Carne Asada Seasoning (San Diego Style)

Our San Diego-Style Carne Asada Seasoning is the PERFECT seasoning blend for recreating authentic San Diego Carne Asada and Mexican recipes.

In 15 years of testing (!!!) we have developed this unique blend of traditional Mexican spices.

Carne Asada Recipes

All of our 5-star San Diego-style carne asada recipes use this spice blend as a base:

Carne Asada Marinade (Read reviews from SD locals!)
Carne Asada Tacos
Street Tacos
Carne Asada fries
Carne Asada Nachos
Carne Asada Quesadilla
Carne Asada Platter
Mulita

Check out our What to Serve With Tacos or What to Serve With Carne Asada guides for side dish ideas!

Carne Asada Seasoning Recipe

This Mexican Steak Seasoning requires 8 different seasonings, as many as you probably already have in your pantry. Each plays an essential role in flavor, so try not to leave anything out:

• garlic powder
• garlic salt
• White pepper
• cumin
• chili powder
• Mexican oregano
• coriander
• Ground carnations

Low sodium version

Looking for a low sodium carne asada rub? Just omit the salt altogether and add after the meat is cooked, based on personal preference.

Carne Asada Marinade

Do you prefer a marinade over a dry rub? This spice rub is easy to turn into a marinade. Visit our post Carne Asada Marinade for details!

How to season steaks

Season your large beef like a steak. Pat dry with a paper towel, brush with olive oil, followed by a healthy dose of spice mix. The following recipe is for two 1 lb pieces of meat. Double or half as needed.

Marinate the meat for a minimum of 2 hours, up to 24 hours, to allow for flavor absorption. The longer it marinates during this period, the better.

storage

Store the spice mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

variations

This Dry Rub is easy to customize to suit your taste buds and spice cabinet components. Here are some common variations:

• If you can’t find Mexican oregano, traditional Mediterranean oregano is just the ticket.
• Don’t have white pepper? Just use regular black pepper.
• If you’re after an earthy and smoky flavor, substitute equal parts ancho chili powder for the chili powder.

Best Carne Asada Seasoning

An essential part of Mexican cuisine, carne asada seasoning transforms ordinary steak into a flavorful and incomparably delicious dish.

However, all spice blends are not created equal. Although our spice mix ingredient list is longer than other recipes, it’s worth it. We know carne asada.