of lime.

    Carne Asada Fries


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 13 reviews

    • Author: Denay DeGuzman
    • Total Time: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
    • Yield: 5 Servings 1x
    Save Recipe

    Description

    Scrumptious carne asada fries are a California favorite! This recipe begins with a deeply-flavorful carne asada marinade. The meat is grilled to perfection. Crispy cheesy fries are generously sprinkled with beef and loaded up with yummy Mexican toppings!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    CARNE ASADA MARINADE

    • 1 1/2 pounds flank steak or arrachera
    • 1/3 cup virgin olive oil
    • 2 limes, juice and zest
    • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, no stems
    • 3 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
    • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
    • 2 teaspoons black pepper

    FRIES AND MEXICAN TOPPINGS

    • 1 (28-ounce) bag frozen French fries
    • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (Colby Jack + mild cheddar)
    • 3/4 cup Pico de Gallo (homemade or store-bought)
    • 1/3 cup Authentic Mexican Guacamole
    • 1/3 cup sour cream
    • 23 jalapenos, sliced
    • 12 tablespoons chopped cilantro
    • 2 limes, quartered

    Instructions

    1. Prep the carne asada marinade: whisk together the ingredients. Add the steak to a large zip-top bag. Roll down the sides a bit to give it stability on the countertop. Pour marinade over the meat. Roll up the sides of the bag and zip it closed. Massage the bag to distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight!
    2.  Remove marinated steak from the fridge. Arrange the frozen fries on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. This will help them to crisp up nicely. Bake the fries in the oven according to package directions. We want these beauties to be nicely crisp!
    3. Drain off all the marinade from the steak. Place the meat on paper towels and dry it off. This is important! Without wet marinade covering the beef it can be properly seared. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Heat up a grill pan over high heat. Add a drizzling of oil to the pan. Transfer beef to the grill. As it hits the hot pan you should hear it sizzle! Sear for 1-2 minutes. Flip and sear the second side. Reduce heat to medium/high. Continue grilling until steak reaches desired doneness. See expert tips below.
    4. After the fries come out of the oven, sprinkle cheese over the top. Return the baking tray to the oven to melt the cheese. This doesn’t take long!
    5. Transfer the steak from the grill pan to a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the beef (against the grain) into strips. Chop it into bite sized pieces.
    6. Plate your carne asada fries: Transfer a layer of cheesy fries to a large plate. Sprinkle a generous amount of beef over the fries. Add some pico de gallo over the beef. Off to one side of the plate add generous scoops of guacamole and sour cream. Garnish with jalapenos, chopped cilantro, and slices of lime.

    Notes

    EXPERT TIPS

    • Recommended cuts of beef for carne asada:: Arrachera, thin-sliced skirt steak, flank steak, or beef brisket sliced into thin strips.
    • Before serving, let the meat rest. After grilling, allow the meat to sit for 10 minutes so the juices on top can deeply penetrate the center. This step is very important! This is how chefs ensure their grilled meats are tender and juicy.
    • Food safety: Always use a meat thermometer when cooking beef. The internal temperature for doneness must be at least 140°F for medium rare, 155°F for medium, or 165°F for well done.
    • Prep Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 Minutes
    • Category: Appetizers, Dinner
    • Method: Grilling
    • Cuisine: Mexican
    Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com

    CARNE ASADA FRIES > JOIN THE CONVERSATION

    Have you ever tried carne asada fries? Would you like to take a fork and reach right through your screen to grab some? Share your thoughts about this Mexican recipe in the comments below.

    Similar Posts

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    26 Comments

    1. Now that I have this recipe, there’s no need to go to San Diego for these fries! You can easily make this right at home, loaded with carne asada, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream!

    2. You are rocking my world here with these fries. I am obsessed with nacho fries at my favorite taco shop, but they don’t look anything like this! I’m all about avocado so mine are going to be loaded with guac!

    3. This looks amazing! When are you having a party that you invite all the people of the internet over for? I’ll totally come if you serve these.






    4. These look absolutely amazing! I am definitely going to have to give these a try. I honestly can’t wait to try these. They sound so delicious.

    5. OMGosh loving this recipe idea. I bet my middle child would love something like this, he’s a teen and has a HUGE appetite. Also, the spicy factor seems to be right there? Love this, will be making it.

    6. My brother in law is from the San Diego area and always talks about the food and this is one he mentions a lot! I will have to share with my sister!






    7. Wow these sounds so delicious to me. I love topping fries with delicious ingredients like these! Gotta try this recipe.

    8. This dish is ridiculously good! I can smell the pictures in here. The veggies, meat and fries are just great altogether.

    9. My mouth is watering, this looks so good! I like the combination of the meat and the tasty fries. I think it’s a wonderful dish.

    10. Carne asada fries are one of my favorite meals! I was born and raised in San Diego, California and this is for sure a local favorite! I will be making these this week for sure, thank you for the reminder on just how amazing these are!






    11. Oh my gosh I’m starving and this is perfect. I need to make this as a side to my dinner tonight. I know everybody would love them.

    12. Ok now this sounds absolutely incredible! I have to admit I don’t think I’ve had anything quite like it before, I totally need to try it out ASAP.

    13. I have been wanting to learn how to make carne asada and now I know. What a great day! Thanks for teaching me.






    14. These look amazing and my family would love the fries. Mexican food is a favorite and I’ll be saving the recipe.