Carne Asada Street Ramen
Carne asada is one of those dishes that doesn't need to apologize for anything. It's charred beef, bright citrus, and cilantro that tastes like someone bottled up a Mexican street corner and served it on a plate. Now put that over ramen noodles in a beef broth spiked with lime juice and chili, and you've got something that feels like two food cultures shaking hands and deciding to make something better together. The steak gets marinated in orange and lime juice until it's tender and tangy, then grilled until the edges are crispy and a little bit burnt in the best way possible. The noodles soak up all that citrus-spiked broth, and every bite is bright and bold and unapologetic. It's the kind of meal you eat standing up at a counter with napkins stuffed in your collar, or at home when you want to feel like you're somewhere more exciting than your kitchen. Either way, it's loud, it's messy, and it's absolutely worth it.
Lime cuts through the char—cilantro dances on heat—street corners collide.
Let Me Tell You...
The first time I had real carne asada was at a taco truck in LA, parked under a freeway overpass at two in the morning.
I was lost, hungry, and just sober enough to make questionable decisions, so I ordered three tacos from a guy who barely spoke English and didn't seem to care that I barely spoke Spanish.
When he handed me the plate, the smell alone almost knocked me over.
Charred beef, fresh cilantro, lime so bright it cut through the grease, all piled onto soft corn tortillas that were probably made ten minutes earlier.
I ate all three tacos in under five minutes and then ordered two more, because when you find something that good at two in the morning, you don't ask questions.
You just eat.
The citrus tenderizes the meat and adds flavor you can't fake.
Years later, I'm standing in my kitchen with a flank steak that needs using and a lime that's been sitting in my fruit bowl for a week.
I didn't have corn tortillas, but I did have ramen noodles, which felt like a ridiculous substitution until I remembered that food rules are made up anyway.
I mixed up a quick marinade with lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cumin, and a little chili powder, then let the steak sit in it while I prepped the rest of the ingredients.
The grill pan got smoking hot, and when I laid the steak down, it hissed and sputtered like it was mad at me.
I let it char on both sides, then pulled it off to rest before slicing it thin against the grain.
Let it develop a good char before flipping.
The broth was easy.
Beef stock, a splash of the leftover marinade, some soy sauce for depth, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving.
I cooked the ramen noodles, drained them, and dumped them into the broth along with the sliced steak.
The noodles turned glossy and slick, soaking up all that citrus and char, and when I took the first bite, it was like that taco truck in LA had teleported into my kitchen.
The steak was tender with crispy edges, the broth was bright and savory, and the cilantro on top added that fresh, herby punch that tied the whole thing together.
Thick slices are chewy.
Thin slices are tender.
I topped the bowl with diced white onions, radish slices, and an extra wedge of lime, because carne asada without lime is like a street taco without the street.
It's not the same.
This bowl is messy and loud and completely unrefined, and that's exactly what makes it good.
It's the kind of food that doesn't care about plating or presentation.
It just wants to be eaten, preferably with your hands, definitely with extra lime, and always with the understanding that tradition is just a suggestion and fusion is where the fun happens.
Ingredients
- 2 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)
- 1 lb flank steak or skirt steak
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 cups beef broth (preferably low-sodium)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely diced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and black pepper to create the marinade.
- Place the flank steak in the marinade, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.
- Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Remove the steak from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Grill the steak for 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer if you prefer it more well-done. Let the steak rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
- While the steak rests, cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- In a medium pot, combine the beef broth, soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade (discard the rest). Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Stir in half of the chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Divide the cooked ramen noodles between two serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles.
- Top each bowl with sliced carne asada, diced white onion, and the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the bowl.