Carne Asada Breakfast Burrito

With steak marinated in an authentic carne asada marinade, cheesy scrambled eggs, crispy potatoes, salsa, and rich sour cream all wrapped in a lightly charred tortilla, you'll be head over heels for this carne asada breakfast burrito!

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Half of a carne asada breakfast burrito is held over a blue plate that's surrounded by limes, coffee, and orange juice.

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Why You'll Love Carne Asada Breakfast Burritos

I've been a big fan of carne asada burritos for as long as I can remember. What's not to love? They have steak marinated in a boldly flavorful, citrusy, savory, and sweet marinade that's grilled to perfection for a subtle smokiness and juicy meat.

Add to that salty, crispy pan-fried potatoes, a bright, refreshing salsa made with ripe tomatoes and fresh cilantro, rich sour cream, savory scrambled eggs marbled with gooey melted cheese, and a tortilla that's been toasted over an open flame for just a hint of charred flavor.

This recipe is adaptable. It can be made fully from scratch or made using a few shortcuts. You can make the carne asada marinade, the potatoes, and the salsa yourself, or you can outsource those jobs and buy pre-marinated meat, frozen potatoes, and a jar of salsa.

Whatever level of dedication you bring to this project is A-OK with me as long as you have a delicious burrito in the end.

What You'll Need for the Breakfast Burritos

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Carne Asada

Skirt Steak or Flank Steak are the most common cuts of steak used for carne asada. If you are looking for a cheaper option that cooks more quickly, check out flap meat/flap steak. You can ask a butcher about this cut or find it at most Mexican markets with a meat counter.
Jalapeños I provide directions for how to roast the peppers yourself, but you can also buy jarred or canned roasted jalapeños.
Olive Oil Any quality of olive oil will work for this recipe.
Garlic I would not substitute this for garlic powder. If you don't have access to fresh garlic, pick up a jar of pre-chopped garlic.
Cilantro This should be fresh cilantro, not dried.
White Onion A yellow or sweet onion would work here as well.
Orange Juice I prefer freshly squeezed orange juice for this recipe, but you can get away with using a good quality 100% juice option from a carton.
Lime Juice You can buy lime juice in a squeeze bottle if you don't have access to fresh limes.
Soy Sauce I recommend using reduced-sodium soy sauce for this recipe.
Cumin Don't forget this one! Cumin adds an element of citrusy flavor to the final product.
Chili Powder I have swapped this for chipotle powder in the past when I ran out of regular chili powder and it worked beautifully. The result is a tiny bit hotter, a tiny bit smokier, and somewhat sweeter.
Kosher Salt This is always my recommendation when cooking. Kosher salt allows for better control over the salting of your food as it's less salty per teaspoon than table salt or sea salt and its unique flake shape coats food more evenly.

labeled ingredients for garden fresh salsa on a white marble counter.

Pico de Gallo

Fresh Tomatoes I like to use roma tomatoes in this recipe, but you can use globe tomatoes as well.
Onion A white onion is my favorite here, but feel free to use a yellow or red onion if that's what you have on hand.
Fresh Cilantro Pick a bunch that is bright green with fragrant leaves that are not drooping.
Garlic This is optional. If you don't have any on hand, just leave it out.
Jalapeños You can deseed and devein the jalapeños if you prefer a milder salsa.
Lime Juice Fresh lime juice is preferred, but you can also use bottled lime juice.
Salt Again, kosher salt is my recommendation here.

The labeled ingredients for carne asada breakfast burritos sit on a white marble counter.

Carne Asada Burrito

Olive Oil This can be swapped for a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil if needed. This is to cook the potatoes in, so you won't necessarily taste it.
Potatoes I recommend using russet potatoes in this recipe.
Grated Cheese I used cheddar for this burrito, but you can also use a Mexican blend or any good melting cheese.
Sour Cream This is optional. Leave it out if you aren't a fan.
Flour Tortillas The size I used to make this burrito was called "burrito grande." These are the really big boys. If you're using smaller tortillas, scale back on some of the other ingredients or use them across multiple burritos.
Cooked Carne Asada Whether you're using the homemade recipe above, pre-marinated meat from the store, or leftover carne asada from another meal, make sure it's cooked up before you roll the burrito.
Pico de Gallo You can use the pico de gallo recommended in this recipe, or swap for another salsa of your choice. This can be raw or roasted salsa - whatever sounds best to you.
Salt and Pepper to season the potatoes.

How to Make A Carne Asada Breakfast Burrito

Blended carne asada marinade is shown in the pitcher of a blender.

Step One Prepare one batch of carne asada marinade.

Carne asada is shown marinating in a sealed plastic freezer bag.

Step Two Add the marinade and the steak to a resealable plastic bag or a nonreactive dish, such as a ceramic or glass pie plate. Ensure the meat is evenly covered. Seal the bag or cover the dish. Place in the fridge and marinate the steak for 24 to 48 hours.

Garden fresh salsa is mixed in a stainless steel bowl.

Step Three While the carne asada is marinating, make the pico de gallo. Chop the tomatoes, onion, pepper, garlic (if using), and cilantro and place in a bowl. Squeeze over the lime juice, season with salt, and place the salsa in the fridge.

Fully cooked diced potatoes are shown in a black frying pan.

Step Four Dice the potatoes into ½-inch cubes, then add to a pan with olive oil over medium heat. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Let cook from about 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through with a crisp exterior, flipping occasionally so that all sides achieve an equal golden brown color.

A grilled steak sits on a light blue plate.

Step Five Remove the steak from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before cooking. Discard the excess marinade and pat the steak as dry as possible with paper towels. Then cook the steak for 2 to 4 minutes per side on a grill or grill pan over high heat. Set the steak aside to rest.

Grilled tortilla on the grates of the stove.

Step Six Meanwhile, char the tortilla by placing it over the grates of a gas stove until it begins to blacken. Flip to the other side and repeat. If you do not have a gas stove, you can perform this step on a grill, or simply warm the tortillas in a pan or the microwave.

Cooked cheesy scrambled eggs sit in a black frying pan.

Step Seven Whisk the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt and the shredded cheese. Scramble the eggs.

Diced carne asada pieces sit on top of a grilled tortilla.

Step Eight Slice the carne asada against the grain. Then cut the slices into bite-sized cubes and place them on the tortilla.

Eggs, carne asada, sour cream, and salsa sit on a grilled flour tortilla.

Step Nine Assemble the burritos. Add the eggs, potatoes, salsa, and sour cream to the tortilla.

Step Ten Fold in two of the edges of the tortilla, forming a sort of rectangular mound of ingredients. Then roll from one of the unfolded edges up toward the other and over until you have a fully wrapped burrito.

The bottom portion of the foil and the right vertical edge of foil are folded over the carne asada burrito.

Step Eleven For easier eating, wrap the burrito in tin foil.

Carne asada burrito that is wrapped in foil and cut in half to expose the center of the burrito.

Step Twelve Slice in half and serve!

Recommended Equipment

Grill or Grill Pan - This is the actual grill I own at home and I love it.

Tongs

Instant Read Thermometer - This is my absolute favorite instant thermometer and I use it all of the time!

Frying Pan

Spatula

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best cut of steak for carne asada?

Either flank steak or skirt steak is the most common choice for carne asada. Flap meat, also called flap steak, is another excellent choice. It is a less expensive cut of beef but becomes tender with proper cooking and marination.

What is carne asada made of?

Carne Asada marinade is a mixture of orange and lime juice, chili powder, cumin, roasted peppers, beer, cilantro, sugar, salt, and soy sauce.

How long can carne asada stay in its marinade?

Carne Asada can remain in its marinade for up to 48 hours. The citrus juice will tenderize the steak for a flavorful and juicy end result.

Variations and Substitutions

Different Salsa I have a ton of delicious salsa recipes on the site, all of which would work beautifully in this recipe.

Pineapple Pico de Gallo or Mango Pico de Gallo will add a bit of tropical sweetness to the dish.
Serrano Salsa is a bit hotter, very fresh tasting, and tangy.
Pineapple Habanero Salsa is hotter than pico de gallo but the sweetness from the roasted fruit and the tartness of the lime juice tames the heat considerably. Mango Habanero Salsa is another favorite here.

Additional Ingredients You're welcome to add anything you'd like to the burrito that sounds good to you. Strips of sautéed bell peppers would be delicious, as would avocado, some hot sauce, or beans!

Tacos Switch things up and make a carne asada breakfast taco! Just use a few smaller tortillas instead of one big one.

Storing and Reheating

Fridge I recommend you eat this breakfast burrito right after it's made to preserve the texture of the potatoes. If you have any leftovers, they can be wrapped in tin foil and placed in a resealable plastic bag or in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

However, the tortilla may start to fall apart. You may want to just store the contents of the burrito and re-wrap it when you're ready to eat.

Freezer I don't recommend freezing a fully assembled burrito as the texture will not be great when you defrost it. You can, however, freeze raw steak for about 6 months and the carne asada marinade for about 3 months. Frozen cooked potatoes will also last for about 3 months.

Reheating To reheat the burrito, you can add it to a pan with a bit of oil or reheat in the microwave at 30-second intervals until it is heated through.

You can also try reheating the carne asada in the oven. Place it on a sheet tray and pop it in a 350 degrees F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until it reaches your desired temperature.

Expert Tips

A steak is shown on a wood background with blue arrows indicating the grain of the meat and yellow arrows indicating where to cut.

When a recipe tells you to slice the steak against the grain, “the grain” refers to the long striations of muscle fibers in a particular cut of meat and the direction in which they run. In the image above, the blue indicates the grain of the meat and the yellow indicates where you should cut.
For the crispiest and most evenly cooked potatoes, be sure to cook them in a single layer in the skillet. If the potatoes are piled on top of each other, they will be exposed to varying levels of heat and cook at different rates.
When cooking your scrambled eggs, you'll want to move slowly and with fewer motions for scrambled eggs with large curds, and faster with consistent movements for smaller curds.

How to Serve this Recipe for Carne Asada Breakfast Burritos

These breakfast burritos are absolutely a meal unto themselves. However, if you're looking for some additional breakfast items to add to a brunch table, try the options below!

Quiche If you're into the idea of a breakfast buffet, try adding a sausage spinach quiche or a leek & squash quiche.

Potatoes There are never too many potatoes. Try these Air Fryer Fingerling Potatoes or these Calabrian Potatoes.

Salad is a perfect complement to a great big burrito. A side salad dressed with jalapeño vinaigrette would be wonderful.

Hot Sauce This pineapple habanero sauce is a reader favorite. It's spicy, fruity, tangy, and great on everything from scrambled eggs with chilis to an air fryer ham steak.

Meal prep tip: Make carne asada as a weekend project, then add it to breakfast burritos and other dishes throughout the week!

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