Cast Iron Carne Asada Bowl
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This Carne Asada Bowl is bright and colorful and full of amazing flavor! Imagine a steak that’s been marinated with orange juice, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cooked to perfection, then served up with Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, and tortillas. You won’t be disappointed!
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Carne Asada Bowl
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions; to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required, and to understand the steps and timings involved.
Carne asada is a dish of grilled and sliced beef, usually skirt steak, sirloin steak, tenderloin steak, or rib steak. It is usually cooked with a marinade and some searing to impart a charred flavor. Carne asada can be served as a main dish or as an ingredient in other dishes.
Wikipedia
I recently shared a recipe for Grilled Carne Asada which is perfect for outdoor cooking. But the steak in this carne asada bowl is seared in cast-iron skillet over high heat.
Skirt and flank steak are two of the most popular cuts of meat used to prepare this dish. The key to success with either option is to thinly slice the meat against the grain, or perpendicular to the long striations that run through the cut of meat, before serving.
The marinating of the steak can be as quick as 30-minutes, or for more depth of flavor, overnight. Then simply sear the steak in a seasoned cast-iron skillet, cut into slices, and serve with fresh tomato salsa, chopped avocado, radishes, jalapeños, and cheese. You could also serve with corn or flour tortillas and guacamole if you like.
With lots of delicious flavors and textures, you definitely need to add this steak recipe to your menu plan this week!
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Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Oranges, Limes, Garlic, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander), Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onions, Radishes, Jalapeño,
- Protein – Skirt or Flank Steak.
- Chili Powder – use mild or hot depending on your personal tastes and spicy heat preference!
- Dried Oregano – use Mexican Oregano if possible.
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Black Pepper
- Sea Salt
- Cotija Cheese – a Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk and named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán. If you can’t source this cheese you could use Feta instead.
- Soy sauce or Tamari or Coconut Aminos – see below.
Depending on your dietary requirements you may want to use one of the following in this recipe:
- Soy Sauce – the regular stuff made from fermented soybeans and roasted grains.
- Tamari – a gluten-free soy sauce (but always check the label) if this is a concern for you.
- Coconut Aminos – a soy-free, soy sauce made with coconut tree sap and salt, and popular in Paleo, Keto, and Whole 30 communities.
What Are Skirt and Flank Steak?
Skirt steak is a thin, long cut of beef from the underbelly of the cow, also known as Hanger steak. Flank steak is very similar but cut from the abdominal muscles of the cow. Both are inexpensive cuts of beef and are best cooked fast at a high temperature. Don’t cook past a medium, otherwise, the meat becomes tough. Both have plenty of fat marbling which equals moist meat, with good beefy flavour. Skirt steak and flank steak are great for fajitas, stir-fries, and grilling on a barbecue.
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. You can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Steak
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is steak, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Greek Steak Salad with Feta & Kalamata Olives
- Sheet Pan Steak Dinner: Garlic Parmesan Steak with Asparagus
- Flank Steak with Rosti and Tomato-Caper Sauce
More Tex-Mex Recipes
Looking for more Tex-Mex recipe inspo? Check these recipes out next:
- Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Skillet – A One-Pan Recipe
- Beef Taco Salad
- Shrimp Fajita Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Rice
Recipe Tips
- If marinating the steak in the refrigerator, allow time for the steak to come to room temperature, approximately 20-30 minutes, before cooking.
- Use the grilling option on this chart (and an instant-read thermometer) to determine desired cooking temperature of your steak.
How Do I Make A Carne Asada Bowl?
Just check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Cast-Iron Carne Asada Bowls
This Carne Asada Bowl is bright and colorful and full of amazing flavor!
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest, preferably organic
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- 3-4 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Remaining Ingredients
- 1½ lbs (680g) skirt or flank steak
- 8oz (225g) cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro (fresh coriander), chopped, divided
- ½ medium red onion, chopped small
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
- 1 large avocado, chopped
- 5-6 large radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
- 1 large lime, cut into 8 wedges
- 2 oz. Cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1 large jalapeño, sliced
To Serve, Optional
- Guacamole
- Gluten-free tortillas and/or lettuce wraps.
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade by placing all of the ingredients into a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Place the steak into a freezer bag and pour the marinade on top. Seal the bag tightly and turn several times to ensure the steak is evenly coated. Marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (but less than 2 hours) or place in the refrigerator overnight.
Tip: If marinating the steak in the refrigerator, allow time for the steak to come to room temperature, approximately 20-30 minutes, before cooking. - Combine the tomatoes, one tablespoon of fresh cilantro, red onion, and two tablespoons of fresh lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Set aside.
- To prevent browning, toss the chopped avocado with the remaining lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet or a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and let excess liquid drip off before placing it in the hot skillet. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until the meat reaches the desired level of doneness.
Tip: Use the grilling option on this chart (and an instant-read thermometer) to determine desired cooking temperature. - Remove from heat and allow the steak to rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing it against the grain.
- Serve immediately with the seasoned tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced radishes, lime wedges, and the remaining fresh cilantro.
- Top with sliced jalapeño and Cotija cheese. Offer guacamole, gluten-free tortillas, and/or lettuce wraps on the side if desired. Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 427Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 1947mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 8gSugar: 5gProtein: 22g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Meal!
You’ve made the main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal!
- Appetizer: Quick & Easy Spicy Salsa
- Side Salad: Mexican Chopped Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
- Beverage: Frozen Mango Margaritas
- Dessert: Quick & Easy Strawberry Cupcakes
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!