A good taco is all about balance. Balance in flavor comes from something fatty and full of umami, acid to cut through the richness, just the right level of salt to enhance everything else, and sometimes even a touch of sweet. Texture balance is just as important: crunchy, creamy, soft, and crisp should all be present in a great taco. These sirloin steak tacos check every single box and are, indeed, great tacos.

Sirloin Steak Tacos

Steak tacos are commonly made with skirt steak or flank steak, and, while there’s nothing wrong with those cuts for tacos, we are here to submit that the juicy, tender cut of a sirloin steak lends to (possibly even more) exceptionally delicious tacos. Paired with a simple mango salsa and a quick creamy blender guacamole, these sirloin steak tacos are our new go-to for Taco Tuesday. Or Wednesday. And maybe Thursday. We really love tacos.

Can you use sirloin steak for tacos?

Absolutely, resoundingly, yes. Sirloin is a great cut of beef for a weeknight taco situation – it’s a low-use muscle (hello, tenderness) with great marbling. Marinate it and cook it fast and hot to a perfect medium rare for the ultimate crusty outsides, tender insides, and overall juicy juicy juicy steak that’s ideal for a taco.

Instead of marinating and cooking the steak whole and then chopping it into bite-sized pieces, we cut our steak into large strips prior to marinating and cooking. This maximizes the surface area of the steak that comes into contact with the marinade and hot skillet. Result: more flavor, more charred crusty bits, and an overall more delicious taco.

Tips for the Best Sirloin Steak Tacos

Here are our best tips to make sirloin steak tacos that will rival those at your favorite taqueria.

  • Marinating: Technically, 15 minutes of marinating will do, but an overnight soak gives the lime a chance to tenderize the muscle fibers of the steak and makes all the difference.
  • Seasoning: When it comes to a great fruit salsa, salt and acid are critical. Salt and salt again: adjust for salt once the salsa is complete and again right before it’s served. We aren’t looking for a super salty salsa, but one that’s adequately seasoned to really make all the other flavors sing.
  • Picking the right produce: Ripe avocados are a must to get that smooth texture we’re looking for in the creamy guac. An avocado with a slight give under your finger should be perfect.
  • And the right tortillas: You could use flour tortillas here, but the flavor of charred corn tortillas is key in these tacos. Worried about your tortillas being dry? A corn tortilla that’s heated sufficiently and served immediately won’t even have the chance to be.

More Quick Dinners

Sirloin Steak Tacos

Brooke Eliason
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Servings: 4 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes
These sirloin steak tacos with mango salsa and creamy guacamole check every box for a taco full of flavor and texture perfection.

Ingredients 

STEAK

  • 1.5 lbs 1-1 ½ inch thick sirloin steak
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • 2 tbsp canola, vegetable, or avocado oil

MANGO SALSA

  • 2 large or 3 small mangoes, diced
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
  • ½ medium red onion, diced
  • juice of ½ of a lime
  • kosher salt

CREAMY GUACAMOLE

  • 2 large ripe avocados
  • ¼ cup water
  • juice of ½ of a lime
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

TORTILLAS & GARNISH

  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1 lime, quartered
  • ¼ cup cotija cheese for garnish (serve roughly 1/2 Tbs per taco)

Instructions

STEAK

  • Trim off any large pieces of fat on the edges of the steak and cut into 2×1-inch strips. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, cumin, kosher salt, and a few cranks of black pepper.
  • Place the steak in the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat. Let the steak sit at room temperature for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Alternatively, the steak and marinade can be prepared ahead of time and sit in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat with oil. Once the oil is shimmering, place the steak in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes total, flipping each piece with tongs halfway through. The steak is done when its internal temperature has reached 130°F.
  • Remove the steak from the heat, let it rest for 5 minutes, and chop into bite-sized pieces.

MANGO SALSA

  • In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the mangos, jalapeños, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and a pinch of kosher salt. Taste and add more salt or lime if needed. Set aside.

CREAMY GUACAMOLE

  • Place the avocados, water, lime juice, and kosher salt in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside.

TORTILLAS & ASSEMBLY

  • Using a gas burner or an outdoor grill, cook the tortillas over a controlled flame until both sides are slightly charred on the edges, flipping with tongs to cook both sides. Watch carefully – they can burn quickly.
  • Assemble the tacos on plates or a large platter. First lay down the tortillas, then evenly divide the meat and sprinkle on top of the tortillas.
  • Spoon a large dollop of the creamy guacamole on top of each taco. Sprinkle roughly 1/4 cup of the mango salsa on top of each taco, followed by roughly 1/2 Tablespoon of cotija cheese. Serve immediately.

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