Sharing these simple skirt steak tacos with charred tomato salsa & avocado crema to celebrate the final couple days of summer! I’d say these are quintessential tacos, with everything you need and nothing you don’t. The salsa is fresh and smoky, the creamy avocado is full of bright flavor, the steak is juicy and tender, and the queso fresco finishes things off with a salty bite. Full of classic flavors and really easy to whip up…these are the most delicious weeknight tacos!
Even though the fall season officially begins this week, I figured I’d share one last grilling recipe for our final warm days of the year!
And what better than simple skirt steak tacos! These are the perfect tacos for truly any night of the week. You can serve them with rice and beans on the side, or maybe this spicy grilled shrimp salad, or even this charred mexican salad with pistachio cumin vinaigrette if you’re looking to add hearty vegetables to the meal.
skirt steak tacos with charred tomato salsa – the details
For the tacos, you’ll start by getting your skirt steak out, seasoning it well with kosher salt, and letting it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off (which is key for really tender, evenly cooked steak).
In the meantime, you’ll get the charred tomato salsa and avocado crema ready to go. Both of these involve the food processor and overlapping ingredients (lots of garlic, cilantro, serrano pepper, and lime juice), which makes them a breeze to whip up.
Grilling the tomatoes, red onion, and serrano pepper for the salsa is an extra step, but very much worth it to create a rich, deeply flavored salsa. And since the grill will be on for the steak anyway, it’s really easy to just throw these ingredients over the flames for a few minutes to develop a nice char.
Between the bright & smoky salsa, creamy & zippy avocado, and salty queso fresco, you’ve got everything you need for an absolutely delicious taco. Serve it all up in a warm corn or flour tortilla and you’ll be good to go.
Classic flavors, no-frills kind of tacos…these are truly the BEST.
If you’re looking for more taco recipes, here are a few to try:
Chipotle & Pomegranate Braised Chicken Tacos
Spiced Flank Steak Tacos with Avocado Salsa
Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Lime Yogurt Sauce
Skirt Steak Tacos with Charred Tomato Salsa
grilled skirt steak tacos with charred tomato salsa, avocado crema, and queso fresco
yield: 8 tacos
Ingredients
Charred Tomato Salsa
- 1 lb tomatoes
- ½ red onion (medium size), peeled
- 1 serrano pepper
- olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- kosher salt
Avocado Crema
- 1 ½ lbs ripe avocados (3-4 each), pitted
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 serrano pepper, cored + roughly chopped
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
Skirt Steak Tacos
- 1 ½ lbs skirt steak
- 8 tortillas, warmed on the grill
- ¼ lb queso fresco, crumbled
Instructions
- Heat the grill over high heat. Place the skirt steak onto a sheet pan and pat dry. Season both sides well with a pinch of salt. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- For the salsa, lightly coat the whole tomatoes, half of red onion, and serrano pepper with olive oil. Grill for about 3 minutes until slightly charred, turning each ingredient continuously to char on all sides. Transfer the ingredients to a cutting board and let cool.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes, red onion, and serrano. Add them to a food processor along with the garlic and cilantro. Pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the salsa to a bowl and stir in the lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
- For the avocado crema, wipe out the food processor. Add in the avocados, garlic, serrano pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Process until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
- Pat the steak dry again and lightly coat with oil. Grill the skirt steak over the hottest part of the grill for about 3 minutes, or until a nice crust forms. Flip and continue to cook to your desired doneness, about 3 more minutes for medium (time will vary depending on the thickness of your skirt steak). Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain.
- To assemble the tacos, spoon the avocado crema onto a warm tortilla. Add a few slices of steak and a generous spoonful of salsa. Top with the queso fresco and any extra cilantro.
Notes
If your skirt steak is in one, long piece, I’d recommend cutting it into thirds so that it’s easier to manage on the grill. You could also ask your butcher to do this for you.
Hi, it’s really difficult to find queso fresco where I am (Singapore!), and very expensive too. What other cheese that is similar do you recommend to replace it?