Can I use a different cut of steak for carne asada fries?

Skirt steak is the go-to for carne asada, but flank steak works well too. Flank steak is often thicker than skirt steak, so your cook time may increase by a minute or two per side. Use an instant-read thermometer - you're looking for 130-135°F for medium-rare.

Can I cook the steak indoors if I don't have a grill?

Yes! A cast iron skillet or grill pan over high heat gets you a great sear. Get the pan very hot before the steak goes in and cook 2-3 minutes per side just like you would on the grill.

Are all of the toppings necessary?

Not at all! The carne asada steak and sweet potato fries are the base. Use what you have or like for the toppings; I often add radishes or pickled radishes, skip jalapeños, etc. The guacamole and reserved marinade drizzle are the two I'd really encourage keeping.

Can I use orange sweet potatoes instead of white?

You can! White sweet potatoes are starchier and crisp up a bit better in the oven, but orange sweet potatoes will still taste great.

Can I use frozen sweet potato fries?

Yes, as a quick shortcut you can use frozen sweet potato fries (or fries) and cook according to package directions. Just make sure they're gluten free if needed!

Gluten Free Carne Asada Fries with Sweet Potato Fries

Description

Homemade carne asada and baked sweet potato fries make this Gluten Free Carne Asada Fries Recipe boom with flavor. There's a bit more prepwork than your average meal, but the hot mess of deliciousness is worth it!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Carne Asada

3 whole dried ancho chiles
3 whole dried arbol chiles
2 whole dried chipotle peppers
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons coconut aminos/low sodium tamari
2 tablespoons fish sauce
6 medium garlic cloves
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 pounds skirt steak

For the Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium-large white sweet potatoes, cut into fries
1 tablespoon avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Toppings

1 cup diced tomato
3/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced jalapeño
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 cup Pickled red onions or pickled radishes
2 avocados
3-4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4-6 ounces crumbled feta cheese or cotija cheese (optional)
Limes, cut into quarters, for garnish/squeezing

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prep dried chiles. Put dried ancho, arbol, and chipotle chiles on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 10 to 20 seconds, until the chiles are pliable and smell toasty. Pull or tear off the stems and shake out excess seeds (a few seeds are fine; no need to remove them all.)
Blend marinade. Transfer to a blender, adding orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, coconut aminos, fish sauce, garlic cloves, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend for about 1 minute, until a smooth sauce has formed. Measure out about 1/4 cup of the sauce to use as a topping for the fries and transfer to a sealed container. Place the sealed container in the fridge.
Marinate steak. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt to the salsa that’s left. Coat the skirt steak in the sauce, dredging the meat on each side before transferring to a gallon-sized zip-top bag or shallow sealed container. Pour any excess marinade in with the steak. If using a zip-tip bag, squeeze all air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Bake fries. When ready to make the carne asada, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potato fries in avocado oil and salt. Place all fries on the prepared baking sheet, making sure none are touching. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Prepare grill. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high heat, roughly 450 to 500 degrees F. Brush the grates with a bit of oil to make sure the steak doesn’t stick.
Cook steak. Remove skirt steak from the marinade, discarding excess marinade. Add the steak directly over the hottest area of the grill and cover. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until steak is well-charred on the outside and internal temperature is at least 135 degrees F. Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain into thin strips, then chop the strips into bite-size pieces.
Prep toppings. Chop up any vegetables you’re using as toppings, including tomatoes and onions. Mash the avocado in a bowl with 3-4 tablespoons lime juice and add a little water to thin it out if you’d like to make a “saucier” guacamole.
Assemble bowls. Add about 1/6 of the sweet potato fries to a bowl or plate. Top with about 6 ounces of carne asada. Now add your toppings — load it up with tomato, onion, jalapeño, pickled onions, and cilantro. Drizzle on the thinned guacamole and reserved excess marinade. Serve immediately. Store leftovers separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Use an air fryer if you've got one: My instructions cover how to bake sweet potato fries in the oven, but feel free to use an air fryer if you've got one!

Frozen sweet potato fries/regular fries are fine: This is a simple shortcut that you can definitely take advantage of if it works for you. Follow package instructionst to bake/air fry.

Swap skirt steak for flank steak: Skirt steak is the go-to for carne asada, but you can use flank steak for a slightly leaner cut. The cook time will be similar but may take 1-2 minutes more per side.

Always slice against the grain: Skirt steak and flank steak have very obvious muscle striations throughout the cut. Make sure when you slice, you go against the grain (slice across, not with, those striations), to make sure each bite is tender!