Mexican Street Tacos

These Mexican street tacos are my absolute go-to. They are simple with lots of fresh ingredients, they don’t take a ton of time to prepare, and there’s just something special about them! (Hint: I think it’s the quick pickled onion..)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

16 small corn tortillas
1 1/2 lbs flank steak
1 red onion
1 bunch of cilantro
3-4 limes
1 avocado
olive oil

Steak seasoning:
cumin
salt
pepper
chili powder

Start with the pickled onion. I think this is really what sets these tacos apart from the rest. Plus, I think once you pickle a red onion this way, you’ll be tempted to use it in all kinds of different recipes. Do yourself a favor and try them on salads, burgers, sandwiches, etc. Its. So. Easy.

There are a variety of ways to do this, but this is the simple way I do it.

Thinly slice your red onion. (As thin as you can get it. Use the sharpest knife you’ve got.) Squeeze those limes into a shallow dish until you have at least a 1/4 cup of juice. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then lay your onion slices in the liquid, covering them as best as you can in the lime juice. Cover the dish in plastic wrap and let the onions marinate for at least an hour.

(I prefer them to sit a little longer than that..2-3 hours. You can keep these in the fridge for a couple of days if you have some leftover to use with other recipes.)

The rest of the prep is super simple, too. Season your flank steak with salt and pepper, then sprinkle both sides with cumin and chili powder. Grill the meat in a skillet on the stove top or on the BBQ to your preferred done-ness. If I’m cooking indoors, I do roughly 5 minutes per side in a large skillet with a couple tablespoons of olive oil over med-high heat. If you have time to cook it on the grill, it’s so much better.

While you’re meat is cooking, it’s time to prep the all-essential toppings. Give your cilantro a rough chop, dice your avocado, and slice any leftover limes to squeeze over the tacos.

Once the meat is done, allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes, then using that sharp knife again, cut the meat into super small cubes. (Ok, you can slice the meat any size you want, but it’s easier to eat when they’re super small.)

Now that your taco fillings are ready, it’s time to treat those tortillas right. I like to heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, and lay each tortilla in the pan (no oil), for about 15-20 seconds per side.

Build your tacos with meat (you may need to double layer your corn tortillas so you don’t lose any filling), cilantro, avocado, your AMAZING pickled onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice!

Serve alongside some cilantro rice, chips and salsa, and maybe even a margarita!