Homemade Asada seasoning is perfect for using when making Carne Asada, in meat marinades, in place of taco seasoning and more.
I love homemade seasoning mixes.
I originally started making my own mixes years ago and have done so for a variety of reasons over the years. Sometimes it's because I didn't have the seasoning mix in my cabinet, other times because I'm trying to pinch every penny possible.
I've also made my own mixes when my kids or myself have a hard time with certain ingredients. It's easy to alter seasoning mixes and omit what we can't eat or add more of certain ingredients we really love the flavor of.
This Carne Asada seasoning makes the best Carne Asada. It is so great on grilled meat and also works great to marinate carne asada or any other meat.
I also like to use it in place of taco seasoning sometimes when making burritos and tacos.
You'll find this asada seasoning mix is so quick and easy to make. You can make it in less than five minutes.
Asada Seasoning
This asada seasoning is great as a rub on flank steak or skirt steak. It is also great to use in place of taco seasoning for ground beef or chicken for Carne Asada tacos.
If you keep a well-stocked pantry, you'll find that you most likely already have all the ingredients. This spice mix contains salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, and cumin.
It is easy to use this spice mix to make a Carne Asda marinade by adding some fresh cilantro and lime juice to a plastic bag with the meat.
Ingredients for Asada Seasoning
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- chili powder
- granulated garlic
- onion powder
- cayenne pepper
- ground cumin
How to Make Asada Seasoning
Step 1: Add all seasonings to a bowl and mix them together.
Step 2: Pour seasoning mix into an airtight container to store.
How to Use
If you want to use this for meat you plan to grill or use for street tacos, we love sprinkling this on either flank steak or skirt steak.
Carne Asada Dry Rub
If you want to use it as a dry rub, apply it liberally to your meat on all sides. I like to rub/push it into the meat a little bit and sometimes I'll add a splash of olive oil before adding the spice mix.
Carne Asada Marinade
If you prefer to use this for a Carne Asada marinade, you can make a simple one, by rubbing the spice mixture over the steak, place the meat inside a large plastic bag with a splash of lemon or lime juice and some chopped fresh cilantro. Place in the fridge to marinate for a few hours.
Make Carne Asada
Take your seasoned or marinated flank steak and put it on your outdoor grill or you can also use a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
You can use a meat thermometer to let you know when the steak is medium rare or it reaches your desired doneness.
After you remove the steak from the grill, let it rest for about 10 minutes. Make sure to slice the meat across the grain into thin slices.
Ground Beef or Shredded Chicken
To use this for seasoning ground beef or chicken, add ½ tablespoon of seasoning and ¼ cup water to the meat when it's done cooking. You'll want to taste the meat and see if it has enough seasoning to your liking. You can easily add more.
Storage
Store this seasoning mix in an airtight container. You can store this mix indefinitely, but just like all spices over time your spices will lose flavor. The flavor should stay strong for about a year.
Alternatives
As always, I love being able to change up the spice mixes I make. This Carne Asada seasoning is easy to mix up. Here are a few ingredients you can add to your mix to make it yours or easily sub out for other spices.
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- for the chili powder - you can use Mexican chili powder, Texas chili powder, or your favorite type.
Recipes to Pair with Carne Asada
Carne Asada pairs so well with many different recipes. Here are some of our favorite thing to eat with it:
- Elote or Mexican Street Corn
- Mexican Rice
- Restaurant Style Refried Beans
- Mexican Black Beans
- Churros for dessert
More Recipes You'll Like
Asada Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 6 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 6 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon cumin
Instructions
- Add all seasonings to a bowl and mix well.
- Transfer to an airtight container for storage.
Gen
Spectacular spice blend! Perfect for steak but can’t wait to try this on everything. Thanks for the great recipe!
Lisa
I made up a batch to put in a spice jar. It was great on some grilled chicken we made today!
Greta
Oh, this is so good to know! I'll save it for later when I do carne asada. Thank you for sharing it.
Wendy
This really takes flavors to the next level. Thanks so much for this delicious seasoning mix.