These Quick and Easy Steak Tacos are the perfect hearty and filling street-style tacos. Made with a simple marinade, tender yet crispy bite-sized pieces of beef, toasted corn tortillas, and your favorite taco toppings.
Table of Contents
Nothing calls my name like the street vendors you find in bustling markets on travels. It’s hard for me to pass up the wafting aromas of seared beef, citrus, and spice that rise from the grills as I pass by.
These Quick and Easy Steak Tacos are a recreation of my favorite street tacos that I’ve experienced abroad. I decided it was about time I figured out how to make them that good at home…because steak tacos can get a little bit expensive when you also have to buy a plane ticket to go get your favorite ones. I can’t swing that every time it’s taco night.
This steak taco recipe is simple and made with an affordable cut of steak that’s transformed into tender, juicy, perfectly crisped bites. Load those up onto a toasted tortilla with your favorite toppings, and the best steak tacos just became an easy at-home dinner!
Talk about a quick and easy recipe! These steak tacos will not disappoint!
Ingredients needed
For the chuck steaks
- Chuck Steaks – use thin-cut chuck steaks to get that slightly crispy yet tender texture and rich flavor.
- Steak Taco Marinade – we’re whipping up a simple marinade made with Head Country All-Purpose marinade, fresh lime juice, and cilantro.
For the tacos
- Tortillas – I like corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour tortillas that will work as well.
- Cheese – cotija cheese crumbles perfectly over these tacos and is my favorite, but you can use whatever cheese you like best. Queso fresco or just shredded jack are great options too.
- Toppings – I use diced red onion, sweet peppers, queso fresco, a squeeze of lime juice, chopped scallions, hot sauce, and a sprinkle of cilantro.
How to make steak tacos
This steak taco recipe couldn’t be easier! Simply prep and marinate the steak, grill it up, and assemble your tacos. Just 25 minutes of hands-on time required!
Make the steak taco marinade
In a large ziplock bag, mix the marinade with lime juice. Add the beef and cilantro, then seal the bag.
Use your hands to move everything around to coat the chuck steaks. Place the bag into the fridge and marinate for 6 hours.
Grill the beef
Preheat the grill for direct heat at 400-450ºF. Remove the beef from the marinade and place it directly on the grill.
Grill, rotating as needed until your desired doneness is reached. Watch out. There will be flare-ups. Keep in mind that there is a lot of fat connecting chuck steaks. I recommend cooking these steaks a little longer (past the oh-so-desirable rare) to allow the fat to render.
Remove the steaks from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Assemble the Tacos
Thinly slice the steaks into bites and spritz with fresh lime juice.
Serve on toasted corn tortillas with your favorite toppings! Use the small street taco size tortillas if you can find them and bonus points for warm tortillas heated right on the grill when serving.
Garnish with green onions, peppers, onions, and queso fresco cheese.
What kind of steak do you use for tacos?
You can use pretty much any cut of steak for steak tacos, but I think that thin-cut chuck steak is where it’s at. These quality steaks cook quickly and absorb a ton of great flavor from the marinade and are FAR cheaper than other cuts. The sheer thinness of the cut also allows the meat to crisp up ever so slightly allowing that seared texture we crave!
If you can’t find thin-cut chuck steak, hanger steak, flank steak, skirt steak, or sirloin steak will work as well. Keep in mind, different cuts of beef will cook at different speeds.
Expert Tips
- If the steaks are too long cut them into manageable portions for grilling before placing them in the marinade.
- Marinate for at least 6 hours. The beef absorbs tons of flavor, so I recommend marinating for at least 6 hours. Don’t short yourself on all that goodness!
- Grill past rare. There is a lot of fat connecting chuck steaks, so I like to cook these steaks a little longer to allow that fat to render. These mark for charred delicious bites.
- Rest it. After the beef is done cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing into it to allow the flavor and juices time to redistribute.
- Cut against the grain. When you slice the steak, cut against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers creating a more tender bite.
- No Grill? This recipe works great on a griddle or cast-iron as well.
- Don’t want tacos? This beef is great for a taco salad or power bowl as well.
How to store
The steak tacos are best enjoyed immediately after the steak comes off the grill, but leftover beef can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm on low on the stove with a drizzle of oil until heated through.
Be sure to store all of the taco components separately to avoid any sogginess.
Serving Suggestions:
Go the extra mile and serve with grilled corn (elotes) or corn salsa. Refried beans or fried street potatoes are also great options.
Keep it keto and skip the grilled corn and serve with crisp slaw.
Whip up some fresh pico de gallo and guacamole too, or just serve fresh avocado slices.
More Taco Recipes
Beef Recipes
Beef Birria Garnachas
Beef Recipes
Bavette Steak Tacos
Beef Recipes
Quesabirria Tacos
Poultry Recipes
Chicken Tinga Stuffed Peppers
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Quick and Easy Steak Tacos
Ingredients
For the chuck steaks
- 2 lbs thin cut chuck steaks
- 1 cup Head Country All-Purpose Marinade
- 3 Limes juiced
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
For the tacos
- Corn tortillas
- Cotija
- Red onion
- Sweet peppers
- Lime
- Scallions
- Queso Fresco
- Cilantro
Instructions
Make the Marinade
- In a large resealable bag, mix the Head Country All-Purpose Marinade with the lime juice.
- Add the beef and cilantro.
- Seal the bag and using your hands, move everything around to evenly coat the chuck steaks.
- Place in the fridge for 6 hours to marinate.
Grill the beef
- When ready to grill, preheat your grill for direct heat around 400-450F degrees.
- Remove the beef from the marinade, discard the marinade, and place the beef directly on the grill. The liquid from the marinade will cause flareups that should quickly subside; use long grilling tongs and caution.
- Grill the chuck steaks, rotating and maneuvering as needed to evenly cook all of the portions.
- Grill to desired doneness.
- Remove the steaks from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Assemble the tacos
- Chop the steaks into thin strips and spritz with fresh lime juice.
- Set up a taco bar with toasted corn tortillas and all of your desired toppings. Invite everyone to build their own tacos.
Notes
Nutrition
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