Keto Carne Asada (Easy!)

Here's one of the easiest and tastiest keto carne asada recipes — it's tender, juicy, smoky and bursts with flavor! It's a family favorite!

This keto carne asada is one of the ultimate grill recipes. It’s because the steak turns deliciously tender, juicy and flavorful after marinating and just a short time on the grill.

For best results, we recommend cooking the carne asada to medium rare, which takes about 4 to 6 minutes per side on the grill. We use a digital food thermometer to make sure we get the temperature just right (about 125 degrees F).

Our favorite cut for carne asada is skirt steak since it's so tender and juicy after grilling. If you're unable to find skirt steak, you can also use flap or flank steak. They’re similar cuts of meat that are fairly inexpensive when compared to other cuts.

You can eat this keto carne asada as is (along with a few sides, of course) or include it in a simple Tex-Mex salad. We typically serve in low-carb tortillas or lettuce wraps with a few of our favorite toppings — like diced tomatoes (or salsa), avocado, and red onion. Regardless of how you serve it, we’re sure you’ll enjoy it!

This low-carb and keto carne asada recipe is only 3 net carbs per serving.

What is Carne Asada?

Carne asada means grilled meat in Spanish. Carne asada is typically made with steak that is marinated and then grilled. It can be served as is, in tacos, salad, or along with other dishes.

Key Ingredients

A few notes on key ingredients:

• Skirt steak: Skirt steak is our favorite cut of steak for carne asada. If your butcher doesn't have on hand, you can substitute flank or flap steak.
• Salt and pepper: Be sure to generously season steak with salt and pepper before marinating.
• Garlic: Garlic is typically added to the marinade to enhance the flavor.
• Jalapeno: We include minced jalapeno for a little heat.
• Ancho chili powder: Ancho chilis are commonly used in carne asada, and we opted for ancho chili powder in this recipe.
• Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil: Either oil can be used in the marinade.
• Lime juice: Acid is a must in the marinade since it helps tenderize the meat.
• Soy sauce or Tamari or coconut aminos: To enhance the salty, umami flavor, we use soy sauce, another ingredient that is sometimes used in carne asada.
  

How to Make

STEP 1: Pat steak dry with paper towels. Generously salt and pepper the steak on both sides. In a small bowl, whisk together minced garlic and jalapeno, ancho chile powder, lime juice, soy sauce, and extra-virgin olive oil. Put marinade and steak in large resealable bag or bowl. Be sure steak is completely covered in marinade. Seal bag or cover bowl, and refrigerate for two to thee hours or overnight (but no longer than 12 hours).

STEP 2: Remove steak from fridge 30 minutes before grilling (to come to room temperature). Preheat grill to medium-high heat (roughly 400 degrees F or more). Place steak directly over heat and grill for 4 to 6 minutes per side (depending on thickness), until charred and medium rare (125 degrees F on a thermometer).

STEP 3: Let steak rest for 5 minutes. Slice meat against the grain (perpendicular to lines) to keep meat tender. Top with chopped cilantro (optional). Serve as is or with low-carb tortillas (or lettuce wraps) and/or other toppings.

Expert Tips

• Before marinating steak, pat dry with paper towels.
• Generously season the steak with salt and pepper before marinating.
• Marinate the steak for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight (but no longer than 12 hours) in the fridge. Marinate in sealable plastic bag or covered bowl.
• Take the steak out of fridge 30 minutes before grilling to let it come to room temperature. This will help it cook more evenly.
• To char the exterior, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. When done preheating, then add marinated steak.
• The steak should be cooked to medium rare. We cook until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F on a digital food thermometer. If you overcook, the steak will turn chewy.
• When slicing be sure to cut against the grain, perpendicular to the lines in the steak. If you cut with the grain, the steak may end up chewy.
• If you don’t have a grill, you can cook on the stovetop in a heavy or cast iron skillet over high heat until seared on each side and internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F.

Related Recipes

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Recipe