Smoky Lime Beef Tacos are topped with a cucumber, apple and jalapeño salsa and drizzled with a sweet, creamy sauce. The skirt steak can be marinated a day ahead in its garlicky smoked paprika and lime coating. The vibrant sweet-hot salsa and the creamy sauce can also be made a day ahead of serving. So all that’s left to do on the day is throw the steak onto the grill for a few and then the tortillas just to warm and you’re ready to eat. These tacos are best served with Jalapeño Pineapple Margarita. Tacos plus margaritas…that goes without saying.
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I don’t overstuff or overcomplicate tacos. This is my taco process (apparently I have a taco process): I marinate then then grill the meat of choice; I make a salsa or some sort of slaw mixture and a sauce to drizzle at the end. I really went to town on these Smoky Lime Beef Tacos though and added shredded lettuce. If you’re not living on the edge you’re taking up too much space. Right?


When it comes to tortillas for soft tacos are you a corn or a flour person? I love the corn for the flavor but the flour tortillas for their softness and regardless of which kind of tortilla I use, I always throw them onto the grill for a few to warm and develop grill marks.

Smoky Lime Beef Tacos are simple to prepare – a definite plus with any tacos and if you’re feeding a bit of a crowd (does that still happen in 2021??) then you can lay all the ingredients out and let people build their own. Although, at the risk of sounded too dictatorial – the assembly should go lettuce, beef, sauce, salsa and then a drizzle of more sauce so make sure to lay the components out in that order. For those taco lovers, here are a couple more recipes you might like to try: Crispy Fish Tacos with Jalapeño Tartare Sauce or Spicy Creole Shrimp Street Tacos…or Tuna Pineapple Salsa Tacos. My love for seafood runs deep. Until next time, happy taco Tuesday! Love and air kisses, Lovoni xo
SMOKY LIME BEEF TACOS
Equipment
- grill
Ingredients
- 2 lb skirt steak flank or flat iron steak would also be good
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- A good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 taco-size corn of flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
CUCUMBER MINT SALSA
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons honey
- A good pinch of sea salt
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 or 2 jalapeños
- 1 small green apple
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons mint leaves
CREAMY LIME SAUCE
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- In a bowl or a resealable bag, combine the steak, oil, paprika, zest, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover or seal and place in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
To make the salsa:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the juice, garlic, honey and salt until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and chill until serving.
To make the sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until well combined. Cover and chill until serving.
- Heat a grill to medium-high. Grease the grill and cook the steak for 5 to 7 minutes each side depending on the thickness of the steak. Remove from the grill to a board and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Warm the tortillas on the same grill for 1 minute or so per side until grill marks appear. Carefully fold in half while still warm and wrap in a clean tea towel.
- Cut the meat across the grain into thin slices. To assemble the tacos: add a little lettuce to a warm tortilla, top slices of steak and drizzle with a little sauce, top with salsa and drizzle with more sauce. Makes 8.