Carne Asada Torta

How To Make The Perfect Carne Asada Torta

This is a really simple recipe, that is super quick to make once you have your meat marinated!

Marinating the meat.
Start by marinating the meat which in this case is skirt steak. We like to use skirt steak because the thin cut allows for the marinade to really penetrate through the meat relatively quickly.

Allow the steak to marinate for at least several hours (overnight is best). This allows the flavors to come through and it’ll make for a more delicious sandwich in the end.

Gather torta topping ingredients.
For this recipe you will need:
2 telera rolls
1 cup shredded iceberg
1 small avocado, mashed
1 vine-riped tomato, thinly sliced
1/8 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup crumbled cotija
12 slices pickled jalapenos
1/4 cup refried beans optional
4 dashes hot sauce optional

Grill the meat.
Once the steak has marinated, get a grill, a large skillet or a grill pan nice and hot and sear the steak on both sides for a few minutes. The carne asada cooks up quickly so you only need a few minutes of cooking time on each side.

Remove the steak from the grill or skillet and allow it to rest. This will help the juices stay within the meat and allow you time to gather the rest of your ingredients.

Assemble the torta toppings.Now is the best part! It’s time to assemble the torta! Start with a nice smear of spreads (mayo, mashed avocado, refried beans if using) on both the top and bottom halves of the roll. Not only will this keep the sandwich moist, but it’ll help to keep the ingredients in the torta intact.

Add Carne AsadaNext, pile the bottom half of the roll with the sliced carne asada. Add the remaining toppings onto the carne. Then gently but firmly press the top half of the roll over the ingredients to hold the torta together. Simple and delicious!

Building A Torta

Below is a step by step guide that will show you how to build the perfect Carne Asada sandwich.

Smashed avocado overhead on a roll preparing a carne asada sandwich — Mashed Avocado

refried beans on a roll for carne asada sandwhich — Refried Beans

carne asada on top of a roll for a carne asada sandwich. — Carne Asada

The making of a carne asada sandwich over head with shredded lettuce — Shredded Lettuce

Adding tomatoes to a open faced carne asada sandwich in the making — Tomatoes

red onion added to a carne asada sandwich — Red Onion

pickled jalapeno on a carne asada sandwich being made — Pickled Japenos

cotija cheese for a carne asada sandwich — Cotija

FAQs

What is a Mexican Torta?

It’s a large Mexican sandwich that’s filled with a variety of meats including but not limited to, shredded carnitas, beef barbarcoa, pollo asada, chorizo, and carne asada.

Our version today is one of my favorites, which is the carne asada torta. It can be loaded with as little or as many ingredients such as refried beans, shredded lettuce, cheese, chile peppers, tomatoes, sliced onions.

Should you use a Telera or bolillo roll?

Tortas are generally made using two types of bread rolls. The one we’re using today is a telera roll, which is a soft, round but flat bread roll that is sectioned into three pieces. The roll is very soft both on the inside and outside, but is sturdy enough to hold the many ingredients associated with a torta.

A bolillo is another popular bread option in Mexico. It’s an oblong shaped roll with the ends pinched together to resemble a football. The outside is hard and crusty and the inside is soft and chewy. The texture also makes this bread good for things like bread pudding and general ‘dunking’ purposes. Both types of breads are commonly used to make tortas.

Can you make this recipe ahead? Or freeze it?

The carne asada can be marinated up to 2 days ahead of time. Any longer and the steak fibers will start to break down, making the carne tough. You can place the marinated steak into a resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to use, place the frozen bag of carne asada onto a plate and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

I can’t stress enough how this my favorite recipe for carne asada torta. It’s simple, delicious and hits the spot every time. The carne asada is especially mouthwatering because it’s so full of flavor!

Tips and Tricks for Success

It’s important that the carne asada has marinated for several hours, although overnight is best, to help tenderize the meat and to maximize flavor.
The grill, skillet or grill pan being use should be hot before adding the carne. The carne asada should only be cooked on both sides for a few minutes to avoid overcooking, resulting in a tough texture.
To help hold the sandwich ingredients intact, you can gently push in the inside of the top half of the roll with your fingers to create a small divot in the roll. It’s is especially helpful if you’re piling your torta high with different ingredients.

A cast iron grill pan that we love using to make this carne asada recipe.

We love using a grill pan for those times we would rather be grilling outside but can’t because it’s too cold, or we are too lazy. :) This one is affordable and works great. We don’t have a grill at the studio, so we use this pan all the time!