The recipe for Skirt Steak Tacos is simple and only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. Instead of drowning my taco in a heavy salsa, I like to keep it simple and fresh with diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, crumbled Mexican cheese and a slice or two of avocado. A squeeze of fresh lime juice to finish it off and it’s perfect.
Why This Skirt Steak Taco Recipe Is So Good
- Quick and Easy: This is a quick recipe that’s perfect for when you want a delicious meal without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. In just about 20 minutes, you can serve up some delicious tacos that taste like they’re straight from your favorite Southern California taco truck.
- Fresh Ingredients, Great Flavor: Who says you have to head to a restaurant to get good Mexican food? The use of fresh ingredients like crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, and creamy avocado, combined with the richness of grilled skirt steak, will have this Mexican dish bursting with flavor!
- Ideal for Weeknights: Looking for a perfect weeknight treat? This skirt steak recipe is just the thing to make any Tuesday a Taco Tuesday. It’s an easy, delicious way to spice up your dinner routine. Plus, it’s a good time to experiment with your favorite taco toppings like red onion, fresh cilantro, pico de gallo or cotija cheese.
- Versatile and Fun: Not only is this easy recipe full of flavor, but it’s also fun to make and eat. Whether it’s a casual dinner night or a large Mexican-American family gathering, everyone will love building their own tacos and enjoying the combination of juicy meat and fresh toppings.
Ingredients
- Skirt steak
- Salt and pepper
- Cooking oil
- Lettuce, tomatoes, avocado
- Cilantro
- Queso fresco
- Flour or corn tortillas
- Lime
How To Make These Skirt Steak Tacos – Step By Step
- Season the skirt steak with salt and black pepper on both sides. Heat a skillet or grill pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in the cooking oil. Add the skirt steak to the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes each side. If the skirt steak is very thin (about 1/2 inch thick), it should be medium-rare at this point. If the skirt steak is thicker, set your stove to medium heat and cover to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the skirt steak across the grain into very thin ribbons.
- Assemble tacos by layering sliced steak, lettuce, diced tomatoes, cilantro and avocado slices on warm tortillas. Top with cheese and serve with lime wedges, hot sauce, and any other favorite toppings.
Choosing Fresh Produce
I’ve discovered that I’m not the only one who’s fiercely loyal to their local supermarkets. While some are loyal to a particular market because it’s convenient (close to their home or office), I’m more influenced by the quality of two things: produce and meat (though my kids will argue that for them, it’s the variety of ice creams and the breadth of their snackity-snack aisle).
For the produce, I’m all about freshness and locally grown items. I cringe when I see tomatoes come in from another country when we have tomato farms not even 10 miles from my house!
Skirt Steak Tacos – Perfect For Weeknights
On busy weeknights, we often have steak tacos using my favorite cut of steak, the skirt steak. It’s so incredibly flavorful and when cooked and sliced the right way, one of the most tender cuts you’ll find.
What’s The Best Cut of Meat For Tacos?
Skirt steak is a long, boneless, flat cut that has meat fibers running in one direction. The fat is only on the outside of the skirt steak – trim away the excess fat and you’ll have a very lean steak cut. The fat pulls off very easily.
See how the strong grain is running up and down along the meat? The key to getting long pieces of skirt steak tender is to cut across the grain – I’ll show you in a bit.
I season the steak with just salt and pepper and quickly sear both sides of the meat over high heat so they get a nice char.
See how nicely seared the meat is?
Once both sides are seared, turn the heat down to medium and cover to let it finish cooking. If you have very thin skirt steak, this step is not necessary. Just a couple of minutes is all you need. My personal preference is that skirt steak is best medium to medium-rare.
Let the meat rest for a bit before slicing.
Because the grain is running top to bottom, I want to slice across the grain.
For tacos, I slice the steak as thin as I can.
You can see how tender the skirt steak is!
Top Tips For Skirt Steak Tacos
- Trim away the excess fat and you’ll have a very lean steak cut.
- Let the meat rest for a bit before slicing.
- When you make tacos for a crowd, the taco bar is what will take it to the next level! For condiment lovers, corn salsa, sour cream and tomatillo salsa are great to have on hand.
- Beans and rice are the traditional options but you can switch it up with corn or a big green salad.
FAQ: Skirt Steak Tacos Recipe
Q: How much meat should I use per taco?
A: The amount of meat per taco can vary based on personal preference. Typically, 2-3 thin slices of skirt steak per taco provide a good balance with the other ingredients.
Q: What’s the best surface to cut the steak on?
A: A sturdy cutting board is ideal for slicing steak. Wooden or plastic boards work well. Just ensure it’s stable and large enough to handle the cut of meat.
Q: Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?
A: Absolutely! Flour tortillas are a great option and can be used interchangeably with corn tortillas in this recipe. It’s all about your personal preference.
Q: Any tips for marinades?
A: For skirt steak tacos, both simple and good marinades work well. Consider using ingredients like lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and chili for a flavorful yet easy marinade.
Q: Why does the steak need to rest?
A: It’s a good thing to let the steak rest for about 5 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful steak.
Q: What can I do with leftover steak?
A: Leftover steak can be stored in the fridge and used the next day. It’s great in salads, sandwiches, or as a protein addition to other dishes.
Check Out These Other Delicious Steak Recipes
- Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe (From Slow The Cook Down)
- Ribeye Cap Steak & one pan dinner for two
- Thai Steak Salad Recipe
- Asian Rice Noodle Salad with Steak Recipe
Have you tried these Skirt Steak Tacos? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Skirt Steak Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skirt steak trimmed of excess fat
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cooking oil
- 2 cups loosely packed shredded lettuce
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons finely minced cilantro
- 1-2 avocados pitted and sliced
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or other shredded cheese of your choice
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Season the skirt steak with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a skillet or grill pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in the cooking oil. Add the skirt steak to the pan and sear for 2-3 minutes each side. If the skirt steak is very thin (about 1/2 inch thick), it should be medium-rare at this point. If the skirt steak is thicker, turn the heat to medium and cover to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the skirt steak across the grain into very thin ribbons.
- Assemble tacos by layering steak, lettuce, diced tomatoes, cilantro and avocado slices. Top with cheese and serve with lime wedges.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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I made this dish but with lobster filling instead.
This is the best recipe I found online for steak tacos and the photos look amazing! I’ll be making this dish this weekend. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
These steaks are worth everything. Perfectly cooked.
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Oh my gosh, I might just have to cook these for dinner tonight since they look so yummy! I appreciate you sharing!
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We make tacos once a week at our house. Next time I’ll try your recipe!
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. Will definitely try this one this week. Cheers!
Very first time making tacos and these were one of the most mind-blowing I’ve had!
First time ever making tacos and these were one of the best I’ve had!
My husband loves all kinds of taco recipes. I think it’s time to make him happy with another one.
These look great! Thank you for posting how to slice the steak — I’m often worried that skirt steak will be tough so I tend not to buy it, but my kids love steak tacos! Your clear instructions are helpful and are giving me confidence to make these successfully.
I made these last night, and they were delicious!! Great recipe
Talk about food porn with those photographs, I’ve never seen beef photographed so deliciously. I’ll have to try this recipe out.
Right on. I love using Skirt steak for my tacos…and it’s amazing how well it can come out on the stove top – don’t need a grill. I just posted a video version of my adobo steak tacos…http://tiny.cc/9v2xp. They have a great citrus, spice and herb marinade.
made these for dinner tonight – DELICIOUS!!! didn’t put any cheese on, and added a little diced onion. these are so good because they’re very simple but perfect tasting!!!!!!
Just made these, thanks!
They were delicious
Man, I’m salivating and I’m not even hungry! Love the pictures (especially the thin slices of steak). I love all the ingredients but I wonder, does it ever get too dry?
I’ve never tried not marinating this cut. I’ll give it a shot sometime.
I love a good skirt steak and they do make the best tacos! Thanks for the pictures on how to slice them. I’ll be showing that to my husband, “The Carver”!!!
Great pictures of how to cut the skirt steak–that is KEY! Thanks for a tasty looking recipe and very nice directions. Now if it would just stop raining long enough for me to get outside to the grill! Time for summer already!
Skirt steak tacos rule. My wife marinates the steak in adobo sauce with some garlic, lime juice, olive oil etc. And see if you can find small corn tortillas.
The steak makes the tacos more tasty! Will try this one! My family loves burritos and tacos! 🙂
The store where I got my skirt steak sells really tough beef. If I want to make ss tacos again, I’m going to have to marinate or something. Any suggestions? These were hard to get down, but the rest was really good, of course I had to add some jalapenos and cilantro.
And, just one more reason I will never be a vegetarian, pescitarian or vegan.
This is a great idea. We frequently have carne asada tacos. For those who don’t know, they are similar to these tacos, however they are made with a marinated beef call carne asada. Your version is easier because you don’t have to do the long marination process and yet I bet they are delicious.
Throw it back on the pan!
I would keep it somewhat rare as it continues to cook and the more done it is, the tougher. Mine was med rare and when it got cut with my sharpest knife, it was extremely hard to slice not quite as bad to eat, I can’t afford expensive meat and skirt steak is a frugal cut. And yes I cut across the grain. Sorry
Hi Connie, medium rare is perfect for skirt steak. The toughness of your meat probably has more to do with the quality of your steak, not the temperature itself. Skirt steak is one of the most tender steaks available, if you cut across the grain correctly — and if the quality of the meat from your market is good. Actually a rare skirt steak is more difficult to eat, and a bit more chewier than medium-rare, just the way the fibers are in a skirt steak.
This looks quick and easy! Would love to grill these up one night. Nothing like grilled steak!
So I saw this on your blog today. It was tempting me all day at work. Little tacos dancing around my cubicle. I made it this afternoon, and my family totally loved it! Thanks for sharing!
That steak looks perfectly cooked and brilliantly executed. Thank you for the recipe! Although I have just banned myself from going to my local supermarket because I spend way too much money there… maybe a trip to the real market won’t count 🙂
I was also just wondering, if the steak isn’t cooked enough when you’ve cut into it, what do you do? Do you have to just eat it then?
I am so glad you posted a recipe from Skirt Steak. I have seen it many times but was afraid to try it in case it would be tough. I will be trying it this weekend. Thanks
What kind of knife would you recommend for slicing the meat? I have tried ALL of my knives, and they always tear the meat :(!!!
My attention was grabbed instantly when I saw your posting for skirt steak tacos (tongue salivating) lol. WOW that looks so good and delicious!! Thanks for posting that up. I’m inspired to eat tacos sometime this week!!
This looks just divine Jaden! Perfect for this season. So great to see you this past weekend!
My favorite method for Skirt steak iss to marinate for 2 hours in equal parts Soy, fish sauce, and brown or palm sugar. I sear on a grill or pan. It makes the basis for a great Tiger Crying salad!
Now I’m curious…what’s “Tiger Crying salad”?!
I really fancy Tacos the last sunday i´ve been at Whiteleys London galleries and the mexican restaurant CHILLI’S was just awfull, but i love autenthic mexican food
LOL yeah Chili’s restaurant has some funky “tacos”
My tummy started growling after drooling over my keyboard. I have to wait until morning to make tacos. 🙁 I don’t know if we have skirt steak though. Hmm… I will be dreaming about tacos.
Very tasty looking recipe!
I love steak tacos. I usually avoid skirt steak, thinking it’ll be too tough, but sliced beautifully thin, it looks perfect for tacos – I will have to try it next time!
I am in love with steak tacos, thanks for the 9 pm hunger pangs!
Oh my goodness, these look so delicious I might just have to make these for dinner tonight! Thanks for sharing!
Yum, this looks fabulous! I adore tacos, and I love steak tacos from taco carts, but I don’t think I’ve made them at home…definitely will have to try this out!! 🙂
I keep hearing that Sweebay has the best meat selection. And, now that you are working with them–I’ll have to check them out!
Thanks Jaden!
Wow, that’s cool that you are the face of Sweetbay’s Beef Campaign, I’ll have to look for it. I do get my skirt steak from them and it is excellent. I like using it for a quick midweek steak meal (it is perfect for pan frying). My daughter used to ask for skirt steak for dinner all the time when she was little. I think she liked that it was already cut up for her when I served it. I am excactly in between two Publix one east and one west and Sweetbay is the same distance north of us. So I have i made. 😀