Carne Asada Tostada
🌮 KevEats Recipe
Carne Asada Tostadas + Chipotle Crema
Crispy tostadas layered with guacamole, creamy beans, deeply marinated carne asada, smoky chipotle crema, charred corn pico, cotija, and lime.
These feel like something from a really good taco spot. The guacamole + bean base gives the tostadas richness and structure, while the upgraded carne asada marinade delivers actual taco-shop flavor with citrus, garlic, jalapeño, soy, and smoky spices.
525
Calories
41g
Protein
22g
Fat
43g
Carbs
Ingredients
Carne Asada Marinade
- 1.5 lb flank steak or skirt steak
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- optional pinch MSG
Chipotle Crema
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp light mayo or sour cream
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- pinch salt
Tostadas + Toppings
- 8 baked tostada shells
- 1/2 cup guacamole
- 1 cup refried beans
- 1 cup charred corn pico
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese
- as needed cilantro + lime wedges
Marinade Notes
This marinade is built for real carne asada flavor.
Citrus tenderizes the steak while soy sauce and Worcestershire deepen the savory flavor. Garlic, jalapeño, and smoky spices give the steak that proper taco-shop flavor instead of just tasting like “lime steak.”
Best timing:
Minimum 30 minutes, but 4–12 hours is where the flavor really gets crazy.
Optional crema variation:
Blend 1/2 avocado into the chipotle crema for a richer avocado-chipotle sauce.
Instructions
- 1 Whisk together all marinade ingredients until fully combined.
- 2 Add steak and marinate at least 30 minutes, ideally several hours or overnight.
- 3 Blend Greek yogurt, light mayo or sour cream, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic powder, and salt until smooth.
- 4 Heat grill or cast iron skillet over very high heat. Sear steak 3–5 minutes per side depending on thickness.
- 5 Let steak rest 5–10 minutes before slicing thin against the grain.
- 6 Warm tostadas slightly in oven or air fryer for extra crispness.
- 7 Spread a thin layer of guacamole onto each tostada followed by warm refried beans.
- 8 Layer with carne asada, charred corn pico, cotija, and chipotle crema.
- 9 Finish with cilantro, lime, and hot sauce if desired.
Kev Tips
Most important step:
Let the grill or pan get ripping hot before adding the steak. That hard char is where a huge amount of the flavor comes from.
Best layering move
Guacamole first helps protect the tostada from getting soggy while the beans create a creamy base that holds everything together.
Meal Prep Friendly
Prep the steak, crema, and toppings ahead of time. Assemble fresh so the tostadas stay crispy.
