Carne Asada sandwich on a board with a beer in the background.

I really love a good sandwich and this recipe for Carne Asada Torta is at the top of my list! It’s so delicious and has everything I love, from the soft telera roll, the flavor packed and juicy carne asada, to all the fresh toppings. I think I could probably eat this once a week, it’s so good!

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.

Carne Asada recipe on a cutting board with ingredients on the side. — The Best Carne Asada Recipe!

Our yummy Carne Asada recipe is packed with flavor and incredibly delicious.

Pro Tip: Marinating the skirt steak for the full 12 hours will get the most flavorful meat!

How to Make the Perfect Carne Asada Torta

This is a really simple carne asada torta recipe, that is super quick to make once you have your meat marinated and cooked!

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Process

Carne Asada

Get our recipe for the Best Carne Asada here!

Assembly

An image showing all the sandwich toppings for a carne asada 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.

Smashed avocado overhead on a roll preparing a carne asada sandwich

refried beans on a roll for carne asada sandwhich

Next, 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!

carne asada on top of a roll for a carne asada sandwich.

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

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

red onion added to a carne asada sandwich

pickled jalapeno on a carne asada sandwich being made

cotija cheese for a carne asada sandwich

Tools You Will Need

cutting board
knife
butter knife or condiment spreader

Best Rolls to Use for Our Carne Asada Torta

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.

Telera roll on a cutting board for a Carne Asada Torta

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Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead

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.

Freezing

To freeze, marinate the steak for up to 24 hours. Then Transfer the steak along with any marinade into a resealable bag. Remove as much air from the bag, seal and freeze for up to 1 month.

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

Tips and Tricks for Carne Asada Torta 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 to get a nice sear. The carne asada should only be cooked on both sides for a few minutes to avoid overcooking, which will result 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.

I love making a double batch of carne asada so I can add it to other recipes like some of our favorites below!