Instant Pot Carne Asada
Posted: 10/20/26
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Instant Pot Carne Asada is one of my ultimate ways to prepare a flank steak! This recipe uses simple ingredients to deliver incredible flavor, and I use it in tacos, nachos, or carne asada fries, or enjoy it on its own with some sides (which I often do). A great meal prep idea if you’re looking for inspiration!
Why This Carne Asada Is Great For Your Week
- Carne asada is actually grilled meat, and if you’re cooking in the Instant Pot, you’re not really grilling. You may want a carne-asada-style dinner and don’t have the time (or equipment) to grill a flank steak. That’s where this recipe comes in; it’s quick, it’s easy, and you don’t have to stand over a grill or grill pan. Plus, the IP keeps the meat super juicy, making it succulently tender.
- Carne asada is super versatile! You can change up the spices and liquids you use to get different flavors, no problem. It’s perfect for tacos, nachos, and carne asada fries. It’s also delicious with a side of cilantro lime cauliflower rice, refried black beans, or guacamole salad.
- You know I’m a busy mom and get your pain, so I developed this recipe specifically for meal-preppers! Store any uneaten carne asada in the fridge for like 7 days, and spread this out over the week in a variety of dishes (um, like the ones I mentioned above).
Cheryl’s Tested Notes & Tips
- Brown the steak in batches (if needed). Sometimes I cut my flank steak into two pieces to fit the Instant Pot, and then sear each piece separately so it can lie flat against the bottom. If you do the same, let each side brown without moving it around, then transfer to a plate while you sear the second piece, and then return both pieces to the pot before continuing.
- I recommend letting the flank steak sit in the spice mixture for 15-30 minutes. After those 15-30 minutes, move on to step 3 of the instructions below. I love to to this so the spice mixture has more time to mingle with the steak and I tell ya, those flavors REALLY develop!
- To lock in juices, let the flank steak rest on a cutting board for 5ish minutes. Again, not necessary, but a simple step that can have an impact on the taste, especially if you’re going to spread this out over a week.
My Top Ingredient Notes
Flank Steak – this is a lean cut of meat that’s really versatile and easy to work with. Since it’s leaner, it can be tough if you overcook it. That’s why the IP is great, because we cover it in a lot of liquid, which reduces the odds of overcooking and drying out the meat. You can use a skirt steak instead if you fancy that, or flank steak is nowhere to be seen at the grocery store.
Orange Juice/Lime Juice – the acid in orange juice (and in the lime juice) helps tenderize the flank steak, but just don’t use too much. Pro tip: too much acidity can actually make the steak tougher! (P.S., you can also use bottled lime juice if that’s all you have on hand).
Beef Broth – I like low-sodium broth since the spice rub already has salt. If you’re using regular broth, tr to balance the salt in the rub and adjust by tasting.
Chili Powder – I get this question a lot; you can’t really use cayenne or pure ground hot chiles, especially if spice is slightly sensitive in your household. Stick to chili powder, as using the other potential swaps can ratchet up the spice level for the worst!
Cilantro – they add that classic Mexican flavor, and to save time there’s no need to pick off every leaf; the tender stems can go into the Instant Pot too! I always save some fresh leaves to sprinkle over the sliced steak before serving.
Serving Suggestions (Tons of Ideas!)
- Gooey, cheesy nachos. One of my fave ways to feed the kids. I do loaded nachos like this recipe, and you can use the carne asada for the protein.
- Healthy Taco Bowls. Just linking one of my recipes here, which does call for chicken, but you could replace it with this flank steak easily and still get nutrients!
- Burritos, burritos! We’re big fans of this popular Latin-inspired dish in my house, so I’m just going to drop 2 recipes you can use with this carne asada: carnitas burrito and chile relleno burrito (you might need to shred the carne a bit for this one).
- As a steak dinner. This makes a great steak night for the family. You can dress it up Mexican-inspired by having gauc and tortillas on the side, or serve rice with it and do a salsa-based sauce drizzled over the flank steak.
Storage, Reheating, & Make-Ahead
- Fridge & Freezer: This Instant Pot carne asada lasts 7 days in the fridge when sealed in an airtight container. I’ve also taken meal-sized portions (add a bit of cooking liquid) and frozen this for future meals. Overall, you can freeze for up to 3 months.
- Making Ahead: This is a total make-ahead recipe, especially if you plan on serving this for Cinco de Mayo. I mix the spice rub and slice the onion and then cook the steak a day ahead and refrigerate it with its cooking juices, so it’s all ready to go!
- Reheating: Place the steak in a covered skillet with a splash of reserved cooking liquid or beef broth, and warm over medium-lowish heat. In the microwave, to keep the meat from getting overdone and tough, I heat it in 30-second intervals.
Recipe FAQs
- Do you need to marinate Instant Pot carne asada before cooking? No advance marinating is required, friends! The lime juice, orange juice, broth, and garlic go directly into the pot after browning. I do recommend letting the spice rub sit on the steak for about 15–30 minutes before searing.
- What if my flank steak doesn’t fit in the Instant Pot? I got you here; just cut the steak against the grain into two large pieces. Brown each piece on both sides, working in batches (if needed), then return both pieces to the pot before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- How do you slice flank steak for carne asada? I slice the cooked steak into thin strips against the grain. One clue is to look for the long lines of muscle fibers and slice across them, rather than parallel to them. Cutting it this way helps make the steak easier to chew!
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Instant Pot Carne Asada
This Instant Pot carne asada recipe is a yummy combination of flank steak, citrus, garlic, and a simple spice rub. A flavorful protein for tacos, burritos, taco bowls, or even meal prep!
servings
Ingredients
For the Spice Rub
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
For the Flank Steak
- 1 2-pound flank steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Marinade
- ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup orange juice see Notes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ packed cup onion slices half of 1 small onion
Serving Suggestions (All Optional)
- chopped fresh cilantro
- prepared chimichurri sauce
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Instant Pot
- Tongs
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
Instructions
- In small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon cumin.
- Generously season both sides of 1 2-pound flank steak with spice mixture, making sure to rub spices into steak very well.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to Instant Pot and turn on Sauté function. Add flank steak to Instant Pot. If needed, cut flank steak (against the grain) into two large pieces to fit in Instant Pot. Brown flank steak on both sides for approximately 6 minutes total (2-3 minutes per side).
- After browning flank steak, add ½ cup low-sodium beef broth, ¼ cup lime juice, ¼ cup orange juice, and 3 cloves garlic to Instant Pot.
- Place ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro and ½ packed cup onion slices on top of flank steak. Secure lid on Instant Pot and set to Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes (for well done steak – see Notes). After 20 minute cook time is up, let pressure naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Vent to release any remaining pressure and carefully remove lid. Transfer flank steak to cutting board. Slice into thin strips, always cutting against the grain.
- Top sliced flank steak with additional chopped cilantro if desired and serve.
Notes
Cook Time: Cook times vary from one Instant Pot to another, so you may need to adjust the cook time based on your pressure cooker and on the size and thickness of your flank steak. For less well-done steak, lower the cook time by 5-10 minutes depending on desired doneness. Check temperature with internal meat thermometer before cutting steak.
To Cut the Flank Steak: Using a sharp knife, slice against the grain of the meat, slicing at a diagonal angle. Look for the lines of muscle running through the meat, and slice perpendicularly to those. Adjust the way you’re slicing on different sections of meat depending on the direction the fibers run.
Make it Gluten Free: Buy a broth that’s gluten free.
Make it Keto: The orange juice and onion are the only non-keto ingredients in this recipe. Some keto-eaters don’t worry about onions, but you can skip them altogether if you want. Depending on your keto style, you can try an organic orange juice with no added sugar – since you’re only using ¼ cup here, the OJ will only add about 6 carbs total to the entire recipe, or 1 carb per serving. If you’re strict keto, you can skip the orange juice altogether and use more beef broth and lemon juice or more lime juice in its place. You’ll end up with a slightly different flavor but it’ll still be great!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 268kcal | Protein: 33g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Total Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Net Carbs: 3g | Vitamin C: 10mg | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 639mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
I was too lazy to do the marinade so I bought a marinated flank steak,
I followed the recipe for the cooking part just added the orange juice substitute lemon for the lime that’s all I had and throwing some red and yellow peppers and onion. I had one and a half pounds of meat so I cooked it for 15 minutes. I let it sit for five minutes out of the Insta pot. Oh my gosh, it was so good.
Yum! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kathleen!
Highly recommend! From a Latina who feeds her guys who love flavorful meat dishes. I did create the rub twice though, to prep the almost two lbs of meat. And cut the cook and rest time in half, as we enjoy med well cooked.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Krista!
The recipe is so easy to follow, and the meat is incredibly tender. I just added this to my favorites. Thank you!
We’re so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Carrie!
Can I triple this recipe? Would I triple the liquid as well? Thank you!
Hi! You definitely can! Yes, make sure to triple all the ingredients so that everything cooks correctly, and be sure not to overfill your Instant Pot. You can use the “+” and “-” on the servings adjuster toward the top of the recipe card to convert the recipe amounts based on the number of servings you need.
Excellent , moist and tender
Great! Thanks for the review, Davis!
Can this recipe be made in a crockpot?
Yes! You’ll just need to adjust the cooking time and sear it in a separate pan before cooking it in the slow cooker.
Such an amazing recipe! Made 3 x and it turns out perfect every time. The meat is so tender that it shreds as I’m slicing the beef. I throw it back in the instapot once sliced so those juices go into the meat. It’s super easy to make and so quick! I serve with Latin rice, black beans, pico, guac, sour cream and chips. This recipe is in heavy rotation in our household. Thank you!
So glad you love it, Ligia! Everything you serve it with sounds delicious as well! Thanks for sharing.
I don’t understand where the marinade comes in? Ahead of time and how long?
Great question! You’ll want to marinate the meat before cooking — combine the marinade ingredients in a bag or dish with the beef and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge for even more flavor. Then cook it in the Instant Pot as directed. Hope that helps! 🥩