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These steak tacos feature marinated skirt steak that’s quickly seared and sliced thin for tender taco meat. Served in warm tortillas with charred onions, creamy avocado sauce, and fresh lime, they’re a bold and easy taco dinner you can make at home.
The steak marinates in a simple coffee-citrus marinade made with lime, garlic, and warm spices. The marinade adds depth to the meat (no, it doesn’t taste like coffee) and helps the steak develop a rich crust when seared in a hot skillet. Skirt steak works especially well for tacos because it cooks quickly and stays tender when sliced thinly against the grain. Once layered with the toppings, these tacos have the perfect balance of savory steak, creamy sauce, and bright citrus.
Why These Steak Tacos Work
- Bold marinated flavor: The coffee-citrus marinade adds depth to the steak while lime, garlic, and warm spices keep the flavor bright.
- Great taco balance: Charred onions and creamy avocado sauce complement the savory steak and keep the tacos from feeling too heavy.
- Perfect for skirt steak tacos: Skirt steak absorbs marinades well and stays tender when sliced thinly against the grain, making it ideal for marinated steak tacos.
Ingredients for Steak Tacos
These ingredients create steak tacos that are bold, juicy, and balanced. Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below.
For the Skirt Steak Marinade
- Skirt steak: A great cut for tacos because it cooks quickly and has strong flavor. Slice it thinly against the grain after cooking for the most tender texture.
- Brewed coffee: Adds depth and helps the steak develop a flavorful crust.
- Fresh lime and orange juice: Brighten the marinade and balance the spices.
- Garlic and spices: Smoked paprika, cumin, and chili powder add warm, savory flavor.
For Searing the Steak
- Steak seasoning: Adds another layer of flavor (besides the spices in the marinade) and helps the steak develop a good crust in the skillet.
Charred Onion & Cilantro Topping (Optional)
- Yellow onion: Turns sweet and slightly smoky when cooked until lightly charred.
- Fresh cilantro and lime: Add freshness that balances the richness of the steak.
- Salt and Pepper
For Serving
- Avocado cream sauce
- Corn or flour tortillas
- Cotija cheese
- Fresh lime wedges
- Optional toppings like thinly sliced radishes add extra crunch.
How to Make Steak Tacos
Mix the Marinade & Marinate the Steak
Whisk together the coffee, citrus juice, garlic, oil, and spices until combined. Coat the skirt steak in the marinade and marinate the skirt steak so the flavors soak into the meat.
Sear the Steak
Remove the steak from the marinade and season it with the steak seasoning. Sear the steak in a hot skillet. The outside of the steak will have a nice crust.
Let the Steak Rest & Slice
Remove the steak from the heat and let it rest briefly. Then, slice the seared skirt steak thinly against the grain. This helps to keep the steak nice and tender.
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Make the Onion Cilantro Relish (Optional)
This onion and cilantro relish adds some extra flavor to these steak tacos. If you want to skip these next steps, simply go straight to building your tacos. Serve the diced raw onions, chopped fresh cilantro and limes with the tacos in a more traditional way.
Once the onions are sautéed, toss in the cilantro and lime, then set aside.
Build the Tacos
Fill warm tortillas with steak, onion relish, avocado cream sauce, cotija, and fresh lime.
The Best Steak for Tacos
Skirt steak is one of the best cuts for steak tacos because it cooks quickly and has a lot of flavor. It also absorbs marinades well, which helps the steak stay juicy and well seasoned. If you can’t find skirt steak, flank steak or sirloin also work well. No matter which cut you use, slice the steak thinly against the grain so the meat stays tender in the tacos.
Steak Taco Variations
These steak tacos are easy to adjust based on what you have in your kitchen.
- Use a different steak: Flank steak or sirloin work well if you can’t find skirt steak.
- Make a taco bowl: Skip the tortillas and serve the steak over rice, lettuce, or cauliflower rice.
- Add extra toppings: Pickled onions, shredded cabbage, or grilled pineapple add freshness and crunch.
What to Serve with Steak Tacos
Steak tacos pair well with simple sides that add freshness and balance.
- Cilantro lime rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice
- Spanish Cauliflower Rice Recipe
- Black beans
- Guacamole
- Coleslaw or fresh shredded cabbage
- Mango and peach salsa
Leftover steak also works well in steak quesadillas, taco salads, or taco bowls.
Steak Tacos FAQs
Skirt steak and flank steak both work well because they cook quickly and have strong flavor. When sliced thinly against the grain, the steak stays tender and works perfectly for tacos.
A good marinade usually includes acid, oil, and spices. Lime juice brightens the flavor, oil adds richness, and spices like cumin and chili powder help create bold taco flavor. I personally love the coffee-citrus marinade in this steak tacos recipe.
Steak for tacos is usually cooked quickly over high heat in a hot skillet or on a grill. After resting, slice the steak thinly against the grain so the meat stays tender.
Storage and Reheating
- Reheat: Warm the steak gently in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
- Store: Keep leftover sliced steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cooked steak can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Steak Tacos
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Ingredients
For the Steak Marinade:
- 1 ½ lb Skirt steak
- 2 tbsp Coffee, cold brew or freshly brewed then cooled works well
- 1 Lime, you'll need the zest of the entire lime and the juice
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Orange Juice
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- ½ tsp Chili Powder
- ¾ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
For Searing the Steak
- 2 tsp Steak Seasoning, click for my recipe
For the Charred Yellow Onion & Cilantro Relish (Optional):
- 1 Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ Lime, squeeze to add a bit of bright flavor to the relish
- ⅛ tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt, just a pinch
For serving:
- 8 tortillas, small corn or flour tortillas
- Avocado Cream Sauce, click for my recipe
- Cotija cheese, crumbled
- Extra lime wedges
Instructions
Marinate the Steak
- Make the marinade for the steak: In a bowl, whisk together the coffee, lime zest and juice, orange juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, and spices.
- Place the steak in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and then pour the marinade over it. Let marinate at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours for deeper flavor).
For the Charred Yellow Onion, Cilantro Relish (Optional)
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced yellow onion.
- Cook until softened and lightly charred around edges, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the onions from heat and stir in fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside
Sear the Steak
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade and pat lightly dry. Season the steak with the steak seasoning.
- Sear the steak in a preheated cast-iron pan for 4-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until desired doneness.
- Let the skirt steak rest 5-10 minutes
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain. This is key for tender tacos.
Assemble the Tacos
- Warm your tortillas.
- Layer with sliced steak and a spoonful of the yellow onion, cilantro relish
- Add a drizzle of avocado cream, crumbled cotija, and a squeeze of fresh lime. If you want extra brightness, add a few thin slices of radish for crunch.
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Recipe Notes
- Marinate longer for deeper flavor: The steak can marinate for as little as 30 minutes, but a few hours or overnight gives the marinade more time to soak into the meat.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the steak in a single layer so it sears well and develops those flavorful browned edges.
- Let the steak rest before slicing: Rest the steak for about 5 minutes after cooking so the juices stay in the meat.
- Coffee adds depth: The brewed coffee deepens the marinade and helps the steak develop a rich crust without making the tacos taste like coffee.
- Finish with fresh lime: A squeeze of lime right before serving brightens the flavors and balances the richness of the steak.
- Cooked or fresh onions both work: You can make the charred onion cilantro relish as written, or simply top the tacos with diced onions and chopped cilantro for a more traditional taco topping.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
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