These are the best Carne Asada Fries you’ll ever eat! Loaded with melted cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, pico de gallo, tomato, and sour cream, these hearty and delicious fries are perfect as an appetizer, party-food recipe, and so much more! For more recipes, be sure to head over to my Meals Made Simple.
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This loaded carne asada fries recipe creates the most perfectly crispy fries, ever. Topped with juicy and tender sirloin steak that is marinated with pineapple juice, tomato sauce, sugar, and so much more– these air fryer fries are simply the best!
I love to make these yummy cheese fries when we’re having a girls’-night-in, movie night, family game night, or big game day. These fries are perfectly versatile and easy to customize, too, with your choice of toppings. How wonderful is that? This recipe is super fun to get creative with!
Ingredients
- Potatoes, medium-sized
- Steak, we like to use sirloin steak, but almost any type of cut could work such as flank steak, shirt steak, or even ground beef if you’re in a bind
- Oil, we like to use olive oil
- Cheese, for these loaded fries, you will need both shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Feel free to use your favorite cheeses! Cotija cheese is delicious on the carne asada fries.
- Sour cream, for the topping
- Fresh veggies, freshly sliced red onion, ripe tomato, and shredded lettuce
- Pico de gallo, storebought or make your own
Carne Asada Marinade Mix
- Tomato sauce
- Pineapple juice
- Sugar, granulated white sugar
- Garlic, freshly minced
- Vinegar
- Seasoning, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder
How to Make Carne Asada Fries
First, place the sirloin steak and ingredients for the marinade in a zip-top bag. Gently massage the marinade into the meat with the bag closed. Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
After the meat is marinated, place it in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and sear on both sides. Turn the heat down to medium, then cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Next, immediately remove the meat from the heat and place on a cutting board. Let the meat rest, covered with foil place on top, whil you prepare your fries. Then finally, cut the steak into strips or bite-sized pieces.
Cut each potato into ¼ inch wedges.
Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of water while you cut the rest of the potatoes. Drain the water and pat dry.
Next, toss the potatoes in some olive oil.
Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper and place the fries on the parchment paper.
Turn the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Air fry the fries for 15 minutes.
Next, check and rotate the tray so the fries can cook evenly. Turn the air fryer down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for an additional five minutes.
Take the fries out of the air fryer and top with the toppings. Next, top with the cheeses.
Top the loaded fries with tomatoes, olives, onions, carne asada steak, and more mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.
Place in the air fryer for an additional six minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
What Does Asada Mean in Carne Asada?
In Spanish, carne asada means “grilled beef”.
What Kind of Meat Cut is Carne Asada?
The types of cuts that are traditionally used for carne asada are flank and skirt steaks.
FAQs
Is there a difference between asada and carne asada?
Carne asada is grilled meat where asada just means u0022roastedu0022.
Does carne mean beef?
Carne just means u0022meatu0022!
Who invented carne asada fries?
Carne asada fries originated out of San Diego by a local family who has been running taco shops for years!
Tips
- Because we are using both pineapple juice and vinegar, the acid will cook the meat. If left in the fridge for too long, the meat will brown so we just need to let it sit in the marinade for four hours.
- If using skirt steak, add ¼ cup of orange juice and juice from one lime to help tenderize the meat.
- You can also cook the steak in the cast iron skillet. Sear the meat on each side, then place it in the oven and check with a thermometer to see if it is done.
- If using ground beef, place one pound of beef into a medium saucepan and add all the ingredients for the marinade. Let the ground beef cook and come to a simmer; make sure the marinade simmers down.
Other Recipes You Will Love
- Pizza Fries in the Air Fryer
- California Cheesesteak Sandwiches
- Sourdough Discard Dinner Recipes
- Grilled Vegetables Salad
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Sourdough Tacos
Carne Asada Fries (Air Fryer Loaded Fries)
Ingredients
Marinade
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/8 cup white sugar
- 5 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup vinegar
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- ½ cup pineapple juice
Carne Asada Fries
- 4 potatoes medium
- 1 sirloin steak
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ripe tomato diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion diced
- ½ cup pico do gallo
- ½ cup shredded lettuce
Instructions
- First, place the sirloin steak and marinade into a large zip-top bag. Zip the bag closed and release as much air as possible. Then gently massage the marinade into the meat. Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.
- After the meat is marinated, place it in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and sear on both sides, approximately three to four minutes on each side. Next, turn the heat down to medium. Let the meat cook until the internal temperature between 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. This will make a tender and juicy steak.
- Immediately, remove the meat from the heat and place on a cutting board to rest. Cut the tender steak into bite-sized pieces.
To Make the Crispy Fries
- First, cut each potato into ¼-inch wedges.
- Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of water while you continue to cut the remaining potatoes.
- After all the potatoes are cut, drain the water and pat the potatoes dry.
- Toss the potatoes in one tablespoon of oil.
- Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the fries on top of the parchment paper in a single layer.
- Next, turn the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the fries in the air fryer for 15 minutes. Rotate the tray ¼-inch so the fries can cook evenly.
- Turn the air fryer down to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for an additional five minutes. The fries should be golden with some dark spots.
- Take the fries out of the air fryer and top with the toppings.
- Top with the cheeses.
- Next, top the loaded fries with tomatoes, olives, onions, carne asada steak, more mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite cheese.
- Place in the air fryer for an additional six minutes at 374 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- Because we are using both vinegar and pineapple juice, the acid can and will cook the meat, it will turn brown if left in the fridge too long. For this reason, we will need to only do 4 hours on the marinade.
- If using skirt steak, add ¼ cup of orange juice and juice from one lime to help tenderize the meat.
- Flank steak can also be used.
- You can also cook the steak in the cast iron skillet. Sear the meat on each side, then place it in the oven and check with a thermometer to see if it is done.
- If using ground beef, place one pound of beef into a medium saucepan and add all the ingredients for the marinade. Let the ground beef cook and come to a simmer; make sure the marinade simmers down.
- Feel free to use your favorite cheeses.
- You can let the meat marinate for up to 4 hours.
Nutrition
Recipe Inspired By:
Michelle | Thistle Key Lane says
Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe
Karla Harmer says
Hi Michelle! Thank you!