Carne asada fries are like a deconstructed taco–a pile of seasoned steak cooked on the grill and piled on top of French fries, topped with lots of cheese, guacamole, sour cream, Pico de Gallo, cilantro, and more.
What do you get when you combine carne asada with French fries? Why, you get a huge plateful of heaven, that’s what! I love to serve these fries as an appetizer as part of a larger Mexican meal or potluck. I also love to simply serve them as a fun dinner for the family. It’s full of authentic Mexican flavors, so it make s a fun change for Taco Tuesdays. Whenever I serve them, the same thing always happens. They go fast! When you try this recipe, be sure to set some aside for yourself or you won’t get any!
Carne Asada Fries
These first start with tender, juicy, homemade carne asada that I marinate and then pan sear to perfect doneness. Then, I slice the carne asada and add it to the top of a plateful of golden brown French fries. I finish off the dish with Pico de Gallo, sour cream, green and red onions, cilantro, guacamole, and two cheeses. It’s so good, and it’s so easy!
Why You’ll Love This Carne Asada Fries Recipe
- They are loaded with crispy French fries, deliciously seasoned flank steak, two types of cheese, and lots of favorite toppings.
- The toppings include guacamole, sour cream, Pico de Gallo, green onions, red onions, cilantro, and whatever other topping you can think of and enjoy.
- The carne asada is marinated in a zesty blend of seasonings, lime juice, orange juice, and cilantro, which gives the meat a bold, smoky flavor that is perfect for the fries.
Carne Asada Fries Ingredients
This recipe may be full of south-of-the-border flavors, but you can find everything you need in one quick trip to your local grocery store. There’s nothing fancy about this delicious recipe.
- Flank steak
- Frozen French fries
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
Marinade
- Ground cumin
- Garlic salt
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Red crushed peppers
- fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Orange juice
- Vegetable oil
Optional Toppings
- Pico de Gallo
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Red onions
- Cilantro
- Guacamole
How to Make Carne Asada Fries
Making these carne asada fries is much easier than you might think. The steak itself is easy to prepare, as are the rest of this recipe’s parts.
Step 1: Marinate the Steak
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large, gallon-sized baggie, then seal and shake to combine. Add the flank steak to the bag, seal, and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
Step 2: Cook the Steak
Grill the steak on a hot grill for 7 to 10 minutes per side, or sear it in a cast-iron pan over high heat with canola oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Step 3: Slice
Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes on a cutting board, then slice against the grain.
Step 4: Cook the French Fries
Cook the French fries according to the package directions and arrange them on a platter.
Step 5: Top
Top the fries with a cup of each cheese. Then, add the carne asada slices and top them with the remaining cheese. Finally, garnish with guacamole, sour cream, Pico de Gallo, green onions, red onions, and cilantro. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- 6 hours is the minimum marinating time for the steak, but overnight is better.
- You can adjust the grilling and pan-searing time for your desired level of steak doneness.
- A cast-iron skillet is best for pan-searing the steak if you have it.
Variations
- You can make these fries with chicken, pork, shredded beef, or chorizo.
- For even more heat, add diced jalapenos to the carne asada fries.
- You can use any kind of French fries you like for this recipe. Even sweet potato fries or tater tots work.
What to Serve with Carne Asada Fries
The base of these this recipe is simply French fries and carne asada. After that, the sky’s the limit. Top these with all your favorites including:
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Slice avocado
- Your favorite cheese
- Cilantro
- Onions
- Pico de Gallo
- Salsa
- Taco sauce
- Anything else you like!
And don’t forget, these make a great main dish or side for your next Taco Tuesday, so serve these with all of your favorite Mexican dishes right down to churros for dessert!
Recipe FAQ
They are a Tex-Mex dish combining French fries, carne asada, cheese, and various Southwestern toppings. The dish originated in Sand Diego, but it’s popular across the country now.
Carne asada is made of flank or skirt steak.
Carne asada fries originated in San Diego, so they were very much a California thing at first. These days, however, the dish is popular all across the country.
Carne asada fries were first made at Lolita’s Mexican Food in San Diego sometime in the late 1990s. It’s said that the dish was inspired from the restaurant’s tortilla distributor.
No, they are not something you want to make in advance. Everything is freshly hot and crispy when the fries are first made.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat them, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 425 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.
Try This Delicious Carne Asada Fries Recipe Today
This delicious recipe is loaded with delicious Tex-Mex flavors along with tender, juicy carne asada and crispy, golden French fries. This cheesy, zesty combo of steak and fries is an absolutely fantastic appetizer or main dish, and it’s so easy to make, you’ll be whipping up batches for any and every occasion. Give this one a try and get ready to fall in love.
More Delicious Flank Steak Recipes
These Beef Fajita Nachos are a delicious nacho appetizer recipe that is absolutely delicious and can be made with flank steak as well.
Carne Asada Fries
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak
For the Marinade
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon red crushed peppers
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Optional Toppings
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 ounce Pico de Gallo
- ⅓ cup green onions
- ⅓ cup red onions
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- Guacamole
- 28 ounce frozen French fries
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1½ cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
Carne Asada Marinade
- In a large gallon size baggie, add seasonings for the marinade along with the lime juice, orange juice, and vegetable oil. Seal and shake to combine.
- Place flank steak into bag, seal, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 6+ hours or overnight.
Grill or Pan-Sear Flank Steak
- After the steak has marinated, remove from the bag and place on the hot grill and barbecue for 7-10 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is obtained.
- If pan-searing, heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a cast-iron pan, over high heat.
- Place marinated flank steak into the hot pan and let sear for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- If more time is needed, depending on the thickness of the flank steak, turn heat to low and continue cooking until desired doneness is obtained.
Assemble the Carne Asada Fries
- Cook fries according to package directions.
- Arrange cooked fries on a large platter.
- Sprinkle with a cup of each type of cheese over the hot French fries.
- Next, top with carne asada and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the meat.
- Top with guacamole, sour cream, Pico de Galo, green onions, red onions, and cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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