Carne Asada Torta

This "San Diego-Style" Mexican Carne Asada Torta is a flavorful sandwich made with San Diego-style carne asada, served on soft Telera rolls and loaded with guacamole, creamy refried beans, and fresh pico de gallo. It's one of the most popular Mexican Recipes, and Carne Asada Recipes, on my site.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Sandwich Recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

MARINATING 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings sandwiches

Calories 379kcal

Author Darcey Olson

Cost $30

Ingredients

CARNE ASADA STEAK (Note *1)

2 lbs. flank steak, skirt steak or flap steak
¼ cup red wine vinegar *Note 1
¼ cup water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp minced garlic
¾ tbsp garlic salt
½ tbsp white pepper
½ tbsp cumin
½ tbsp chili powder
½ tbsp Mexican oregano
⅛ tsp ground cloves
1 whole orange, sliced

CARNE ASADA TORTA

4 crusty bread rolls *Note 2
2 cups guacamole, homemade or store bought *Note 3
2 cups pico de gallo, homemade or store bought *Note 3
1 cup refried beans, homemade or store bought
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

Instructions

MARINATE THE CARNE ASADA STEAK

Add all the ingredients (except the meat and orange slices) to a large Ziploc Bag and shake to combine. Add the steak and shake to coat the entire piece of meat evenly. Lay the bag flat and add the orange slice directly to the meat – half on top and half on bottom. Refrigerate up to 48 hours.

GRILLING THE STEAK

Remove the steak from the refrigerator an hour before cooking.
Pre-heat grill to medium high.
Place meat directly on greased grate for 6-8 minutes. (*Note 4) Flip and grill for an additional 6-8 minutes, until your desired doneness is reached. Let rest for 10 minutes before dicing into bite size chunks.

ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICH

Pre-heat the oven to high broil. Cut the rolls in half and place facing up on a large baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Watch carefully so they don't burn.
Set aside the tops of the rolls. Evenly divide the refried beans between the bottoms of the toasted rolls. Toast in the oven for 3-4 minutes, until the beans are warm throughout. Remove from the oven.
Top each roll with carne asada, guacamole, pico de gallo and shredded lettuce. Place the top of the bread on top of the sandwich.
Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

Note 1 - For an easier and quicker marinade option, use my Carne Asada Dry Seasoning Mix instead.

Note 2 - Any crusty bread will work. Good options: Telera Rolls, Bolillo bread, French bread, or Ciabatta bread.

Note 3 - You many not need all of the toppings if utilizing smaller rolls. This is portioned out for the large and traditional Telera rolls.

Note 4. This time range is to cook the meat medium to medium-well as this makes for the best texture and firmness, and is how it's served at San Diego taco shops. We grill our carne asada meat until it has an internal temperature of 150-155°F. After resting it reaches 155-160°F.

Nutrition