If I had to make one taco recipe for the rest of my life, this would be it: spiced flank steak tacos with avocado salsa. It’s an easy, approachable recipe that is full of bold flavor. And the PERFECT dish to help celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
Flank steak is always my desired choice of protein when making tacos. I love how it sears, I love how it slices up, and I love how it tastes nestled in a taco surrounded by bright, bold flavors.
For these tacos, I’ve combined seven different spices and rubbed the mixture all over the flank steak. After just about 25 minutes, the spices meld with the steak and give it a really nice smoky flavor. The steak gets cooked over cast-iron, but you can of course do this over the grill as well. Once cooked, the steak forms a really nice crust, while the inside of the meat stays tender and juicy. I let it rest and then slice it against the grain for the tacos.
The main topping for these spiced flank steak tacos is the avocado salsa! It’s got everything you need to add lots of flavor to your tacos – some red onion, a little bit of chile, garlic, lime juice, and of course lots of cilantro.
So we’ve got the spiced flank steak + avocado salsa + some cotija cheese + extra lime juice…and you’re good to go! All piled into warmed tortillas. You really cannot beat it! Serve the tacos alongside this charred mexican salad, with maybe some chorizo queso on the side, and I’d say you’ve got the perfect Cinco de Mayo feast!
PrintSpiced Flank Steak Tacos with Avocado Salsa
simple spiced flank steak tacos with a vibrant, slightly spicy avocado salsa
yield: approximately 8-10 tacos
Ingredients
Spiced Flank Steak Tacos:
- 2 lbs flank steak
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- olive oil
- 8–10 tortillas (corn or flour)
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- lime wedges
Avocado Salsa:
- 3 avocados, pitted and diced
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 2 red fresno chiles, stemmed and minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 cup packed cilantro, chopped
- kosher salt
Instructions
Spiced Flank Steak Tacos
- Place the flank steak in a large, shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, chili powder, coriander, granulated garlic, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne. Rub the mixture evenly onto all sides of the flank steak. Let sit at room temperature for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the avocado salsa (recipe below).
- Heat a large cast-iron grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat (depending on the size of your pan, you may want to cut the flank steak in half or thirds). Coat the pan with olive oil. When the oil is hot, sear the flank steak on one side until a good crust forms, about 4 minutes. Flip the steak and continue to cook until your desired doneness (about another 4 minutes for medium).
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the tortillas right onto the hot pan to heat through and char slightly.
- Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Assemble the tacos with a few slices of steak, the avocado salsa, and cotija cheese. Squeeze extra lime juice over top.
Avocado Salsa
- Combine the diced avocado, red onions, red fresno chiles, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Season with kosher salt to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.
