You need these homemade carne asada fries - tender marinated steak and crispy French fries, all smothered with melted cheese and loaded with your favorite toppings. It's the ultimate game day or party appetizer.
Need a recipe idea for an upcoming party? Game Day celebration dish? Or do you just want to experience the ultimate nosh-worthy appetizer? Look no further. I got your recipe right here.
Carne Asada Fries. BOOM!
Homemade Carne Asada Fries - Game-Changing Appetizer
Carne Asada Fries is a popular appetizer made with crispy French Fries that are topped with chopped Mexican carne asada then smothered with shredded cheese. The dish is then baked, and finally topped with some of your favorite fixings, which often include guacamole or sliced avocado, sliced jalapeno peppers, diced tomato and sour cream, though you can top it with pretty much anything you're in the mood for.
The recipe is popular in San Diego and Southern California, where you'll find it on many menus, though I've seen it recently in restaurants nearby. Even though it's got a lot of Mexican flare with the carne asada, you really won't find this in Mexican restaurants.
It's more of a Mexican-American mashup. What a beautiful thing!
You don't have to wait for any restaurant to add this awesome party food to their menu to enjoy it, because with this recipe, you can make it at home!
Rejoice!
The recipe breaks down into THREE parts: Making the Carne Asada, Making the Fries, and Assembly & Toppings. Let's run through it.
This recipe is PERFECT for leftover carne asada.
STEP 1: Making Carne Asada
Carne asada, or "Grilled Meat", is a popular Mexican dish of beef that is marinated, grilled, then sliced and served. You can make it with any steak, but skirt steak or flank steak are most popular. I use flank steak in my recipe.
- To make the carne asada, whisk together the following in a large bowl: a couple chopped serrano peppers, 4 cloves chopped garlic, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons chili oil, 3/4 cup orange juice orange juice, juice from a couple limes (lime juice), 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon ancho powder, 1 teaspoon cumin and salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl until well combined. Alternatively, you can process the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- To use the marinade, add it to a large sealable bag with the steak and rub it thoroughly into the meat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for more flavor penetration.
- Discard the marinade, then grill the marinated steak on the grill for 8-10 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking. 135 degrees F is medium-rare. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice it against the grain into bite-sized pieces.
This will make more than you need for the recipe, as you'll only be using half of it. Freeze the other half or save it in the refrigerator to enjoy later in the week.
Carne Asada Fries are GREAT for leftover carne asada. Keep that in mind!
Check out my Carne Asada Recipe for more details, discussion and tips on how to make it the best.
STEP 2: Making The Fries
You can use store-bought frozen fries if you'd like, or run through your favorite fast food joint for an order, but I like to make mine at home. I also prefer to bake them, rather than fry them. Here is how I make mine nice and crispy:
- Wash and scrub 4 large potatoes, then slice them into ¼ inch slices lengthwise. Think “French fry” size. You can leave the skins on, if desired. I left mine on. Russet potatoes are great for these fries.
- Cover the potatoes in a bowl with cold water and let them soak for at least 10 minutes. 60 minutes is better.
- Drain and pat the potatoes as dry as you can get them.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Toss the potatoes with olive oil, a bit of salt and pepper, and your favorite seasonings. Be sure to get them nicely coated. A nice Taco Seasoning blend is perfect here.
- Spread the fries out onto baking sheets in a single layer and bake them for 20 minutes, tossing them a bit about half way through.
- Increase the oven to 450 degrees F and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the fries and nice and crispy.
These are my Baked Cajun Fries, and they're nice and crispy. The fries should look like this when you take them out of the oven.
STEP 3: Making Carne Asada Fries!
Once your fries are done, spread them out onto a large baking sheet, or into a cast iron skillet.
Top with shredded cheese. Use cheddar cheese, or your favorite melty cheese.
Top them with 3/4 to 1 pound of chopped carne asada. Refried beans are a nice addition here, too.
NOTE: You will have leftover carne asada, which you can refrigerate or freeze for a later use, like making more carne asada fries!
Bake the covered fries at 350 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted.
Carne Asada Fries Toppings
Top with your favorite toppings! I've used creamy homemade guacamole, sliced jalapeno peppers, sliced cherry tomatoes, Mexican crema (or use sour cream), spicy chili flakes and fresh chopped cilantro. Homemade Pico de Gallo is great for a topping!
That's it, my friends! It's time to enjoy your fries! But these aren't just ANY fries. Carne Asada Fries! Great stuff. Make it for your next party. People are going to FREAK OUT for this.
Total Game Changer.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Try Some of My Other Popular Appetizer Recipes
Carne Asada Fries Recipe Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CARNE ASADA
- 1-2 serrano peppers minced (or use jalapeno peppers for a milder version)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ - ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- Juice from 2 large oranges about a ¾ cup
- Juice from 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar apple cider vinegar is good, too
- 1 tablespoon ancho powder optional, but I LOVE it
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds skirt or flank steak
FOR THE FRIES
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 tablespoons taco seasoning blend
FOR TOPPING
- Creamy guacamole, sliced jalapeno peppers, sliced cherry tomatoes, Mexican crema, spicy chili flakes and fresh chopped cilantro, or whatever else you'd like.
Instructions
FOR THE CARNE ASADA
- Whisk together the serrano peppers, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, chili oil, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, ancho powder, cumin and salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl until well combined.
- To use the marinade, add it to a large sealable bag with the steak and rub it thoroughly into the meat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for more flavor penetration.
- Discard the marinade, then grill the marinated steak on the grill for 8-10 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking. 135 degrees F is medium-rare. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice it against the grain into bite-sized pieces.
FOR THE FRIES
- Wash and scrub the potatoes, then slice them into ¼ inch slices lengthwise. Think “French fry” size. You can leave the skins on, if desired. I left mine on.
- Cover the potatoes in a bowl with cold water and let them soak for at least 10 minutes. 60 minutes is better. Drain the pat the potatoes as dry as you can get them.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Toss the potatoes with olive oil and taco seasoning blend. Be sure to get them nicely coated. Spread the fries out onto baking sheets and bake them for 20 minutes, tossing them a bit about half way through.
- Increase the heat to 450 degrees F. and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the fries are nice and crispy. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F.
FOR THE CARNE ASADA FRIES
- Top the cooked fries with shredded cheese and 3/4 to 1 pound of chopped carne asada.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted.
- Top with your favorite toppings! I've used creamy homemade guacamole, sliced jalapeno peppers, sliced cherry tomatoes, Mexican crema, spicy chili flakes and fresh chopped cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition Information
col says
wow!