Citrus-marinated and bursting with flavor, these easy steak tacos are topped with fresh Pico de Gallo for a simple, bright, and delicious meal.
Should You Make This?
Time: 15 minutes to prep, 15 minutes for the Pico, 2 hours to marinate, 10 minutes to cook, 5 minutes to assemble.
Ingredients: Skirt steak, limes, oranges, garlic, olive oil, spices, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro, tortillas.
Ease: Not too bad. Simple, fresh ingredients and minimal steps. Marinate, cook, and assemble.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Skirt Steak: Skirt or flank steak both work! Skirt is a little more tender and flavorful, but either tastes great when marinated.
Limes and Oranges: Fresh-squeezed juice gives the best flavor. Bottled juice works, but fresh is highly recommended.
Garlic: Substitute with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder if you don't have fresh minced garlic.
Olive Oil: Helps tenderize the steak. Any neutral oil (like avocado oil or vegetable oil) works too.
Jalapeño: For mild Pico de Gallo, remove the seeds. For a spicier kick, leave some (not all) of the seeds in.
Tortillas: You can use flour or corn tortillas for these steak tacos, but I like using flour tortillas for this recipe.
Full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below
How to Make Skirt Steak Tacos
Step 1 | Marinate the Steak
Cut steak into bite-sized pieces, toss with marinade, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
Step 2 | Make the Pico de Gallo
Mix onion, jalapeño, lime juice, tomatoes, cilantro, and salt; chill until ready.
Step 3 | Cook the Steak
Discard marinade and cook steak in a skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Step 4 | Assemble the Tacos
Warm tortillas, fill with steak, and top with Pico de Gallo.
Tips & Notes
Don't Crowd the Pan: Cook the steak in a single layer so it sears, not steams.
Drain the Marinade: Shake off excess marinade before cooking to help the steak brown.
Short on Time: Marinate for 2 hours if possible, if you're short on time 30 minutes works.
Build Your Perfect Meal
- Rice: Pick Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice
- Queso: go with a No-Fail Cheddar Cheese Queso or an easy White American Cheese Queso
- Desert: decadent Churro Cheesecake Bars or a healthier Chamoy Fruit Salad
Tried this recipe? Let everyone know how it turned out! Your feedback and tips help others decide if they should make it.
Skirt Steak Tacos
Ingredients
For the Citrus Marinated Steak:
- 1 ¼ pounds skirt or flank steak
- juice of 2 limes
- juice of 1 orange
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
Tacos:
- ½ cup finely chopped white onion about ½ a small onion
- 1 jalapeño ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped (use 2 for medium spice)
- juice of ½ lime
- 1 cup diced tomatoes seeds removed and chopped (about 2 medium tomatoes)
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- salt to taste
- 8 tortillas corn or flour
Instructions
- Trim off any excess fat from the steak and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt.
- Place the steak in a bowl or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
- In a separate bowl, combine onion, jalapeño, lime juice, tomatoes, cilantro, and salt to make Pico de Gallo. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade, shake off excess liquid, and discard the marinade. Cook the steak for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Warm tortillas in a dry skillet until soft.
- Fill each tortilla with cooked steak and top with Pico de Gallo.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and may vary based on the ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!