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Raw flank steak on a wooden board, surrounded by small bowls of spices, sauces, broth, chopped herbs, a chili pepper, garlic bulb, and a white onion.
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Carne Asada Marinda Recipe

A citrus-garlic carne asada marinade made with orange juice, lime, garlic, soy sauce, and spices. Perfect for skirt steak, flank steak, or bavette before grilling over high heat. This is the marinade that makes people ask for the recipe.
Prep Time10 minutes
Marinating Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: condiment
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 349kcal
Author: Brittany Lauren

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2-3 lbs skirt flank, or bavette steak
  • ½ cup orange juice fresh if possible
  • ⅓ cup lime juice about 3–4 limes
  • ¼ cup olive oil or neutral oil
  • ¼ cup soy sauce adds umami + salt
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce extra depth, steakhouse flavor
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small white onion grated or very finely minced
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and chopped (optional for mild heat)
  • ¼ cup cilantro chopped (stems included for max flavor)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika mimics fire-char depth if cooking indoors
  • 1 tsp chili powder or ancho if you want softer heat
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Make Marinade:

  • In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, oil, soy, Worcestershire, garlic, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
    A glass bowl of carne asada marinade with chopped onions, green herbs, and a liquid marinade, stirred with a wooden spoon, on a wooden surface.

Marinate the Steak:

  • Add the steak, turning to coat it well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 6 hours. (Too long in citrus can “cook” the meat - don’t exceed 8 hours.)
    A white dish covered with plastic wrap contains meat marinating in carne asada marinade.

Cook:

  • Pat steaks dry before grilling. Grill over high heat (charcoal preferred) 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Rest & Slice:

  • Rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.

Notes

  • Marinating time matters. The sweet spot for carne asada is 2–6 hours. Longer marinating times can make the meat too soft due to the citrus.
  • Pat the steak dry before grilling. Excess marinade can cause flare-ups and prevent proper browning.
  • Slice against the grain. Cutting perpendicular to the muscle fibers keeps the steak tender.
  • This marinade is designed for 2–3 pounds of steak. If using less meat, you can halve the recipe.  
For the best flavor, grill carne asada over charcoal. The smoke and fat drippings hitting the coals create the classic taqueria-style aroma.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1109mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 404IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 4mg