Carne Asada with Rice and Beans
This post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associates and through other affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a link – at no extra cost to you. We only promote products we actually use and truly love!
This tender carne asada with rice and beans is packed with bright, citrusy flavors for a twist on a classic date night dinner for two.
We’re not generally big steak eaters. However when we do, it’s almost always carne asada in one form or another. We love making carne asada for tacos, nachos, and even burritos! But sometimes we just want it in its simplest form: carne asada with rice and beans.
Thanks to the citrusy marinade and spicy dry rub, our carne asada is packed with flavor and super tender. Pair that with some garlicky beans and Mexican style rice and we’re enjoying a lovely date night dinner at home.
What This Recipe Entails
The hardest part of this recipe is remembering to marinade the steak ahead of time! Otherwise grilling carne asada, making Mexican rice, and heating up some black beans is a super simple and straight-forward process.
- Marinate time: 4 to 6 hours
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Steak – Skirt steak or flank steak are the best cuts for carne asada. Skirt steak is preferred but flank steak is easy to find!
- Marinade – Our marinade is made up of orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, vegetable oil, onion, and minced garlic.
- Dry Rub – This is where a lot of the flavor and heat comes from in our carne asada. Giving the meat a good dry rub before grilling adds a ton of flavors. For this we use garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Avocado lime crema – We love making our own crema from scratch, but you can also use a store-bought version.
- Rice – Any Mexican style rice will go well with this recipe. However our favorite is our easy Mexican rice with our cilantro lime rice being a close second.
- Beans – We recommend making a side of black beans and heating them up with a little lime juice, minced garlic, and salt. Pinto beans also work.
How To Make Carne Asada with Rice and Beans
- Marinate the steak – About 4 to 6 hours before making dinner, combine all the marinade ingredients along with the steak into a resealable bag. Allow the steak to marinate in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
- Prep ingredients – Make the dry rub, cilantro lime crema, and get the Mexican rice started.
- Grill the steak – Rub each side of the steak with the dry rub. Grill over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side or until the desired temperature. Once the steak has finished cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Cook the beans – While the steak is resting add the beans to a frying pan with garlic, lime juice, and salt and cook until warmed through.
- Plate and serve – Serve the sliced steak with some avocado lime crema, Mexican rice, and black beans.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe covers everything you’ll need for a complete dinner. However if you are looking to switch things up a bit, here are some of our favorite ways to keep carne asada fresh and interesting for every occasion!
- Rice and beans – These classic sides for carne asada are what we always choose to serve with this recipe. You can always mix this recipe up with cilantro lime rice or pinto beans if you are looking for something a little different.
- Vegetables – Grilled corn or a combination of cooked peppers, onions, and tomatoes, can both make for delicious, healthy sides for carne asada.
- Chips and dips – You can’t go wrong with serving any Mexican dinner with a side of chips and dips. Some of our favorite dips are guac, pico de gallo, and black bean corn salsa.
- Tacos – If you are making carne asada for a large crowd, having tortillas along with some diced onion and cilantro allow for people to make easy carne asada tacos. This is a great option if you have guests who don’t like to eat a large chunk of steak.
- Leftovers – If you find yourself with any leftover steak, we highly recommend making yourself some carne asada nachos for lunch or dinner the next day!
Give this recipe a try next time you’re looking for a fun date night dinner and want to fire up the grill. Let us know what you think by rating, commenting, and sharing below!
FAQs
We think that Mexican rice and black beans are the best sides for carne asada. However if you’re looking to have some vegetables, here are some of our favorite options: grilled corn, sauteed onion, tomato, and peppers, or simply some guacamole and pico de gallo!
Either skirt steak or flank steak are best for carne asada. Skirt steak is preferred thanks to its ability to take on a marinade and lovely marbling, but flank steak is often easier to find. Both are good options.
Since we don’t have a grill, we always cook our carne asada on the stove. The best way we’ve found to cook carne asada indoors is on our cast iron grill pan. This pan allows us to get the classic grill marks without having to actually grill. Simply preheat your grill pan (or other cast iron pan) over medium-high heat and then cook the carne asada for about 5 minutes per side. Always use a meat thermometer to help get the perfect cook on your steak.
Love this recipe? You may also enjoy these delicious Mexican recipes:
- Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
- Crispy Pork Belly Tacos
- Carnitas Torta
- Carne Asada Tacos with Avocado Lime Crema
To browse more of our latest recipes and seasonal dishes, visit our homepage here.
Like this recipe? Don’t forget to share it and follow us on Pinterest!
Carne Asada with Rice and Beans
Equipment
- Cast iron grill pan optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound skirt or flank steak
Marinade
- ⅔ cup orange juice
- ½ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce low-sodium
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ medium onion chopped
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
Dry Rub
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sides
- 1 cup Mexican rice
- 1 batch avocado lime crema
- 15 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 medium lime juiced
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Queso fresco optional garnish
Instructions
- Slice steak into 2 pieces, if necessary, and place in a large resealable bag. Add marinade ingredients, seal the bag, and shake gently to mix. Marinate the steak for 4 to 6 hours in the fridge.
- Remove steak from the marinade and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Combine dry rub seasonings in a small bowl and set aside.
- Prepare the avocado lime crema and Mexican rice.
- About 5 to 10 minutes before you're ready to start grilling the steak, preheat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat and season both sides of the steak with the dry rub.
- Transfer steak to pan (or grill) and grill for about 5 minutes per side or until cooked to your preferred temperature.
- Transfer grilled steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Add black beans to a frying pan with garlic, lime juice, and salt and cook over medium low for 5 minutes or until warm.
- Serve steak with avocado lime crema and a side of rice and beans.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
Looking for kitchen inspiration? Head over to our shop to see what we cook with every day, plus recommendations for foodie gifts and eco-friendly products.