Mexican Street Tacos

Stainless Steel Skillet→ 

Tortilla Shells→ 

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Mexican Street Tacos

Charred, juicy marinated steak piled onto warm corn tortillas with fresh onion, cilantro, and lime — just like the carts.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Steak Marinade

• 1 ½ lb flank or skirt steak

• 3 tbsp orange juice

• 2 tbsp lime juice

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp chili powder

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

For the Tacos

• 12 small corn tortillas

• 1 small white onion, finely diced

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 limes, cut into wedges

• 1 cup salsa roja

• ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese

Instructions

Marinate the steak

In a bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the steak, coat well, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight for best flavor).

Heat the grill or skillet

Heat a grill, grill pan, or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot — you want a hard sear, not a slow cook.

Sear the steak

Remove steak from marinade and sear 3-4 minutes per side for medium doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Warm the tortillas

Char the corn tortillas lightly over an open flame or in a dry hot skillet, about 20-30 seconds per side, until soft and lightly toasted.

Slice the steak

Thinly slice the rested steak against the grain into small, taco-friendly pieces.

Assemble the tacos

Stack two warm tortillas per taco (street-cart style) and fill with sliced steak, diced onion, cilantro, salsa roja, and cotija cheese if using.

Serve

Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.

Notes

Stacking two tortillas per taco prevents tearing and mimics the authentic street-cart style. Leftover steak keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days — great for taco salads or quesadillas the next day.