Carne Asada Fries
Carne Asada Fries are a delicious Mexican dish, that originated at taco shops in San Diego. They're made with crispy fries, topped with flavorful grilled steak and melty cheese. The fries are finished off with a scoop of guacamole and sour cream, to create the perfect pairing for taco night, or a tasty appetizer recipe for your next party or game day!
Ingredients
Carne asada
- ½ pound skirt steak, or flank steak
- ½ tablespoon olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon carne asada seasoning, click link for the recipe (or use steak seasoning or taco seasoning)
Fries
- 1 pound russet potatoes, or frozen fries
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning, or 1 teaspoon salt
Toppings
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
- ½ cup guacamole, click the link for my homemade recipe
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
Make carne asada.
- Rub the skirt steak with olive oil, then cover on all sides with the carne asada seasoning. If you have more time, you can marinate the steak for up to 8 hours, using the carne asada marinade recipe in this post.
- Preheat a grill over high heat.
- Cook the steak for 3-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of the steak reaches 135°F for a medium-rare steak. A skirt steak will cook faster than a flank steak. If using a skirt steak, plan for 3-4 minutes per side. If using a flank steak, plan for 5 minutes per side.
- Remove the steak from the grill, cover loosely with foil and let the steak rest while cooking the fries.
Prep the fries. (Skip this step if using frozen fries.)
- Slice the potatoes into ¼ inch french fries.
- Optional: soak the cut potatoes in a large bowl of cold salt water for 1 hour, for extra crispy fries. Remove the potatoes from the water and completely pat dry with paper towels.
Air fry the fries (or cook them in the oven).
- Toss the sliced potatoes (or frozen french fries) in olive oil, then toss with taco seasoning.
- Place in a single layer, with the fries not touching, in an air fryer basket. Air fry at 380°F for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook in multiple batches, if needed.
- Or cook the fries in the oven.
- Evenly spread the seasoned fries out a wire rack, on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 20-22 minutes. Remove from the oven when lightly browned and crispy.
Assemble the carne asada fries.
- Preheat the broiler in the oven on high and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Arrange the fries in an even layer in an oven-safe skillet, or on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the grilled steak against the grain into thin strips, then dice it into small pieces and place it on top of the fries. Cover the fries and steak with the shredded cheeses.
- Place the fries on the middle rack of the oven for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted.
- Remove from the oven, top with the guacamole and sour cream. Add any other optional toppings of your choice and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can make the carne asada ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator whole (without dicing it up) after it’s cooled, in an airtight container. You can do this up to 2 days in advance. When you’re ready to make the fries, remove the steak from the fridge before cooking the fries. Just before topping the fries, dice up the steak and add it on top of the fries. It will heat up in the oven while melting the cheese.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can cook the steak on the stovetop instead. Use a cast iron skillet or grill pan, if you have one available. If not, use the heaviest bottom, largest skillet you have. Turn the stove on to high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the carne asada and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F. Remove from the skillet and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and dicing.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 638kcal (32%)Carbohydrates 26g (9%)Protein 36g (72%)Fat 45g (69%)Saturated Fat 21g (105%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 0.2gCholesterol 126mg (42%)Sodium 643mg (27%)Potassium 874mg (25%)Fiber 4g (16%)Sugar 2g (2%)Vitamin A 988mg (20%)Vitamin C 10mg (12%)Calcium 647mg (65%)Iron 3mg (17%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!