Ever wonder what goes into an authentic Carne Asada recipe? Well, I can promise you it’s a lot more simple than you would think! Try this delicious Air Fryer Carne Asada for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Why You Have To Try This Carne Asada Recipe
- Fast. Not counting the time it takes to marinate your steak, this Carne Asada recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Easy. Marinate, pop in the air fryer, and serve!
- Low Carb. Only 1 carb per serving.
- Delicious. This tastes just like your favorite Chipotle Carne Asada meat.
What Is Carne Asada?
Carne = meat and Asada = roast, or broiled, or grilled-or in my case, air fried.
There are many ways to make carne asada and they all vary by region. I’ve played with several different marinades over the years, but I keep coming back to this one.
What Cut Of Meat Is Carne Asada?
Traditionally, you’d use either flank steak or skirt steak. These are fairly heavily marbled but also somewhat stringier cuts.
In this Air fried Carne Asada recipe, I used skirt steak. Mainly because that’s what I had. I actually had THREE POUNDS of skirt steak due to a mistake on my grocery list. But hey, that just turned into Carne Asada, so who is going to complain?
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Limes
- Orange
- Cilantro
- Jalapeño Peppers
- Vegetable Oil
- White Vinegar
- Ancho Chile Powder
- splenda, or 2 teaspoon sugar
- Kosher Salt
- cumin seeds
- Coriander Seeds
- Skirt steak
How To Make Carne Asada In The Air Fryer
- Place ingredients except the skirt steak into a blender and mix until you get a smooth sauce.
- Cut the skirt steak into pieces and place into a zip-top bag.
- Pour the marinade on the steak and let it soak for 30 minutes to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Place the steaks into the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may have to do this in two batches.
- Cook until your steak has reached an internal temperature of 145F. It is critical to not overcook skirt steak so the meat doesn’t become tough.
- Let the steak rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice the steak against the grain and serve.
Tips And Tricks For This Carne Asada Recipe
Many recipes call for orange juice to tenderize the meat and to add a little hint of citrus sweetness to the meat. I never have orange juice at home. What I do have, however, is a Vitamix blender that pulverizes anything into juice.
So I’ve gotten used to using a whole orange in this recipe. I also find that to be less sweet than commercial orange juice and that works better for me in this authentic Carne Asada recipe to let the spices resonate.
Here are a few more tips and tricks that I use to make this the best Carne Asada recipe:
- Marinate your meat for AT LEAST 30 minutes to help tenderize your steak.
- Let your steak rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes so all of the delicious juices aren’t wasted on your cutting board.
- Cut the meat AGAINST the grain for an even more tender bite.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Carne Asada?
Almost any traditional Mexican dish will pair well with this air fryer Carne Asada.
Here are some of my favorite things to serve alongside this easy main course:
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Black Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Tamale Pie
How Long Does It Last?
For best results, you will want to eat any leftovers within 3-4 days (I wouldn’t plan on having any unless you’re making this dish for one person-it’s that good).
Want More Low Carb Recipes?
Whether you’re eating low carb or just love delicious food, you’ll love these recipes:
- Keto Big Mac Salad- A favorite for the whole family because of my copycat sauce recipe taste just like the real thing!
- Low Carb Beef Stroganoff- Comfort food and Keto? Yes, it’s true!
- Low Carb Beef Shawarma- An easy weeknight dinner option you’ll want to make again and again!
- Ethiopian Beef Stew- You won’t believe how much flavor is packed into such a simple dish.
- Beef Rendang- Fall apart tender meat in less than an hour!
- Kheema Meatloaf- The perfect solution for the days you’re craving Indian food but are short on ingredients.
- Kimchi Beef Stew- An easy pour and cook recipe full of umami flavors.
- Bulgogi Burgers- Put your air fryer to work with this fun twist on burgers!
- Corned Beef and Cabbage- A classic done in a fraction of the time.
- Indian Beef Curry- Done in less than an hour and so good you’ll wonder why you haven’t made it before!
If you love this Carne Asada Recipe as much as we do, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can make it too!
Originally Published March 21, 2018
