If you haven’t had Carne Asada Fries before, you’re seriously missing out! Carne Asada is a special way of grilling meat, and today we’re serving it over fries with toppings and fixings to make the ABSOLUTE Carne Asada Fries Recipe!
This post is sponsored by the American Lamb Board. All opinions are my own.
There’s something about making Mexican inspired dishes that feel like a treat to us. While I’m from the Mediterranean and that’s my ultimate comfort food, I also sincerely have a soft spot for Mexican food.
And my Mediterranean background always tries to push for more lamb in our meals. So when I made Sheet Pan Fajitas using Lamb- it was like the best of both worlds!
Similarly, those Lamb Birria Tacos and Spicy Smashed Potatoes are MUST try recipes! The Crunchwrap Supreme which is loaded with the BEST Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe is also made using lamb!
So it’s no secret, I’ve made the Carne Asada Fries today using Lamb. And of course, I only use American Lamb.
We love American lamb for so many reasons:
- From a taste perspective, American lamb is both fresh and sweet. It has a delicate buttery texture which makes it a great protein to substitute in any dish.
- We also love to support our local hard working ranchers as I’ve visited a few farms and met amazing ranchers. Their stories, their hard work and their passion for growing the sheep is outstanding! No wonder American lamb is seriously amazing!
- Make sure to always double check with your butcher when buying lamb as it can be tricky to identify sometimes.
Now let’s talk Carne Asada and all the goodness that comes with it. Watch the video above to see how delicious it is!
What are Carne Asada Fries made of?
Think of this tasty dish as a main course rather than a side of fries. It’s got everything you need and more!
It’s basically crispy French fries which I love to cook in my air fryer. You can however fry the fries, oven roast them or even pan sear the potatoes after parboiling.
The meat, in this case Lamb, is seasoned and grilled (indoor or outdoors) to perfection.Once ready the lamb is cut up into squares and then layered over the fries with cheese.
You’ll need to broil for just a few minutes to melt the cheese before loading the carne asada with topping. OMGoodness the toppings! Go as crazy as you want here! I used my favorites and feel free to swap some, add more or less of what you like!
Ingredients for Carne Asada Fries
- Steak ( I used leg of lamb steaks bone in, trimmed off some fat)
- Seasoning (below)
- Fries
- Toppings
Carne Asada Seasoning
- Salt and peppers
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Chilli powder
- cumin
- oregano
- Lemon powder or lemon salt
Make Carne Asada Fries Recipe
Trim off any excess fat you prefer from the lamb steaks.
I use the excess fat for making shawarma or I can sometimes grind it in my kofte. It adds the BEST flavor!
Season the meat on both sides.
Sear with butter or oil on high heat until golden on both sides. This should take about 3 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of the meat). The USDA recommends the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F with a 3 min rest.
Remove the lamb steaks on a cutting board and let them rest for 2 minutes before slicing and dicing them into 1 inch cubes.
In the meantime air fry or cook your fries to your taste.
Season the fries with extra seasoning from the meat.
Now take the same skillet you seared the lamb in and layer in the fries. Using the same pan will add an extra depth of flavor to the fries and to the whole dish!
Layer the fries and cheese. Add your favorite type of cheese, I used monterey jack here.
And top that with the cut off pieces of lamb steaks.
Broil the pan for just 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Now it’s time for your toppings!
Use your favorites!
Dig in and enjoy!
Are carne asada fries Mexican?
Shockingly, they’re not really Mexican, but more of a California thing 🙂 They absolutely have a Mexican twist to them, but are believed to originate from California.
What does carne asada mean?
Simply put, it means grilled meat that’s sliced.
Air Fry Carne Asada
You can make the steak as well in the air fryer as I did with my popular Air Fryer Lamb Chops and proceed with the recipe. Check out my web story for Air Fryer Recipes and you’ll be surprised at how amazing recipes turn out in the air fryer!
Carne asada Tacos
This is another popular recipe where the meat is layered and made into tacos rather than in a plate of fries. Watch the video for Lamb Birria Tacos and see how amazing they are!
More Lamb Recipes
Air Fryer Lamb Chops with Poblano Sauce
Cheesy Pull Apart Bread with Lamb Crumbles
Cheese Fondue with Lamb Dippers
Easy Stir Fry Recipe with Lamb and Veggies
Grilled Lamb Skewers BBQ Party
Carne Asada Fries
If you haven’t had Carne Asada Fries before, you’re seriously missing out! Carne Asada is a special way of grilling meat, and today we’re serving it over fries with toppings and fixings to make the ABSOLUTE Carne Asada Fries Recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of American Lamb Steaks leg or shoulder
- 1 tablespoon oil
Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon mexican oregano
- 1.4 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon lemon salt
Fries
- 3 cups Cooked French Fries air fryer or oven or deep fried
Toppings
- 1 ½ cups cheese Shredded
- Guacamole
- sour cream
- cilantro
- tomatoes
- black olives
- green onions
- chili flakes optional for spice
Instructions
-
Season the lamb on both sides with the seasoning mix.
-
Preheat a large cast iron or heavy duty pan on medium high heat and sear the steak on both sides until golden (3 minutes per sides) or until the temperature reaches 145 degrees F .
-
Remove the lamb and let it rest for at least 3 mins.
-
Cook the French Fries
-
In the meantime preheat the oven to broil and gather your toppings.
-
Cut the lamb into 1 inch chunks.
-
Using the same heavy duty skillet, start layering the fries and cheese. a
-
Add in the cut up pieces of lamb.
-
Broil the pan until the cheese has melted and then your carne asada fries are ready for loading.
-
Use your favorite toppings over the broiled carne asada fries.
-
Load up your toppings and dig in and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Are carne asada fries Mexican?
Shockingly, they’re not really Mexican, but more of a California thing 🙂 They absolutely have a Mexican twist to them, but are believed to originate from California.Â
What does carne asada mean?Â
Simply put, it means grilled meat that’s sliced.Â
Air Fry Carne Asada
You can make the steak as well in the air fryer as I did with my popular Air Fryer Lamb Chops and proceed with the recipe. Check out my web story for Air Fryer Recipes and you'll be surprised at how amazing recipes turn out in the air fryer!
Carne asada Tacos
This is another popular recipe where the meat is layered and made into tacos rather than in a plate of fries. Watch the video for Lamb Birria Tacos and see how amazing they are!
I’ve already made these fries twice because they’re THAT good! Thanks so much for sharing such a delicious recipe!
These fries are full of YUM! I love these at restaurants but this homemade version was even better. I want to make these again next week since they were such a hit. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh wow, these will be my new favorite way to make fries. Fantastic result and very easy-to-follow instructions!
So french fries topped with cheese and delicious Mexican steak? I am SO sold on this one!
Oh wow these look like absolute perfection, I need to try them ASAP!
Oh wow! So many fantastic flavors packed into this skillet. I love all the vibrant colors and how easily it all comes together.
What a totally gorgeous plate of fries – so many beautiful flavours and toppings, a total knockout to serve to family and friends!
I love these epic loaded carne asada fries. All the best flavors together!
This recipe contributed to a great family gathering. Making your carne asada fries was my best choice, everyone loved it, thanks!
This is totally new to me. Your pictures are making me drool. Thaks for the great recipe,