Jalapeno Lime Steak Tacos

If you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner without sacrificing flavor, these Flank Steak Tacos are your answer! Get these tacos on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Beef Tacos on a slate serving platter


 

Flank Steak Tacos with a jalapeño lime marinade that will have you craving more. Made with few ingredients and lots of flavor, it’s sure to become a family favorite!

There are so many ways to make tacos. From traditional street tacos to shrimp tacos (check out this blackened shrimp recipe), there’s so many ways to make them unique.

Today we’re making the best Flank Steak Taco recipe in the game! But what makes THIS taco recipe the best?

grilled flank steak with lime

The jalapeno lime marinade and the Cilantro Avocado Crema. Keep reading, I’ll get to those in more detail in a bit!

This is my go-to taco recipe, especially when I need them ready quick. The marinade comes together insanely fast, and I prep the toppings and crema while the steak is in the oven.

avocado cream sauce in a food processor

I always serve them family style which makes getting these tacos on the table even easier and faster! When I don’t have to worry about fixing everyone’s plate and remembering who wanted what toppings, it makes life easier.

While these tacos are super quick and easy, they’re also special enough to serve for guests. The Jalapeño Lime Marinade and the Cilantro Avocado Crema will make you sound elevated and sophisticated.

No one has to know how easy they are to whip up! That can be our secret.

flank steak tacos on a white board

Steak Taco Marinade

The Jalapeño Lime Steak Marinade is to die for. Cilantro, jalapeños, and limes just go hand in hand and it only made sense to make a steak taco marinade with those ingredients! These flavors also just scream tacos and margs!

PRO TIP: Grab some extra limes to make yourself a margarita!

In this marinade we’re using lime zest, but if you decide to use lime juice instead, make sure you remove the steak from the marinade after 30 minutes.

steak tacos with corn, cheese and pico de gallo

Any steak taco marinade that contains acid or salt should not be used for very long, because it will chemically “cook” or denature the food in it. We’re not making ceviche tacos over here…

How to make the best flank steak tacos:

First let’s talk about the steak taco marinade. It’s the most important part, besides the taco toppings, of course.

Prepping flank steak tacos

If you aren’t used to making your own marinade, don’t fret. This one is super simple and comes together in minutes!

While the steak is marinating, or even while it’s in the oven, I usually take the opportunity to prepare the toppings and clean up the kitchen a bit.

Flank Steak Tacos come together in 4 easy steps:

  1. Make the steak marinade. Combine avocado oil, paprika, pepper, sugar, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and lime zest in a large bowl. Add the steak and marinate for 30 minutes.
  2. Cook the steak. Preheat the oven to broil on high and cook the steak for 6-7 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  3. Make the Cilantro Avocado Crema. While the steak is cooking, combine avocado, greek yogurt, cilantro, lime, avocado oil, vinegar, and pepper to a food processor or blender. Mix on high for 30-60 seconds or until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
  4. Make the tacos. This is the fun part! Load up your tacos with all your favorite toppings like radishes, corn, cheese, and jalapeños.

Charring the tortillas is optional. I love when they get a little crispy and have a smoky taste, but they’re also just as good the way they are!

Serving platter of flank steak tacos with radish slices

If you want to char your tortillas, you can hold them (with tongs!!) over an open flame on a gas burner or lay them flat in a pan with a drop of olive oil over medium heat.

How to make flank steak tacos ahead of time:

We’re all looking to make things a little easier during the week without sacrificing flavor, right?

PRO TIP: You can also use plain crema if you’d like!

Well, you can totally make these tacos ahead of time by prepping the marinade and storing it in the fridge. Flank steak cooks in less than 10 minutes for a perfect medium-rare, so they’ll be ready in no time.

Close up of beef taco

You can even make the steak a day or two before and reheat it in the oven at a low temperature (about 300 F) when you’re ready to eat!

What cut of steak is best for tacos?

I prefer using flank steak for my tacos but you can use skirt steak or hanger steak if that’s what you’ve got on hand. Or you can get real fancy and use a filet mignon.

Just make remember eat cut of steak will require a different cooking time. Here’s a quick steak cooking guide:

  • Filet mignon – 8 oz 400 degrees 18 min
  • London broil – 2 lb 400 degrees 20 to 28 min
  • Rib eye, bone in (1 in) – 8oz 400 degrees 10 to 15 min
  • Sirloin steaks – (1 in) 12 oz – 400 degrees 9 to 14 min
Flank Steak Tacos for Pinterest

Questions you might have about how to make flank steak tacos:

Can I store flank steak in the fridge? Yes! Cooked steak can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. An uncooked flank steak will last 3-5 days when stored in the fridge.

Are steak tacos healthy? These tacos are made with fresh ingredients, so they are generally pretty healthy. If you want a low carb taco, swap the corn tortillas for lettuce wraps!

What should I put on steak tacos? You can put anything you want on tacos, that’s why they’re so fun to make! I love to top mine with corn, queso fresco, and pico de gallo.

Jalapeno Lime Flank Steak Tacos
A close up of a plate of food, with Steak and Taco

Jalapeno Lime Flank Steak Tacos

4.91 from 10 votes
Flank Steak Tacos with a jalapeno lime marinade that will have you craving more. Made with few ingredients and lots of flavor, it's sure to become a family favorite!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Rest & Marinate: 40 minutes
Total Time: 52 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the steak:

  • 1 pound flank steak
  • 1 lime juice and zest
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil

For the tacos:

For the cilantro avocado sauce:

  • 1 avocado , pitted and peeled
  • 1/4 cup greek yogurt
  • 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro , you can use some stems too!
  • 1 lime , juice
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar , if you don’t have it leaving it out won’t hurt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

For the marinade & steak:

  • Combine the avocado oil, paprika, pepper, sugar, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and lime zest in a large bowl. Add the steak and marinate for 30 minutes.
  • To make the steak in the oven, preheat the broiler on high and cook for 6 minutes for medium rare. Squeeze lime juice from half a lime over the steak and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

For the cilantro avocado sauce:

  • Add the avocado, greek yogurt, cilantro, lime, avocado oil, vinegar, and pepper to a food processor or blender. Mix on high for 30-60 seconds or until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. If you prefer a thinner sauce, mix in water 1 tbsp at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

For the tacos:

  • Spread a thin layer of avocado sauce on each tortilla. Top with steak, corn, queso fresco, sliced jalapenos, and pico de gallo.
  • If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 327 kcal, Carbohydrates: 24 g, Protein: 15 g, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 32 mg, Sodium: 360 mg, Potassium: 341 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g, Vitamin A: 285 IU, Vitamin C: 9 mg, Calcium: 88 mg, Iron: 2 mg
Author: Jordan Zelesnick
Calories: 327
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: flank steak tacos, steak taacos
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!


Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.91 from 10 votes (3 ratings without comment)

Questions and Reviews

  1. 4 stars
    Sounds amazing and I’m going to try tonight! Can’t wait!

    Quick observation: The actual recipe instructions don’t tell you how to make the marinade or how long to do it! I almost gave up and went back to google for another recipe. Thankfully, the blog does provide the instructions. Not everyone is an advanced cook that instinctively knows how long to marinade things, so it could be helpful for novices if you updated to specify within the recipe section. Plus, when you’re in a hurry to make dinner and are trying a new recipe, its very helpful to have all pertinent information in one location so you don’t have to constantly scroll up and down the webpage in a frazzled state of panicked hunger, LOL!

    1. Hi Julie- thanks for letting us know! We just took a look and somehow half of the recipe card was deleted. We pulled a previous revision and it is now there. Sorry for the error. Happy new year!

  2. 5 stars
    Oh wow! Such incredible flavors and I love how quickly these tacos come together. Definitely perfect for weeknights.

  3. 5 stars
    This is so so good. The steak on its own is already delicious, and paired with that avocado cream sauce, this becomes a restaurant quality dish!

  4. 5 stars
    What a great party idea – this steak tacos! Sounds tasty and delicious; easy to make, too! Saving for our BBQ time.