Freshly baked French fries, with tender pieces of carne asada, topped with mounds of shredded cheese, and baked till the cheese melts. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and spicy pico de gallo. Talk about the perfect football food.

Carne Asada fries recipe in a cast iron skillet

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What are Carne Asada Fries?

Have you ever tried carne asada fries? The first time I had them was in San Diego while visiting my bestie, and it was love at first bite. Imagine carne asada nachos, but instead of chips, you’ve got crispy, seasoned French fries.

The steak is chopped into bite-sized pieces and piled high with melted cheese, pico de gallo, crema Mexicana or sour cream, and guacamole—basically a mountain of flavor and textures you can’t resist. Perfect for late nights, game days, or anytime you’re craving something seriously satisfying!

Ingredients & Substitutions 

The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

  • Frozen fries – To keep these carne asada fries easy and simple, I use frozen oven fries instead of cutting up potatoes for a quick-fix craving.
  • Carne asada – Carne asada is usually made from skirt steak or arrachera. Alternatives include flank steak or sirloin flap meat. This marinade is so flavorful with fresh lime and orange juice, tequila, garlic, fresh cilantro, and red onion. The acid from the fresh lime and orange juice tenderizes the steak and the tequila gives it a unique flavor.
  • Shredded cheese – Feel free to top carne asada fries with your favorite cheese, I recommend a mix of pepper jack cheese and Colby.
  • Carne asada toppings – The classic toppings are crema Mexicana or sour cream, guacamole, and spicy pico de gallo, but feel free to serve with additional salsas like guacamole salsa and chile de arbol salsa.
ingredients to make Carne Asada marinade

How To Make Carne Asada Fries

Step 1: Grill carne asada. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over a high setting. When hot add the marinated steak and cook for about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Be careful not to cut into the beef while turning so that you don’t lose any of the juices. 

Let rest 10 minutes, and then slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch pieces.

grilling Carne Asada in a cast iron skillet
Carne Asada sliced against the grain

Step 2: Bake French fries. Bake French fries according to package directions.

Step 3: Assemble carne asada fries. Place your baked French fries across the bottom of your cast iron skillet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the grilled carne asada and shredded cheese across the fries evenly.

Carne Asada fries loaded with cheese

Step 4: Bake. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and meat is warm, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately with guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

Carne Asada fries in a skillet topped with sour cream guacamole and pico de gallo

Watch this video to see how quickly these carne asada fries comes together.

More carne asada recipes you’ll love:

Carne Asada Fries (Loaded Fries)

4.50 (2 ratings)
Freshly baked French fries, with tender pieces of carne asada, topped with mounds of shredded cheese, and baked till the cheese melts. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and spicy pico de gallo. Talk about the perfect football food.
Print Pin Rate
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Marinating: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Carne Asada:

  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ cup sliced red onion
  • 1 ½ to 2 pounds flat iron steak, flap steak, flank steak, or skirt steak
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions 

  • Bake French fries according to package directions.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place your baked French fries across the bottom of your cast iron skillet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the grilled carne asada and shredded cheese across the fries evenly.
  • Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and meat is warm, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately with guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

Carne Asada:

  • In a bowl, combine the butter, lime juice, orange juice, tequila, garlic, cilantro, and onion and mix well.
  • Place steak in a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over steak. Zip up the bag and massage marinade around so that the steak is well covered. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
  • Preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Remove the steak from the plastic bag and season with salt and pepper. Grill the steak for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes, and then slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch pieces.

Video

Notes

  • To keep these carne asada fries easy and simple, I use frozen oven fries but you can make your own. This would also taste great with sweet potato fries. 
Calories: 1510kcal, Carbohydrates: 101g, Protein: 55g, Fat: 98g, Saturated Fat: 39g, Cholesterol: 211mg, Sodium: 2268mg, Potassium: 2138mg, Fiber: 17g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 1513IU, Vitamin C: 50mg, Calcium: 403mg, Iron: 8mg
Author: Yvette Marquez
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex