These flank steak tacos with guacamole, fajita veggies, cilantro, and jalapeno have marinated steak grilled on the stovetop until juicy and tender and then served on warm grilled tortillas. It's simple to make and comforting, making the perfect Mexican summer meal!
1 grill mark cast-iron skillet or griddle You may need an extra skillet if grilling the tortillas
1 tong
1 platter
1 cutting board
1 Chef's knife
1 1-gallon Ziploc bag
Ingredients
FLANK STEAK TACO MARINADE
½cupolive oilor vegetable oil
1 ½teaspoonKosher salt
1 ½teaspoonsblack pepper
⅓cuphoneyor maple syrup or agave. For a keto salad, use sugar-free maple syrup
2tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
3tablespoonsred wine vinegaror apple cider vinegar
6clovesgarlic mincedor 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1tablespoonDijon mustard
1teaspoonhot sauceor sriracha
3tablespoonschopped cilantroor parsley
STEAK
1 ½poundsflank steakor skirt steak -- NOTE: If using skirt steak for making skirt steak tacos, only marinate it for 20 minutes at room temp and cook for 1-2 minutes less.
TOPPINGS
Guacamolehomemade or store-bought (about 1-2 tablespoon per steak taco)
Veggie fajitas such as 1-2 bell peppersany color or a mix of them and onion, sliced into strips
Chopped cilantroor parsley if you prefer, about 2-3 tbsp
2limesquartered (about 1 wedge per taco)
1jalapenothinly sliced
OTHER
8tortillassuch as corn, flour, whole wheat flour, or low-carb tortillas. they can be either crispy or soft. TIP: If using corn tortillas, you may have to double them for each taco; otherwise, your taco will break apart and make a mess. Corn tortillas are more fragile and don't hold the weight of taco filling well.
Instructions
PREPARE THE FLANK STEAK MARINADE:
To start, thaw your steak! Then prepare our simple marinade.
In a gallon Ziploc bag, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, and cilantro.
Close the bag and toss the marinade mixture gently until the salt is dissolved. Then, place the flank steak in the marinade. Press out any excess air from the bag and seal it tightly.
Using your hands, massage the marinade around the flank steak for an even coating.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to up to 24 hours. Remove the bag from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so it will cook evenly. Meanwhile, clean and preheat your grill (see below)!
NOTE: If you prefer to skip the marinade step before grilling the meat, tenderize the thawed steak by placing plastic over the meat on a cutting board. Then use the rough edge of a meat mallet to lightly pound the meat on both sides. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season both sides well using this homemade keto taco seasoning!
GRILL FLANK STEAK:
To cook flank steak on a grilling pan (STOVETOP), heat a large grill mark cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until sizzling hot.
Spray the bottom with no-stick cooking spray or oil it with a brush. Add the meat and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your steak and the level of doneness you want.
To get checkboard grilling marks, rotate the steak 45 degrees after 2 minutes.
Use a meat thermometer to take the internal temp. It must reach 125° F (52°C) for rare or 135° F (57°C) for medium-rare. Make sure to take the meat out of the grill when it has reached a temperature that is 5 degrees BELOW the temps mentioned above because the meat will continue to cook after being removed from the grill.
If you prefer, you can cook your meat on the slow cooker or Instant Pot instead.
LET THE GRILLED STEAK REST FOR 5 MINUTES:
After grilling, transfer your flank steak for tacos to a platter where it can catch the dripping. Tent your steak with foil to keep it warm and retain/distribute the juices while it rests for 5 minutes.
COOK THE FAJITA VEGGIES
While the cooked meat is resting, cook the sliced veggies over medium heat in a skillet with 1-2 tablespoon oil until softened, stirring now and then, or for about 4-5 minutes. You may use the same skillet used to cook the meat. If you want, skip this step and use Mexican pickled red onions instead.
WARM OR GRILL THE TORTILLAS
While cooking the veggies, grill your tortillas.
To grill your tortillas, heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, oil the bottom with a brush, and place the tortillas, in a single layer. Let them grill until browned in a few spots and or acquire grill marks, flip them, and repeat the process. It may take about 1-2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the tortillas. It is quicker than the oven method below. To keep them warm, stack them and then wrap them in a slightly damp cloth and place them in a large bowl or container, covered with a lid until assempling your tacos.
To simply warm them up, wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp dish towel and place them in an oven dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil placed and place it in a 350-degree F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
SLICE THE FLANK STEAK THINLY, INTO ¼-INCH STRIPS, AGAINST THE GRAIN:
After resting for 5 minutes, tented with aluminum foil, place the meat on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat thinly, into ¼ inch strips, against the grain. However, the strips must be cut at a 45-degree angle, not straight up and down. After slicing it, you can chop the meat to make flank steak street tacos, a variation of this recipe.
NOTE: “Against the grain” means that your knife should be cutting the meat perpendicular to the lines of muscle (“grain”) that run along the length of the steak.
ASSEMBLE YOUR GRILLED STEAK TACOS
Place each tortilla on a flat surface, spoon guacamole along the center, place some grilled flank steak slices on top, and then top it with the cooked veggies, chopped cilantro, and jalapeno slices. Serve each with a lime wedge to squeeze on the meat.
Recipe Notes
HOW TO STORE
Store cooked leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. As for the veggies, keep them separately for up to 1-2 days.
To reheat, place the meat on a deep dish, add a tablespoon of water or broth on top, cover with plastic wrap, and heat in the microwave on low at 30-second intervals until hot. Let it cool down a little, and add it to your tacos.
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