Carne Asada Fries are a San Diego favorite made with crispy French fries, grilled carne asada, cheese, guacamole, and your favorite Mexican toppings. 🌮🍟 They’re loaded, messy, and absolutely delicious!
When I first came to San Diego, I saw Carne Asada Fries on the menu at Mexican restaurants. I had no idea what I was missing until I tried them. One bite and I understood why they were so popular!
If you love Mexican appetizers, also try my Ground Beef Taquitos and Chorizo Cheese Dip.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- A San Diego favorite. Carne asada fries are a Southern California classic, and this homemade version brings that taco-shop favorite right to your kitchen.
- Big flavor. The carne asada is marinated with lime, orange juice, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, and spices before it hits the grill.
- Easy to make. Use frozen French fries for a shortcut, then pile them high with grilled steak and your favorite toppings.
- Perfect for sharing. Serve them on a large platter for game day, parties, or casual gatherings.
- Make them your own. Add guacamole, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, grilled onions, bacon, or your favorite salsa.
-Maggie
👩🏼🍳 How to Make Carne Asada Fries
Marinating Carne Asada
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bag or container.
- Add the meat and mix well to coat.
- Marinate the meat overnight.
Grilling Carne Asada
- Take the meat out of the fridge.
- Wait a few minutes before placing on a hot grill.
- Grill about 4 minutes on each side for medium rare.
- Remove meat from heat.
- Let the meat rest before slicing.
Putting cold meat on a grill will make the meat tough. Give it a few minutes before grilling.
Grilling outside is simply the best, but if the weather is not good and you must have Carne Asada Fries, this grill pan will do the trick.
This is very important, you want to let the meat rest. If you do not let your meat rest and cut into it, all the juices will come out. That means no juicy meats, but dry and gritty meat. No bueno!
Assembling Carne Asada Fries
- After a few minutes, chop up the meat into small pieces.
- Small enough to fit on a fork. 1 maybe 2 inch pieces.
- Bake the frozen french fries according to the package. Or, you can make them from scratch too.
- Once the french fries are cooked, add them to a bowl or a plate.
- Next, top the french fries with the chopped carne asada.
You can also swap out regular fries for sweet potato fries.
Choose a bowl or plate that’s big enough to hold all the ingredients.
For a large crowd, you can also serve this on a large platter. Then, place the toppings in small dishes and have people serve themselves.
To make this recipe even faster, buy carne asada already marinated at the grocery store.
Carne Asada Fries Toppings
- guacamole
- chiles en vinagre
- sour cream
- cheese
- Tomato Molcajete Salsa
- diced tomatoes
- grilled onions
- green onions
- bacon
The toppings for carne asada fries vary on taste and personal preferences.
Put out the toppings, or let your friends decide on what they want to add. Makes life as a host easy! The other thing you can do is ask your guests to bring some of the toppings they like.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Carne asada fries are loaded French fries topped with grilled carne asada and Mexican-inspired toppings such as cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, and jalapeños. They are especially popular in San Diego and Southern California.
Carne asada fries are primarily associated with Mexican-American cuisine and Southern California, particularly San Diego. While they use ingredients and flavors common in Mexican cooking, carne asada fries are not considered a traditional Mexican dish.
Skirt steak is a great choice for carne asada fries because it grills quickly and has plenty of beefy flavor. Flank steak can also be used.
Popular toppings include shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, diced tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, grilled onions, green onions, cilantro, and bacon. You can add as many or as few toppings as you like.
Yes! Frozen French fries make this recipe quick and easy. Prepare them according to the package directions, then add the carne asada and toppings.
Cooked carne asada can be refrigerated for about 3 to 4 days when stored properly in an airtight container. Store the meat separately from the fries and toppings so everything stays fresher.
Absolutely. Carne asada fries are a great way to use leftover grilled steak. Simply chop the meat into bite-size pieces, heat it if needed, and pile it over freshly cooked French fries.
🌴 A San Diego Specialty
San Diego is just a short drive from the Mexican border, and Mexican food has had a huge influence on the region. Carne Asada Fries are a great example of Mexican-American food that became a San Diego favorite.
I’m not a native San Diegan, but I’ve lived here since 2004. After all these years, I can’t imagine San Diego without Carne Asada Fries. You’ll find them at Mexican restaurants and taco shops throughout the area, and they’re one of those foods that just feels like San Diego to me.
Also try another San Diego classic: California Burrito.
🍴 More Recipes You’ll Love
- Frijoles Puercos
- Potato and Cheese Taquitos
- Salsa Borracha
- Elote en Vaso
- Hatch Chile Cheese Dip
- Avocado Mango Salsa
Carne Asada Fries are one of those San Diego foods I could eat any time. Crispy fries, juicy carne asada, melted cheese, guacamole, and all your favorite toppings — what’s not to love?
Make them for game day, a party, or just because you’re craving a big plate of loaded fries.
Carne Asada Fries Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 package of frozen french fries
For Carne Asada Marinade:
- 2 ½ lbs skirt steak
- ½ cup lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 jalapeno sliced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 bunch of cilantro
Toppings:
- cheese optional
- chopped bacon cooked (optional)
- guacamole optional
- salsa optional
- diced tomato optional
- sour cream optional
- pickled jalapenos optional
- chopped cilantro optional
- diced green onion optional
Instructions
- In a large container, add all the marinate ingredients – lime juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, orange juice, jalapeno, cumin, paprika, oregano, pepper, and oil.
- Mix with a fork.
- Add the meat to the container.
- Turn the meat coat with the marinade.
- Cover with plastic wrap, or if you are using a plastic bag, seal the bag.
- Marinate the meat overnight. Or minimum 1 hour.
- Make french fries according to package instructions.
- Take the meat out of the fridge.
- Pre-heat grill medium to medium-high heat.
- Oil the grate.
- Grill about 4-5 minutes on each side for medium rare.
- Remove meat from heat.
- Let rest a few minutes before slicing across the grain.
- Prepare desired toppings.
- In the meantime, to a bowl, add french fries.
- Top with carne asada and desired toppings.
- Serve and enjoy!
Oh wow…tons of flavor and fun!
Easy and delicious!
OMG! I made these last night and there were no leftovers! Thanks for a great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This Carne Asada Fries looks delicicious I would love to try it.
Hope you do! It’s delicious.
I’ve never tried fries like this but I can tell this is going to be something I LOVE!!
This recipe is delicious! Hope you try it.
Love carne asada – can’t wait to try these!
This recipe it’s amazing! Hope you try it!