Carne Asada Fries • Carne Asada Recipe {Video} • Two Purple Figs

If you haven’t had Carne Asada Fries before, you’re seriously missing out! Carne Asada is a special way of grilling meat, and today we’re serving it over fries with toppings and fixings to make the ABSOLUTE Carne Asada Fries Recipe!

carne asada fries in a skillet topped with meat, cheese, avocado slices, sour cream, tomatoes, olives and lime wedges

This post is sponsored by the American Lamb Board. All opinions are my own.

There’s something about making Mexican inspired dishes that feel like a treat to us. While I’m from the Mediterranean and that’s my ultimate comfort food, I also sincerely have a soft spot for Mexican food.

 

 

And my Mediterranean background always tries to push for more lamb in our meals. So when I made Sheet Pan Fajitas using Lamb- it was like the best of both worlds! 

Similarly, those Lamb Birria Tacos and Spicy Smashed Potatoes are MUST try recipes! The Crunchwrap Supreme which is loaded with the BEST Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe is also made using lamb! 

So it’s no secret, I’ve made the Carne Asada Fries today using Lamb. And of course, I only use American Lamb.


We love American lamb for so many reasons:

  • From a taste perspective,  American lamb is both fresh and sweet. It has a delicate buttery texture which makes it a great protein to substitute in any dish. 
  • We also love to support our local hard working ranchers as I’ve visited a few farms and met amazing ranchers. Their stories, their hard work and their passion for growing the sheep is outstanding! No wonder American lamb is seriously amazing!
  • Make sure to always double check with your butcher when buying lamb as it can be tricky to identify sometimes.

Now let’s talk Carne Asada and all the goodness that comes with it. Watch the video above to see how delicious it is!

A fork scooping out some carne asada fries showing all the dish ingredients and how cheesy it is

What are Carne Asada Fries made of?

Think of this tasty dish as a main course rather than a side of fries. It’s got everything you need and more!

It’s basically crispy French fries which I love to cook in my air fryer. You can however fry the fries, oven roast them or even pan sear the potatoes after parboiling. 

perfectly cooked fries in the air fryer basked ready for carne asada fries recipe

The meat, in this case Lamb, is seasoned and grilled (indoor or outdoors) to perfection.Once ready the lamb is cut up into squares and then layered over the fries with cheese. 

You’ll need to broil for just a few minutes to melt the cheese before loading the carne asada with topping. OMGoodness the toppings! Go as crazy as you want here! I used my favorites and feel free to swap some, add more or less of what you like!

Ingredients for Carne Asada Fries

chunks of meat and a bowl of spice on a board to make the carne asada

  • Steak ( I used leg of lamb steaks bone in, trimmed off some fat)
  • Seasoning (below)
  • Fries
  • Toppings

Carne Asada Seasoning

A hand showing a close up of the seasoning mix for carne asada recipe

  • Salt and peppers
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Chilli powder
  • cumin
  • oregano
  • Lemon powder or lemon salt

Make Carne Asada Fries Recipe

A hand using a scissors to trim excess fat from the meat before using

Trim off any excess fat you prefer from the lamb steaks.

The trimmed excess fat shown on a board and to be stored for use in more recipe later

I use the excess fat for making shawarma or I can sometimes grind it in my kofte. It adds the BEST flavor!

The meat is seasoned on both sides to make carne asada recipe

Season the meat on both sides. 

Steak being seared in a hot cast iron skillet with some oil

Sear with butter or oil on high heat until golden on both sides. This should take about 3 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the meat). The USDA recommends the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F with a 3 min rest.

steak is golden and flipped over, and now time to remove it from the skillet

Remove the lamb steaks on a cutting board and let them rest for 2 minutes before slicing and dicing them into 1 inch cubes.

Steak being cut up in a wooden board using a for and a knife into 1 inch cubes for carne asada recipe

In the meantime air fry or cook your fries to your taste.

cooked fries are added to the skillet where the meat was seared

Season the fries with extra seasoning from the meat.

shredded cheese is added over the fries

Now take the same skillet you seared the lamb in and layer in the fries. Using the same pan will add an extra depth of flavor to the fries and to the whole dish! 

cut up chunks of meat is added over the cheese on the fries to make carne asada fries recipe

Layer the fries and cheese. Add your favorite type of cheese, I used monterey jack here.

the pan is broiled and the cheese has melted over the fries and the meat has a crust

And top that with the cut off pieces of lamb steaks.

Broil the pan for just 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

a board with a variety of toppings for the carne asada fries recipe including tomatoes, avocado, scallions, sour cream, black olives, jalapenos, cilantro and more

Now it’s time for your toppings! 

Use your favorites! 

The final skillet of carne asada fries

Dig in and enjoy!

Are carne asada fries Mexican?

Shockingly, they’re not really Mexican, but more of a California thing 🙂 They absolutely have a Mexican twist to them, but are believed to originate from California. 

What does carne asada mean? 

Simply put, it means grilled meat that’s sliced. 

Air Fry Carne Asada

You can make the steak as well in the air fryer as I did with my popular Air Fryer Lamb Chops and proceed with the recipe. Check out my web story for Air Fryer Recipes and you’ll be surprised at how amazing recipes turn out in the air fryer!

Carne asada Tacos

This is another popular recipe where the meat is layered and made into tacos rather than in a plate of fries. Watch the video for Lamb Birria Tacos and see how amazing they are!

More Lamb Recipes

Lamb Shoulder Chop Recipe

Air Fryer Lamb Chops with Poblano Sauce

Lamb Shanks with Skyr

Jalapeño Poppers

Cheesy Pull Apart Bread with Lamb Crumbles

Cheese Fondue with Lamb Dippers

Lamb Gyro Recipe

Easy Stir Fry Recipe with Lamb and Veggies

Grilled Lamb Skewers BBQ Party

Roast Lamb Shoulder Recipe

Carne Asada Fries

If you haven’t had Carne Asada Fries before, you’re seriously missing out! Carne Asada is a special way of grilling meat, and today we’re serving it over fries with toppings and fixings to make the ABSOLUTE Carne Asada Fries Recipe!

Ingredients

  • 2
    lbs
    of American Lamb Steaks
    leg or shoulder
  • 1
    tablespoon
    oil

Seasoning

  • ¼
    teaspoon
    each salt and pepper
  • ½
    teaspoon
    onion powder
  • 1
    teaspoon
    mexican oregano
  • 1.4
    teaspoon
    cumin
  • 1
    teaspoon
    chili powder
  • ½
    teaspoon
    garlic powder
  • ¼
    teaspoon
    lemon salt

Fries

  • 3
    cups
    Cooked French Fries
    air fryer or oven or deep fried

Toppings

  • 1 ½
    cups
    cheese Shredded
  • Guacamole
  • sour cream
  • cilantro
  • tomatoes
  • black olives
  • green onions
  • chili flakes optional for spice

Instructions

  1. Season the lamb on both sides with the seasoning mix.

  2. Preheat a large cast iron or heavy duty pan on medium high heat and sear the steak on both sides until golden (3 minutes per sides) or until the temperature reaches 145 degrees F .

  3. Remove the lamb and let it rest for at least 3 mins.

  4. Cook the French Fries

  5. In the meantime preheat the oven to broil and gather your toppings.

  6. Cut the lamb into 1 inch chunks.

  7. Using the same heavy duty skillet, start layering the fries and cheese. a

  8. Add in the cut up pieces of lamb.

  9. Broil the pan until the cheese has melted and then your carne asada fries are ready for loading.

  10. Use your favorite toppings over the broiled carne asada fries.

  11. Load up your toppings and dig in and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Are carne asada fries Mexican?

Shockingly, they’re not really Mexican, but more of a California thing 🙂 They absolutely have a Mexican twist to them, but are believed to originate from California. 

What does carne asada mean? 

Simply put, it means grilled meat that’s sliced. 

Air Fry Carne Asada

You can make the steak as well in the air fryer as I did with my popular Air Fryer Lamb Chops and proceed with the recipe. Check out my web story for Air Fryer Recipes and you’ll be surprised at how amazing recipes turn out in the air fryer!

Carne asada Tacos

This is another popular recipe where the meat is layered and made into tacos rather than in a plate of fries. Watch the video for Lamb Birria Tacos and see how amazing they are!

Nutrition Facts

Carne Asada Fries

Amount Per Serving

Calories 700
Calories from Fat 522

% Daily Value*

Fat 58g89%

Saturated Fat 22g138%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 27g

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 1000mg43%

Potassium 1550mg44%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 71g142%

Vitamin A 443IU9%

Vitamin C 11mg13%

Calcium 337mg34%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Leave a Reply