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Street tacos are delicious, amazing, and oh so mouthwatering! Bite into tender steak, zesty lime flavor with a hint of spice and add on tomatoes, avocado, and onions for a savory bite you are going to love!

These street tacos are completely jam-packed with flavor and they are so easy to make. I love how the meat is so tender and juicy and only takes an hour to marinate! If you absolutely love tacos like me, try out these other amazing taco recipes! These taco-stuffed avocados, Baja fish tacos, and ground beef tacos will not disappoint!!

Street tacos with toppings.

What is the Difference Between Street Tacos and Regular Tacos?

Street Tacos have gotten more and more popular over the years. The difference between these and “regular tacos” is that these are typically in smaller tortillas. The reason they are smaller is that when people ordered them off of the vendor carts or food trucks, they wanted them to be able to hold the taco with one hand while walking down the street. Hence the name “street tacos.”

Typically filled completely full of ingredients (trying to get as much into that smaller tortilla as possible) street tacos are never lacking in flavor! Street tacos are different because you typically don’t have any lettuce or tomatoes. But don’t think that this makes street tacos complicated to make. In fact, I love that these tacos can be prepared ahead of time with the marinated steak. Because of this, it is a recipe that’s so easy to throw together once it is time for dinner! This meal takes just 3 easy steps! You marinate the steak, cook it up on your stove, and add in the fresh toppings. You will not want to stop after just one and you are going to love these as much as I do!!

Ingredients You Will Need

Simple, quick, and easy don’t often go along with a description of juicy, tender steak. But luckily, these tacos do! Make sure to take the time to marinate that steak beforehand and you will experience mouthwatering, restaurant-quality steak in no time! See the recipe card below for full ingredient measurements.

  • Flank steak or skirt steak: Preparation of the steak is key to this dish. Don’t forget to marinate!!!
  • Soy Sauce: Try my using favorite soy sauce!
  • Worcestershire sauce: This will be your friend on this steak. It brings the marinade together.
  • Lime: You can use lime juice from a fresh lime or any juice that you may already have on hand (about 2 Tablespoons).
  • Minced garlic: If you aren’t using fresh garlic cloves, you can use the minced garlic you already have (1/2 tsp usually equals 1 clove of garlic).
  • Cilantro: This garnish is optional!
  • Chili powder: This will give you a little bit of spice without too much heat.
  • Cumin: Cumin adds in an interesting flavor, don’t forget this spice!
  • salt and pepper: Add this in to your preferred taste.
  • Flour or corn tortillas: Make sure that you are using the smaller tortillas (not burrito size).

How to Make Street Tacos

This is the part that is so incredible because it’s EASY! Again, I can’t stress enough that the marinating of the meat is the most necessary part of this dish. It will make it amazing and you won’t regret preparing that ahead of time!

  1. Cut and mix: Cut the flank steak into one inch pieces. In a medium sized bowl add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, juice from one lime, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper.
  2. Marinate: Add the steak and let marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
  3. Cook the meat: Heat a medium sized skillet to medium high heat. Add the steak and marinade and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink.
  4. Add toppings: Put the steak in the center of your tortilla with desired toppings.
3 pictures showing steak marinating.

Yummy Varitations of Street Tacos

The best part about these tacos is that you can make them completely your own through toppings or even changing up the dish! Here are a few yummy ideas for you!

  • Don’t want to use it in a tortilla? No problem! Put this marintaed meat on top of the salad greens of your choice, add in your favorite toppings and you have a delicious steak taco salad!
  • Did someone say guacamole?? Try making this homemade guacamole and adding it as a topping to your tacos!
  • Make a rice bowl: Use this delicious meat on top of some mexican rice and it will fill you right up!
  • Use larger tortillas: If you are stuffing your tacos too full, your tortilla might break! You can use a larger tortilla to fit it all if thats easier for you!
  • Different meat: If you cant to change these up, try using some chicken breast instead!
Tortillas being topped with steak and taco toppings.

Can I Store My Leftovers?

Yes! You can definitely store this and enjoy it later! Here is how you can do that to have the freshest tasting leftovers!

  • Refrigerate: Once cooked, place the steak in an airtight container and it can last in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
  • Freezer:  Place the steak in a airtight ziplock bag or container and then freeze. You can freeze the meat for up to 3 months. 
  • Reheat: To reheat your tacos, thaw the meat in the fridge. Then you can simply microwave the meat until heated through, place them on a tortilla, add your toppings and enjoy!
A taco folded up being held and ready to eat.

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Amazing Street Tacos

4.32 from 16 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
Street Tacos are delicious, amazing, and oh so mouthwatering. I cannot stop thinking about these! They are SOO delicious. You will want to gobble these all up at once!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 tacos

Ingredients 

Optional Toppings:

Instructions 

  • Cut the flank steak into one-inch pieces. In a medium-sized bowl add the soy sauce, Worcestershire, juice from one lime, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper.
  • Add the steak and let marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
  • Heat a medium sized skillet to medium high heat. Add the steak and marinade and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink.
  • Put the steak in the center of your tortilla with desired toppings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 18gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 1154mgPotassium: 338mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 112IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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Recipe Rating




33 Comments

  1. This recipe is incomplete. There is not a complete list of measurements, it just says to throw some ingredients in a bowl. You also mention minced garlic, but not what you intend to do with it. This recipe could be edited to make it make sense

    1. The complete list of ingredients as well as measurements are in the recipe card at the end of the post. Minced garlic is added in step one to the marinade for the steak. Hope this helps!!

      1. 5 stars
        Thanks, these recipe websites have so many ads and a mile long scroll I get exhausted halfway through. I winged it and it was very good

  2. 4 stars
    This is a delicious meal however to salty. I will make this again however using a low sodium soy sauce would be better! Thumbs up tho!!!

  3. 5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious!! My family loved it and some are not taco fans! I did make two changes, I added 1/4 cup avocado oil to the marinade and kept the meat in two chunks so that it would be easier to marinate and grill. After it was grilled to perfection I sliced it and then chopped it into smaller pieces.

  4. 5 stars
    Quick and tasty! However, there is no difference between street tacos and authentic Mexican tacos served in a good restaurant save for location. The former is just “fast food” and has its roots in rural/homestyle (a la casera) cuisine.The frothy affairs served by American Mexican food restaurants and fast food outlets are their own invention. Authentic Mexican tacos are typically meat fillings prepared in different ways (asada, lengua, al pastor, carnitas, etc etc), on soft tortillas (always small, usually corn), served with diced onion and cilantro garnish, a squeeze of lime juice and maybe your choice of salsa. Honestly, lettuce, tomato, and even cheese, would ruin it for me. But that is the beauty of food. We get to experiment 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!

  5. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! We topped the tacos with made Mexican Street corn, definitely adding this to the rotation. Thanks for sharing 😋

  6. 5 stars
    I add this tonight for our Friday Night Home Date Night because it looked easy and tasty. It was both! I made one small change, when sautéed the meat I added onion and poured some of the marinade into the skillet. I I think the liquid helped keep the meat moist!