Carne Asada Bowls Recipe

Closeup on a carne asada bowl with cilantro liemdressing.

5 from 4 votes

These Carne Asada Bowls are packed with juicy, marinated grilled steak, fresh toppings, and bold, zesty flavors in every bite. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep, they’re customizable, satisfying, and unbelievably delicious!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword carne asada, carne asada burrito bowls

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 574kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the carne asada:

1 ½ pounds flank steak
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

For the remaining bowl ingredients:

1 batch Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
4-6 cups prepared white rice - or any rice
avocado slices, tomatoes, lettuce greens
Tex-Mex dressing or combo of salsa and sour cream

Instructions

Make marinade. In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade ingredients – the olive oil, soy sauce, freshly squeezed orange juice and lime juice, chopped cilantro (optional but tasty), ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk well.
1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Refrigerate. Place meat in a plastic freezer bag and pour marinade over the top. Use your hands to massage well and then place meat in refrigerator for a couple of hours (or longer) to marinate.
1 ½ pounds flank steak
Set meat out. Letting meat sit out briefly before grilling helps it cook more evenly. When meat goes on the grill ice-cold from the fridge, the outside can overcook before the inside has a chance to come up to temperature—taking the chill off promotes a more consistent doneness.
Grill steak. Preheat your outdoor grill to high heat (about 450 degrees) so it’s nice and hot before the steak goes on. Grill the marinated carne asada for about 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until it’s nicely charred on the outside and cooked to your desired doneness.
We use a digital thermometer to test for doneness. Medium for flank steak is generally our preference.
130–135°F = medium-rare (most traditional and tender for carne asada)140–145°F = medium150°F+ = more well done (can start to get tougher)
Grill corn. When steak comes off the grill, immediately add corn cobs. Grill until slightly charred on all sides. Remove to cool.
Rest and slice. Let it rest for a 7-8 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain for the most tender bite.
Make Mexican street corn salad. Meanwhile, make the street corn salad. Combine the grilled corn kernels, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, mayo, and seasonings (salt, pepper, and grlic powder). Stir to combine.
1 batch Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
Prep remaining ingredients:
Rice – If you love cilantro, try our Cilantro Lime Rice. Otherwise, plain white rice is great.
Veggies – Lettuce, tomato, avocado slices
Other Toppings – Use a combo of sour cream and salsa or make one of our favorite toppings – Chipotle Ranch Dressing. or Cilantro Lime Crema!
4-6 cups prepared white rice, avocado slices, tomatoes, lettuce greens, Tex-Mex dressing or combo of salsa and sour cream

Notes

This recipe can be adapted in so many ways. Try one of more of the following:

add grilled onions and peppers
skip the condiments for some chunky guacamole and pico de gallo
use plain rice or green Chile rice
add a dollop of the best refried beans
use a different protein (like chicken or shrimp)

Nutrition