Instant Pot Carne Asada

Whip up this Instant Pot Carne Asada recipe for dinner any night of the week. Flavor-packed flank steak is cooked on high pressure for a tender and juicy end result. Full of Mexican spices, it’s ready to be placed in flour or corn tortillas, on top of a rice bowl, etc. It’s an easy recipe the whole family can devour.

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You can make this dinner all year round if you would like. It is perfect for Taco Tuesday or a Cinco De Mayo celebration. The pressure cooker is the perfect way to really tenderize and infuse the skirt steak.

You can pair this steak recipe with my Mexican rice which is made in the pressure cooker. Or consider these stuffed Mexican peppers for another easy dinner idea.

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you will need to make this recipe. You can find the full list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

soy sauce, orange juice, oregano, cumin, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, paprika, and beef on a counter.

Flank or Skirt Steak
Soy Sauce
Orange Juice
Lime Juice and Fresh Lime Wedges
Garlic
Chili Powder
Dried Oregano
Smoked Paprika
Salt and Black Pepper
Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil
Cilantro

Instructions

This is a quick overview of the instructions to make this recipe. You can find the full steps in the recipe card.

marinade being mixed in a small measuring cup.

Add soy sauce, orange juice, lime juice, and spices to a medium-sized bowl. Mix well to create a marinade.

beef strips being marinated in a glass baking dish.

Take your sliced steak (any cut of steak works, just thin strips) and stick it in the marinade. Massage it to ensure it is coated evenly. Then refrigerate as directed.

beef strips being seared in the pressure cooker.

Turn on the saute mode, and heat the oil in the Instant Pot. Cook your marinated steak in batches, searing the meat. Discard extra carne asada marinade.

Place the lid on the pressure cooker and cook high for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release.

Hint: Any type of steak works; just make sure to get a nice sear on the steak when you are in saute mode. This adds a wonderful flavor that you won’t get otherwise. Then finish off cooking the meat with the pressure cooker mode.

Variations

Here are a few ways to create different flavors in this delicious beef recipe, which the entire family will enjoy.

Spicy—Add some red pepper flakes to the meat to create a spicy beef. Depending on your heat preference, you can add 1/4 tablespoon up to a tablespoon. Some cayenne pepper would also be a great addition.
Deluxe – Along with the steak strips, consider adding in some thinly sliced pieces of diced chicken that have also been in the marinade. This will be a dual meat. Or you can cook some shrimp in the Instant Pot during the last 1 minute of cooking with a quick pressure release.
Store-Bought Marinade—Instead of making your own marinade, you can always buy your favorite bottle at the store to use to create tender meat and add flavor to beef cuts. Marinate as directed on the bottle if you go that route.

For more tasty Mexican cuisine, try my chicken fajita casserole.

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Reach for an Instant Pot, tongs, and a wooden spoon for scraping the bottom of the pressure cooker. If you like to have warm flour tortillas, you can buy a tortilla warmer to help keep them warm and soft during the meat’s cooking time.

Storage

Store any of the carne meat you do not eat in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can warm up leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop if you want. It tastes great the next day so it is a fantastic meal prep recipe.

You can also freeze any of the steak you want. Freeze for 2-3 months. Then thaw in the fridge overnight or defrost straight from the freezer.

Wendy’s Test Kitchen Tips

Make sure the oil is nice and hot in the electric pressure cooker before you add any of the seasoned beef. That way it gets a really nice sear.
You are not wanting to fully cook the meat on saute mode. You just want a sear and then will finish cooking in the pressure cooker.
Use the meat for carne asada fries, tacos, burritos, rice or quinoa bowls, nachos, etc.
Add any of your favorite toppings to the meat to help enhance the flavors even more.
Make sure to trim away any of the extra fat or silverskin on the meat before you cook so you don’t get chewy meat.

FAQs

Can you use stew meat for making carne asada?

You sure can. Since you are going to pressure cook, it will tenderize the meat nicely. Just mix the homemade marinade according to the recipe directions, and then cook the same way.

Why can’t you natural release the pressure for this recipe?

Since the slices of meat are thin and pre-seared, you don’t need a long cooking time. A quick release will still ensure the meat is nice and tender. Now, if you were to cook a large cut of meat, then you would need to release the pressure naturally.

If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! Thank you.