• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mexican Food Journal logo
  • Recipe Index
    • Salsas & Sauces
    • Tacos
    • Enchiladas and Enmoladas
    • Soups
    • Desserts
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Chicken
    • Beverages
    • Pork
    • Beef
    • Tamales
    • Salads
    • Eggs
  • About
  • Contact
  • Join Community
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Salsas
  • Tacos
  • Enchiladas
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Chicken
  • Eggs
  • Seafood
  • Soups
  • Drinks
  • Chiles
×
You are here: Home / Tacos / Crispy Ribeye Tacos

Crispy Ribeye Tacos

Lori Alcalá, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

Ribeye Steak Tacos with Grilled Tomato Salsa

There’s nothing better than a juicy ribeye steak—except when it’s crispy and piled high on a corn tortilla. It was love at first sight when we saw and tasted these amazing steak tacos, a fusion of flavors from Chef Alexis Torres. Topped with a grilled tomato salsa and tangy cabbage and cilantro garnish, you’ll never want a plain ribeye again!  

Chicharrón de Ribeye

Crispy Ribeye Tacos

Are these the best steak tacos? They just might be. Let us know!

What to Expect from This Recipe

The star of this recipe is a juicy ribeye that is seared, chopped and fried to crispy perfection. Next, you’ll grill the veggies and mix up the salsa. Then, chop cabbage and cilantro for the garnish and squeeze in some lime. Pile it all onto a heated corn tortilla and you’re ready to eat. So easy and so good.

Note: You want to use a fatty cut of meat such as ribeye because the meat will remain juicy after cooking due to the fat. A leaner cut of beef will end up too dry.

How the Recipe Is Structured

This steak tacos recipe is broken down into the following sections:

  • Making the Salsa
  • Cooking the Ribeye
  • Chopping the Garnish
  • Assembling Your Tacos
  • And enjoying every crispy bite!

Crispy Ribeye Tacos with Roasted Tomato Salsa

Meet the Chef

Alexis Torres is executive chef and founder of Naakary, a restaurant dedicated to sustainable practices and organic dishes, located on the road to Jalpa in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. At Naakary, Chef Torres explores flavors straight from the garden, making the most of what the land has to offer and changing his menu with the seasons. 

Chef Alexis Torres Cooking

 

Learn How to Make Crispy Ribeye Tacos

Ingredients

For the Salsa

  • 11 yellow tomatoes (yellow pear heirloom or other yellow cherry tomatoes)
  • 1 Roma tomato sliced in half lengthwise
  • ½ white onion
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 jalapeño chili pepper (optional)

For the Ribeye

  • 1 Ribeye steak (1-inch thick)
  • Cooking oil
  • Salt to taste

For the Garnish

  • ½ handful of fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ small cabbage, thinly sliced
  • ½ Lime
  • Salt to taste
  • Corn tortillas

Crispy Ribeye Tacos Ingredients

Make the Salsa

Grill the Veggies

First, we’ll char the vegetables for the salsa. Place the whole yellow cherry tomatoes, Roma tomato halves (cut side up), onion (cut side up) and whole jalapeño (if using) on a griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat.

Veggies on Griddle

After two minutes, or when the skin begins to blacken, flip the vegetables using kitchen tongs.

Grilling Vegetables

Break up the onion and grill for about two more minutes, or until all pieces are evenly charred.

Roasted Vegetables on Grill

Transfer veggies into a bowl and let cool.

Roasted Vegetables in Bowl

Mix Up the Salsa

Once the vegetables have cooled slightly, remove the onion from the bowl and dice. If you’re using a grilled jalapeño, do the same with the chili.

Now we’re ready to mix up the salsa!

Grilled Tomato Salsa Ingredients

Sprinkle garlic powder over the charred tomatoes in the bowl.

Sprinkling Garlic Powder on Grilled Tomatoes

Next, add the salt.

Sprinkling Salt on Grilled Salsa

Stir to combine. Remember that this salsa is supposed to be chunky, so stir gently.

Stirring Grilled Tomato Salsa

Add the grilled onions.

Adding Grilled Onion to Salsa

Gently stir your salsa again. Getting close!

Stirring Grilled Vegetable Salsa

Your grilled tomato salsa is ready! It looks so good, we could just eat it out of the bowl! But trust us, it’s much tastier on the taco.

Grilled Tomato Salsa in Bowl

Cook the Ribeye

Sear the Ribeye Filet

First, we’ll sear the filet to seal in the juices. Place the ribeye on a grill, griddle, skillet, or frying pan over medium-high heat and press salt onto the meat. Note: You can add the salt before placing on the griddle if you like.

Salting Ribeye on Griddle

After one minute, flip over the ribeye using kitchen tongs. You can see it has a nice sear on this side!

Flipping Ribeye on Grill

Sear the other side for one minute. Then remove the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute and the ribeye stays tender and moist.

Seared Ribeye on Cutting Board

Fry the Ribeye

Once the ribeye has rested, cut into 1-inch cubes with a sharp knife, using kitchen tongs to steady the meat.

Cutting Ribeye

Now we’re ready to fry the ribeye. It looks so juicy!

Cubed Ribeye

Transfer the cubes to a plate or rimmed pan.

Ribeye in Pan

Add the ribeye pieces to a griddle or frying pan heated to medium-high.

Adding Ribeye to Griddle

Now pour the cooking oil over the meat. You can add as much as you like depending on how quickly it’s absorbed and how crispy you’d like the meat. For crispier meat, add oil as it’s absorbed.

Pouring Oil Over Ribeye

Here you can see the amount of oil the chef has added. Our ribeye is sizzling!

Ribeye Sizzling on Griddle

Be sure to constantly stir the meat to ensure every side is good and crispy. This should take about 5 minutes.

Frying Crispy Ribeye

Once fried, transfer back to your plate or rimmed pan.

Fried Ribeye in Pan

This ribeye has been fried to perfection. So juicy!

Crispy Fried Ribeye Cubes

Prepare the Garnish

Cut the cabbage in half.

Slicing Cabbage

Thinly slice one half only. Reserve the other half for another use.

Thinly Slicing Cabbage

Place the cabbage in a bowl of cold water to keep it crispy and to reduce the pungency.

Soaking Cabbage in Water

After a few minutes, drain the cabbage completely and add it another bowl, along with the cilantro leaves.

Cabbage and Cilantro in Bowl

Squeeze half the lime over the cabbage and cilantro.

Squeezing Lime Over Cabbage Garnish

Sprinkle with salt to taste and stir to combine. Your garnish is ready!

Sprinkling Salt on Cabbage Garnish

Assemble and Serve

Heat the corn tortillas on a griddle or in a frying pan for about 10 seconds each side.

Corn Tortillas on Griddle

Place the tortilla on your serving plate.

Corn Tortilla on Plate

Pile about 10 chunks of the fried ribeye on the tortilla.

Fried Ribeye on Tortilla

Next, spoon on the salsa.

Salsa on Crispy Ribeye Tacos

Finally, top with the cabbage garnish.

Cabbage Garnish on Ribeye Taco

Look at that pile of crispy goodness. Buen provecho!

Crispy Ribeye Tacos with Grilled Tomato Salsa

Crispy Ribeye Tacos (Chicharrón de Ribeye)
Print Pin
3.60 from 5 votes

Crispy Ribeye Steak Tacos

Juicy, crispy, pan-fried ribeye steak tacos, topped with a grilled tomato salsa, tangy cabbage and a cilantro garnish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 161kcal
Author Lori Alcalá

Equipment

  • Griddle or frying pan
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Cutting board
  • Spatula
  • Kitchen spoon
  • Kitchen knife
  • Kitchen Tongs

Ingredients

For the Salsa

  • 11 Yellow tomatoes (yellow pear heirloom or other yellow cherry tomatoes)
  • 1 Roma tomato sliced in half lengthwise
  • ½ White onion
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Jalapeño (optional)

For the Ribeye

  • 1 Ribeye steak (1-inch thick)
  • Cooking oil
  • Salt to taste

For the Garnish

  • ½ handful fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ small Cabbage thinly sliced
  • ½ Lime
  • Salt to taste
  • Corn tortillas

Instructions

Make the Salsa

  • First, we’ll grill the vegetables for the salsa. Place the whole yellow cherry tomatoes, Roma tomato halves (cut side up), onion (cut side up) and whole jalapeño (if using) on a griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat.
  • After two minutes, or when the skin begins to blacken, flip the vegetables using kitchen tongs.
  • Break up the onion and roast for about two more minutes, or until all pieces are evenly charred.
  • Transfer veggies into a bowl and let cool.
  • Once the vegetables have cooled slightly, remove the onion from the bowl and dice. If you’re using a roasted jalapeño, do the same with the chili.
  • Sprinkle garlic powder and salt over the grilled tomatoes in the bowl and stir gently to combine. The salsa should be chunky.
  • Add the grilled onions and stir again. Your salsa is now ready!

Cook the Ribeye

  • First, we’ll sear the filet to seal in the juices. Place the ribeye on a grill, griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat and press salt onto the meat. Note: You can add the salt before placing on the griddle if you like.
  • After one minute, flip over the ribeye using kitchen tongs.
  • Sear the other side for one minute. Then remove the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute and the ribeye stays tender and moist.
  • Once the ribeye has rested, cut into 1-inch cubes with a sharp knife, using kitchen tongs to steady the meat.
  • Transfer the cubes to a plate or rimmed pan.
  • Add the ribeye pieces to a griddle or frying pan heated to medium-high.
  • Now pour the cooking oil over the meat. You can add as much as you like depending on how quickly it’s absorbed and how crispy you’d like the meat. For crispier meat, add oil as it’s absorbed.
  • Be sure to constantly stir the meat to ensure every side is good and crispy. This should take about 5 minutes.
  • Once fried, transfer back to your plate or rimmed pan.

Prepare the Garnish

  • Cut the cabbage in half and thinly slice only one half. Reserve the other half for another use.
  • Place the cabbage in a bowl of cold water to keep it crispy and to reduce the pungent taste.
  • After a few minutes, drain the cabbage completely and add it another bowl, along with the cilantro leaves.
  • Squeeze half the lime over the cabbage and cilantro, sprinkle with salt to taste and stir to combine.

Assemble and Serve

  • Heat the corn tortillas on a griddle or in a frying pan for about 10 seconds each side.
  • Place the tortilla on your serving plate.
  • Pile about 10 chunks of the fried ribeye on the tortilla.
  • Next, spoon on the salsa and top with the cabbage garnish.
  • Take a big, crispy bite and enjoy!

Notes

Cooking Notes
  • This method of cooking the meat works well fatty cuts such as ribeye because the meat will remain juicy after cooking because of the fat. It won’t work well with leaner cuts of meats which will end up too dry.
Substitutions
  • Flour tortillas are also delicious.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg

More Authentic Beef Mexican Recipes from the Blog

  • Shredded Beef Tacos
  • Mexican Beef Rolls in Tomato Sauce 
  • Beef Tenderloin with a Three Chile Sauce 
  • Albondigas Mexicanas 

More Tacos

  • Queso Fresco Tacos
  • Rice and Hard-Boiled Egg Tacos
  • Taco Seasoning
  • Chicken Tacos with Avocado Salsa

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano
D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 Mexico Publishing LLC