The best side dishes for carne asada are things like grilled veggies, rice, beans, and homemade salsa. You know, the classics! From weekend barbecues to family dinner and quick weeknight meals, these 25 tasty sides are the best way to complete your carne asada meal.
What is Carne Asada?
Carne asada is Spanish for grilled meat, usually ranchero de res, skirt steak, or flank steak. The steak is marinated, grilled over an open flame, and cut into thin slices to serve. But preparing carne asada steak is more than just grilling meat – it’s a whole event. Like barbecues in the United States, these get-togethers involve an open fire, plenty of meat, a grill master, and friends and family to enjoy the meal.
Start With a Recipe for Carne Asada
Before we get into the best side dishes for carne asada, let’s look at the different ways to prepare it. Here are some of my favorite carne asada recipes:
What to Eat with Carne Asada
Carne asada is a delicious main dish and a staple in Mexican cuisine. However, what you serve it with is just as essential as the juicy grilled meat itself. Check out some of the most mouthwatering options for what to eat with carne asada.
- 1. Mexican Rice
- 2. Arroz Verde
- 3. Cilantro Lime Rice
- 4. Refried Beans
- 5. Black Beans
- 6. Charro Beans
- 7. Corn Tortillas
- 8. Escabeche
- 9. Grilled Green Onions
- 10. Corn on the Cob
- 11. Sweet Potato Wedges
- 12. Elote
- 13. Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- 14. Mexican Coleslaw
- 15. Pickled Yellow Onions
- 16. Honey Lime Sweet Potatoes
- 17. Pickled Red Onions
- 18. Salsa Verde
- 19. Serrano Crema
- 20. Avocado Lime Crema
- 21. Pico De Gallo
- 22. Mango Pico De Gallo
- 23. Guacamole
- 24. Mexican Cornbread
- 25. Air Fried Plantains
The Best Carne Asada Side Dishes
1. Mexican Rice
Mexican rice simmers with tomato puree, vegetable broth, fresh jalapeños, and garlic for a highly concentrated and flavorful side dish. Tasty and aromatic, this vegan Mexican rice brings restaurant-style rice straight to your kitchen.
2. Arroz Verde
Arroz Verde, or green rice, is a traditional Mexican side seasoned with fresh herbs and poblano peppers, giving it a distinctive flavor and green color. It pairs perfectly with tacos, enchiladas, seafood, and grilled meats like carne asada.
3. Cilantro Lime Rice
Make an easy one-pot cilantro lime white rice recipe that is perfect with carne asada. Serve them together and make a carne asada bowl with your favorite toppings. You can also make cauliflower rice with lime if you want a light side dish or low-carb option or brown rice if that’s what you prefer.
4. Refried Beans
Learn how to make authentic refried beans from scratch on the stovetop or Instant Pot – just like the ones from your favorite Mexican restaurants, but better! Top the homemade beans with freshly grated cotija cheese, and dig in.
5. Black Beans
With a short list of pantry ingredients, achieve gourmet flavor and a perfect creamy texture when you prepare Mexican black beans at home.
6. Charro Beans
Authentic Mexican charro beans or frijoles charros, are made with pinto beans, smoky bacon, serrano peppers and spices simmered in the most flavorful broth.
7. Corn Tortillas
Warm corn tortillas are one of the best ways to enjoy carne asada. Check out these tips and tricks for how to heat corn tortillas. If you prefer, you can pair the marinated steak with homemade flour tortillas for a delicious meal.
8. Escabeche
Mexican pickled vegetables (also known as Escabeche) feature a blend of crispy carrots, jicama, onions, radishes, and jalapeños in a sweet-spicy, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro-infused brine.
9. Grilled Green Onions
Cebollitas asadas are a simple and authentic side dish to serve with carne asada or any of your favorite Mexican entrees.
Vegetable Side Dishes for Carne Asada
10. Corn on the Cob
Few things are as satisfying as a sweet summer corn on the cob, and learning how to make it is easy. Follow these easy steps for how to cook corn on the cob on the stovetop, grill, microwave, and oven.
11. Sweet Potato Wedges
Sweet potato wedges with avocado-cilantro sour cream are an easy side dish you can serve with any entree – especially burgers and juicy steak!
More Sweet Potatoes Recipes:
12. Elote
Elevate grilled corn with creamy-cheesy-spicy toppings to make Mexican elote. Smother the fresh corn in a creamy sauce and top with chili powder, cheese, and lime.
13. Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
Loaded with fresh herbs, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and creamy avocado, the addition of olive oil and fresh lime juice finishes our avocado cucumber tomato salad recipe for a perfect side dish.
14. Mexican Coleslaw
Mexican coleslaw combines shredded cabbage, black beans, corn, red peppers, jalapeño, and avocado, all tossed in a creamy dressing – a great side dish for grilled meat and get-togethers!
15. Pickled Yellow Onions
Mouthwatering pickled yellow onions add crunch and tangy flavor to any meal. The easy homemade pickle recipe is perfect for burgers, salads, and carne asada – of course!
16. Honey Lime Sweet Potatoes
Air fryer Mexican sweet potatoes shake things up with a sweet and tangy honey lime dressing. They make for a great side dish – especially on Taco Tuesday!
17. Pickled Red Onions
Quick pickled red onions (cebollas curtidas) are a sweet and tangy condiment just begging to be used topping salads, tacos, burgers, and grilled meats. They are easy to prepare and can be ready in just 15 minutes.
Sauces to Serve with Carne Asada
18. Salsa Verde
Make restaurant-style salsa verde with tomatillo to serve alongside comfort meals like tacos, tostadas, and enchiladas or as a dip for corn tortilla chips.
19. Serrano Crema
The main ingredient in serrano crema is fresh serrano chiles combined with fresh cilantro, a pop of garlic, and a combination of sour cream and yogurt to give the sauce a nice creamy texture. Olive oil, lime juice, and spices finish this sauce you’ll want to douse on absolutely everything – especially carne asada.
20. Avocado Lime Crema
Drizzle tangy, creamy avocado lime crema over tacos, burgers, tostadas, and salad. This quick and easy 5-ingredient condiment adds fresh flavor to Tex-Mex classics.
21. Pico De Gallo
Get fresh pico de gallo or salsa Mexicana on the table with just five ingredients: fresh tomatoes, white onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and the juice of lime come together as a perfect topping or garnish.
22. Mango Pico De Gallo
Sweet, spicy, and easy to make – serve fresh mango pico de gallo as a dip or topping with your favorite carne asada recipe. It’s so good you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.
23. Guacamole
Our fresh guacamole without tomato recipe uses simple ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make. All you need is a handful of ripe avocados, half an onion, a juicy lime, fresh cilantro, and a pinch of salt. That’s it!
Other Suggestions for What to Serve with Carne Asada
24. Mexican Cornbread
Mexican-inspired cornbread is effortless and tasty, made with a blend of cornmeal, flour, cheddar cheese, green onions, and fresh jalapeños.
25. Air Fried Plantains
Air fried plantains are a quick and easy side dish to make, and they pair well with everything from stew to tacos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is typically served with carne asada?
• Tortillas (Corn or Flour Tortillas)
• Beans (Refried Beans, Pinto Beans, Black Beans)
• Rice (Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, Spanish Rice)
• Guacamole
• Homemade Salsa (Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde, Salsa Roja)
• White or Red Onions and Cilantro
• Lime Wedges
• Roasted Peppers
More Steak Recipes: