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
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!
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.
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
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.
After two minutes, or when the skin begins to blacken, flip the vegetables using kitchen tongs.
Break up the onion and grill for about two more minutes, or until all pieces are evenly charred.
Transfer veggies into a bowl and let cool.
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!
Sprinkle garlic powder over the charred tomatoes in the bowl.
Next, add the salt.
Stir to combine. Remember that this salsa is supposed to be chunky, so stir gently.
Add the grilled onions.
Gently stir your salsa again. Getting close!
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.
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.
After one minute, flip over the ribeye using kitchen tongs. You can see it has a nice sear on this side!
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.
Fry the Ribeye
Once the ribeye has rested, cut into 1-inch cubes with a sharp knife, using kitchen tongs to steady the meat.
Now we’re ready to fry the ribeye. It looks so juicy!
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.
Here you can see the amount of oil the chef has added. Our ribeye is sizzling!
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.
This ribeye has been fried to perfection. So juicy!
Prepare the Garnish
Cut the cabbage in half.
Thinly slice one half only. Reserve the other half for another use.
Place the cabbage in a bowl of cold water to keep it crispy and to reduce the pungency.
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. Your garnish is ready!
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.
Finally, top with the cabbage garnish.
Look at that pile of crispy goodness. Buen provecho!
Crispy Ribeye Steak Tacos
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
- 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.
- Flour tortillas are also delicious.
Nutrition
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