If you’ve never had carne asada fries before, then you’re in for a treat. This flavorful dish is like a combination of cheesy fries with nachos. Homemade french fries are combined with shredded cheese, grilled beef, and topped with sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo, making for a drool-worthy meal. You’re going to want to eat fast if you’re sharing as a whole plate can disappear in the blink of an eye. Bought your steak in bulk? Try making my Carne Asada Tacos to go with these loaded fries!
Key Ingredients You Need
- Carne Asada — Carne asada is loosely translated from Spanish to "grilled meat." If you do not have a grill, you can make this in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop. Check out my Carne Asada recipe to see how to marinate and cook it perfectly.
- Potatoes — For the best homemade french fries, use russet potatoes! They have a high starch content, are less dense, and have a low moisture content, so the french fries come out super crispy.
- Toppings — Try my homemade guacamole recipe and pico de gallo recipe, as well as some sour cream to top off your loaded fries with steak.
How to Make Carne Asada Fries
Step 1: Make the carne asada and cut it into cubes.
Step 2: Peel the potatoes and then cut them lengthwise into ¼" slabs.
Step 3: Then cut the slabs into thin strips. Do your best to cut each fry into equal thickness.
Step 4: Place all of the fries into a large mixing bowl and add the olive oil, sea salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss to coat.
Step 5: Place the fries on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. Check them at the 25 minute mark to make sure they aren’t burning.
Step 6: Transfer the fries to a bowl. While they are still hot, sprinkle the Mexican Blend Cheese on top and add the carne asada with the other garnishes: sour cream, guacamole, pico de Gallo, and chopped cilantro.
Tips For This Recipe
- Don’t have sour cream? Use plain Greek yogurt instead, or skip it entirely.
- Make sure to allow the steak to rest before cutting into cubes. The resting time allows the moisture to redistribute throughout the steak, so it stays juicy and moist. Cube too soon, and the juices end up on the cutting board.
- If you have extra time, you can soak your sliced potatoes beforehand. Soaking the potatoes leads to crispier fries. Just be sure to pat them dry before seasoning and baking.
- Do not use waxy potatoes such as red potatoes, fingerling, and new potatoes to make french fries. The moisture content in them will lead to hollow fries as the water evaporates in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is quite popular in California but originates specifically from San Diego’s restaurant, Lolita. They started off by adding French fries to a burrito then morphed into a plate of fries with carne asada.
The Mexican-style cheese I use is a blend of cheddar, Monterey jack, asadero, and queso quesadilla cheeses. If you can’t find the package mix, you can also try cotija cheese or queso fresco. Or use all of them! The more cheese, the merrier!
You can make the beef and fries ahead of time and store them separately in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to eat, reheat them and top with cheese and toppings.
If you’re looking to save some time, you are more than welcome to use frozen french fries. Simply cook them as directed on the packaging.
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Carne Asada Fries
Ingredients
For the Fries:
- 2 Russet Potatoes
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 cup Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
For the Carne Asada:
For Serving:
- Guacamole Recipe
- Pico De Gallo Recipe
- Sour Cream
- Chopped fresh Cilantro
Instructions
- Make the Carne Asada and cut it into cubes.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel the potatoes and then cut them lengthwise into ¼" slabs. Then cut the slabs into thin strips which will be each individual fry. Do your best to cut each fry into equal thickness.
- Place all of the fries into a large mixing bowl and add the olive oil, sea salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss to coat.
- Place the fries on the baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. Check them at the 25 minute mark to make sure they aren’t burning.
- Remove the fries from the oven and plate them in a bowl. While they are still hot sprinkle the Mexican Blend Cheese on top and add the carne asada with the other garnishes: sour cream, guacamole, pico de Gallo, and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Don’t have sour cream? Use plain Greek yogurt instead, or skip it entirely.
- Make sure the allow the steak to rest before cutting into cubes. The resting time allows the moisture to redistribute throughout the steak, so it stays juicy and moist. Cube too soon, and the juices end up on the cutting board.
- If you have extra time, you can soak your sliced potatoes beforehand. Soaking the potatoes leads to crispier fries. Just be sure to pat them dry before seasoning and baking.
- Do not use waxy potatoes such as red potatoes, fingerling, and new potatoes to make french fries. The moisture content in them will lead to hollow fries as the water evaporates in the oven.
Yep.. It can be too much to handle..