This Instant Pot Carne Asada recipe is the perfect way to make tender and juicy meat. With a cook time of just 30 minutes, everyone will be lining up to fill their plates!
Pair with your favorite toppings, and I promise you that these will be the most tender tacos you'll ever eat. Forget about finding a local place to dine out for Mexican cuisine, and make your very own kitchen the place to be.
Everyone in our house loves being able to change up the flavor of their own carne asada tacos just by changing up the fresh toppings and salsa!
Who says that Taco Tuesday has to be the "same old, same old" flavor? This simple steak taco recipe proves that every taco that you make can be totally unique!
The next time that you're craving tender and juicy taco meat with an endless amount of possibilities, this easy recipe needs to be on your taco-loving radar!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
There are so many reasons why this recipe works! It's the perfect way to use a "cheaper" cut of steak and turn it into something tender and delicious.
When people think about making tacos, most probably don't think about cooking the ingredients in the Instant Pot. This recipe is going to be a game-changer for so many cooks!
- Perfect for getting flavorful and tender steak every single time
- Fast and easy taco recipe that will feed a crowd!
- A perfect weeknight dinner for everyone in the family to create their very own perfect taco
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
Onion - Sweet onions are great and add an awesome flavor.
Tomato - Use fresh garden tomatoes for the best taste.
Jalapeno pepper - This can be optional, but if you like spicy, fresh jalapenos are a must.
Skirt steak - You'll find this to be an affordable steak option. A flank steak will work, too.
Lemon - Perfect for adding a citrus contrast to the rest of the ingredients.
Lime - A slice of lime is a great garnish for the plate and a good way to let each person squeeze extra citrus on their taco as needed.
Salt and pepper - To taste.
Garlic powder - Minced garlic could be used as well.
Cumin - Pairs really well with the oregano.
Oregano - Enhances the flavor of the other seasonings.
Chili powder - This adds a subtle heat but can be omitted.
Red pepper flakes - Optional, but great for extra spice.
Beef stock - Chicken stock or vegetable stock could be used as well.
Tortillas - Corn tortillas are the tortilla of choice - but flour can also be used.
Avocado - Fresh avocado makes a delicious topping.
Cilantro - Fresh cilantro is a must for the perfect flavor.
How to make Instant Pot Carne Asada Tacos
Be sure that you gather up all the ingredients needed before getting started. Trust me when I say that you don't want to leave any of them out!
Step One: Cut up the onion. Chop ½ into small pieces and slice the other half.
Step Two: Add the chopped tomato, chopped jalapeno pepper, and chopped onion together into a bowl.
Step Three: Add the spices and lime juice to the chopped vegetables and then cover with plastic wrap. Set it aside.
Step Four: Grab a new bowl and add the sliced steak and sliced onions.
Step Five: Add the steak seasoning spices to the bowl.
Step Six: Add the lime & lemon juice.
Step Seven: Place the beef and onion mixture into the Instant Pot.
Step Eight: Pour the beef stock into the Instant Pot and put on the lid. Set the pot to High Pressure for 6 minutes.
Step Nine: Once the time has passed, do a Natural Release and once that is done, remove the lid.
Step Ten: Dish out the beef and the juices into separate bowls.
Step Eleven: Grab the corn tortillas and the bowl that was previously set aside, holding the mixed ingredients.
Step Twelve: Add the seasoned ingredients to the corn tortilla, right in the center. Place the beef mixture on top of the diced ingredients, and top with avocado and cilantro.
Variations
Have fun with the toppings - Seriously, the topping combinations are unlimited! You can add shredded cheese, pica de Gallo, sauteed onions, and more.
Change the meat - While steak is the star of this recipe, you can easily make these tacos using Instant Pot Shredded Chicken and Instant Pot Pulled Pork as well.
Use the air fryer - for a crispy beef, make this Air Fryer Carne Asada recipe.
Helpful Tips
- Don't stress out if you buy a cheaper cut of steak. The Instant Pot will tenderize the steak and it will be perfect.
How to Serve
The sky is the limit - seriously - on how to serve this recipe! You can place the cooked steak in flour or corn tortillas or even make a low carb and keto friendly recipe by just adding everything into a bowl.
If you're not a fan of tortillas, add the steak and toppings to rice or even on top of salad greens.
Need some inspiration? Check out What to Serve With Carne Asada for 20 delicious ideas.
How to Warm Up Tortillas
If you're using corn tortillas, you'll want to warm them up before filling them. The easiest way to get them warm so that they're soft and delicious is to place a few tortillas in the middle of a clean napkin or paper towel that is slightly wet.
You can then place that in the microwave for about 30 seconds or so, and the corn tortillas will be nice and warm.
Recipe FAQs
Choosing the right steak for steak tacos is important! You don't need to use an expensive cut of steak for this recipe, so save those steaks for the grill.
The most common cuts of steak are skirt steak or flank steak.
If the beef isn't tender after the cooking time, you may need to cook it a little bit longer. Just a few more minutes in the Instant Pot can break down the tough parts and tendons of the meat.
Yes, you can use other types of meat to make this delicious dish.
If you wanna use pork, check out this Instant Pot pork carnitas recipe. If you want to use chicken, check out these Instant Pot Chicken Tacos.
Instant Pot Beef Recipes
Do you love the idea of cooking beef in your Instant Pot? If so, check out these other tender beef recipes!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below. Thanks!
Instant Pot Carne Asada
Ingredients
- ½ onion chopped
- ½ onion sliced
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 2 lb skirt steak sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup beef stock
- 6 corn tortillas
- 1 avocado sliced
- cilantro for serving
Instructions
To Make the Salsa:
- Add the chopped tomato, pepper, and chopped onion into a bowl.
- Mix in the black pepper, kosher salt, half of the lime and lemon juice and stir well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside.
To Make the Seasoned Beef:
- Grab a different bowl and mix the sliced onion, sliced beef, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, pepper flakes and half of the lime and lemon juice. Stir until combined well.
- Add the meat mixture to the Instant Pot.
- Pour in the beef stock and put on the lid.
- Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, do a natural pressure release and then open the lid.
To Make the Tacos:
- Fill the corn tortillas with the cooked steak mixture, the salsa in the bowl, sliced or diced avocado, fresh cilantro and any other toppings you like.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Don't stress out if you buy a cheaper cut of steak. The Instant Pot will tenderize the steak and it will be perfect.
- If the beef isn't tender after the cooking time, you may need to cook it a little bit longer. Just a few more minutes in the Instant Pot can break down the tough parts and tendons of the meat.
- While steak is the star of this recipe, you can easily make these tacos using shredded chicken or shredded pork.
The Ingredients and instructions do not match the video. Very frustrating when it's telling you to use a teaspoon in the video but a tablespoon in the written instructions. Please fix
I see a change servings box. Maybe they made for 12 serving, whereas I need only 6.