What to Eat with Carne Asada – Tortillas, Salsas and Beans

How it works

What to eat with carne asada? The grilled beef is usually chopped to fill tacos and burritos, so tortillas and salsas come first. These 40 sides add beans, rice, things from the same grill, cool fruit and drinks.

Read the full guide

How carne asada is served

Carne asada is grilled, sliced beef, usually skirt, flap or flank steak, most often marinated in lime juice, salt and seasonings. It is a main dish on its own, or it is chopped into tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tortas and nachos. In San Diego it goes over French fries. In Central America a topping of diced tomato, bell pepper and onion, called chimol, is spooned on. In Mexico the words also name the cookout itself.

Build the plate

Start with something to wrap the meat in, then a salsa and a squeeze of lime. Beans or rice make it a full plate. While the fire is hot, put onions, chiles or corn on beside the steak. Finish with something cold.

Warm the tortillas on the grill for a few seconds a side and keep them wrapped in a cloth.
Set out the salsas, onion and cilantro in small bowls so everyone builds a taco their own way.

Questions and answers

What sides go with carne asada?

Refried beans, charro beans and Mexican red rice fill the plate. Add warm corn tortillas, pico de gallo and guacamole, and grilled spring onions from the same fire.

What to serve with carne asada tacos?

On the taco: chopped onion and cilantro, salsa verde, lime wedges and sliced radishes. On the side: refried beans, corn in a cup, or mango with chili and lime.

What salsa goes with carne asada?

Pico de gallo, salsa verde or a roasted red salsa. Chimol, the Central American topping, goes on carne asada too. Guacamole cools the heat.

What vegetables go with carne asada?

Ones that cook on the same grill: spring onions, blistered jalapeños, cactus paddles and corn with cheese and chili. Roasted poblano strips in cream are a softer choice.

What do you drink with carne asada?

Without alcohol: horchata, hibiscus water, tamarind water or watermelon water, each served cold over ice.

All 40 sides

Tortillas and ways to wrap it 7

Flour tortillas Large and soft, for rolling the meat and beans into a burrito.
French fries Under the chopped meat, with guacamole and cheese on top.
Quesadillas Fold chopped meat in with the cheese and cook until the outside is crisp.
Soft rolls for tortas Split, toast and fill with sliced meat, beans and salsa.
Tortilla chips Pile the meat and cheese on top for nachos, or scoop salsa with them.
Tostadas Crisp flat tortillas. Spread beans on first so the meat stays put.
Warm corn tortillas Small ones for tacos, heated until soft and a little toasted.

Salsas and toppings 10

Chimol Diced tomato, bell pepper and onion with lime juice, spooned over the meat.
Chopped onion and cilantro The plain taco topping. Mix them and set the bowl by the tortillas.
Crumbled cotija cheese Salty and dry. Scatter it over tacos, beans or corn.
Guacamole Cool and rich against the char. Keep it chunky.
Lime wedges A squeeze over the meat at the table.
Pickled red onions Pink and sharp. A few strands on each taco.
Pico de gallo Chopped fresh tomato, onion and chile. Spoon it on just before eating.
Roasted red salsa Smoky and hotter. Put it out in a small bowl with a spoon.
Salsa verde Green, tart and bright. Good on the tacos and on the beans.
Sliced radishes Cold, crisp and peppery between bites.

Beans, rice and noodles 7

Black beans Simmered with onion and garlic until creamy.
Charro beans Whole pinto beans in a brothy pot with bacon and chile, served in small bowls.
Cilantro lime rice Green-flecked and tart, the filling for a burrito.
Mexican red rice Cooked with tomato until fluffy and orange.
Pinto beans from the pot Plain, whole and soupy, with a little of their broth.
Refried beans Soft and savory. Spread them in a taco or serve a scoop beside the meat.
Toasted noodle soup Thin noodles in tomato broth, a small bowl before the meat.

From the same grill 8

Blistered jalapeños Turned on the grill until the skin spots. For those who like heat.
Corn in a cup Kernels cut from the cob, with lime, cheese and chili, eaten with a spoon.
Grilled cactus paddles Tender and a little tart. Slice them into strips for tacos.
Grilled chorizo Cook the sausages beside the steak and slice them onto the same board.
Grilled corn with cheese and chili On the cob, spread with mayonnaise, rolled in cheese and dusted with chili.
Grilled spring onions Whole, charred and soft, with lime and salt.
Melted cheese in a skillet Set the pan on the grill and scoop the cheese up with tortillas.
Roasted poblano strips in cream Mild, smoky and soft. Spoon them into a taco with the meat.

Fruit and cool sides 4

Cabbage slaw with lime Shredded fine and dressed sharp, for the plate or the taco.
Cucumber slices with chili and lime Thick, cold rounds to eat with fingers.
Jicama sticks with lime Crisp, juicy and cold, with a pinch of chili.
Mango with chili and lime Cold slices, dusted and squeezed just before serving.

Drinks 4

Hibiscus water Deep red and tart, served over ice.
Horchata A sweet rice drink with cinnamon, poured over ice.
Tamarind water Sweet, sour and brown, served cold.
Watermelon water Blended fruit, water and lime, poured over ice.