Description
A festive and interactive holiday taco recipe featuring tender, marinated flank steak and bright, acidic charred salsa verde. Perfect for casual gatherings or breaking up the monotony of traditional holiday meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds flank steak or skirt steak
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice (about 3 limes)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cilantro stems, chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and washed
- 1/2 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1–2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, halved
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, packed
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (for salsa)
- 12–16 small corn tortillas
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- Lime wedges for serving
- Crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese (optional)
- Avocado slices (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro stems. Whisk until salt dissolves.
- Add the flank steak to the marinade, massage it in, seal, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Place tomatillos, halved onion, unpeeled garlic cloves, and halved peppers on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a tiny bit of oil if desired.
- Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until tomatillos are soft and blistered and garlic skins are blackened.
- Let roasted vegetables cool slightly. Peel the garlic cloves.
- Toss peeled garlic, charred tomatillos, onion, peppers, fresh cilantro leaves, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt into a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt, water, or sugar as needed.
- Remove steak from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat a grill or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Remove steak from marinade (brush off excess solids) and cook for 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temp 130-135°F).
- Transfer steak to a cutting board and rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain.
- Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet or over a gas flame until pliable.
- Assemble tacos with sliced steak, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, salsa verde, and optional toppings.
Notes
Always slice the steak against the grain to ensure tenderness. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing to retain juices. The salsa verde tastes better if made a day in advance. For oven cooking, broil the steak for 6-8 minutes per side.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 tacos per serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 28
Keywords: carne asada, tacos, salsa verde, holiday recipes, Mexican food, flank steak, charred salsa, easy dinner, party food