A Vampiro Taco is a crispy, cheese-toasted corn tortilla filled with a delicious carne asada filling. Topped with red onion, cilantro, and avocado, these tacos are the ultimate treat and perfect for Taco Tuesday or any night of the week!
Have you heard of the Vampiro taco? It's my new obsession (as if I needed another taco obsession) and is totally addictive. These cheesy corn tortillas are a cross between a tostada, a taco, and a quesadilla, and I'm here for it. Picture a toasted corn tortilla, with a layer of melted cheese on the top, all stuffed with savory carne asada and topped with your choice of taco add-ons. Ugh - they're so good! I dare you not to be obsessed too! (Try also my Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls, Chicken Mole Tacos, Skirt Steak Tacos, Spicy Potato Tacos, and my Baja Shrimp Tacos for more easy Mexican dishes!)
In This Post
Why are they called "Vampiro Tacos"?
Also known as "vampiros" (tacos vampiros in Spanish) or vampire tacos, these babies are a Mexican treat, typically served as street food or in taquerias. Their distinction from a normal taco is the addition of the cheesy crust, and they're typically served open-faced or folded like a taco. Both are amazing. I love these in taco form since they're easier to eat and make for the ultimate in antojitos (street snacks).
The "Vampiro" comes from the way the cheese is crisped on the tortilla, resembling a bat wing, an iconic symbol associated with vampires.
No matter what they're called, they're truly the best tacos I've had in a while and are going to be on our monthly dinner menu on the reg from now on.
What sets this recipe apart
This is a great taco recipe for so many reasons:
- The cheesy tortilla. I'm telling you - just wait until you try it. I may or may not have had 3 of the cheese tortillas plain before even moving on to the actual tacos (shh!). Crispier than a quesadilla, there's something about the cheesy crunch that's irresistible.
- Carne asada. I'm a sucker for a good carne asada dish. The marinated slices of steak are tender and bursting with a blend of citrus and spices. Yum!
- Easy. The marinade for the carne asada is super easy to whip up. And making the cheesy tortillas takes only a couple of minutes. I especially love that I can marinate the steak during the day, come home, and heat everything up on the stove in just about 15 minutes for dinner. Simple.
- A sturdier taco. I don't know about you, but while I love the taste of corn tortillas, I often find them hard to work with. They're pretty fragile and can fall apart easily in my experience. Turns out, all they really needed was a good binding of cheese to keep them sturdy as a rock. Who knew?
Key Ingredients
This Vampiro taco recipe uses simple ingredients. Here's what you'll need.
- Skirt steak. I used skirt steak for these. You can slice it into strips or into bite-sized pieces (which is what I did to make the tacos a little easier to eat). You can also make carne asada from flank steak. (Read about the difference between skirt steak and flank steak here!)
- Citrus. A combination of orange juice and lime juice tenderizes the steak and adds a zesty flair.
- Spices. Ground cumin and chile powder offer a deep, smoky essence.
- Cheese. I used Colby Jack cheese for these tortillas, which melts into the corn tortillas beautifully, creating the signature crispy texture.
- Corn tortillas. Vampiro tacos are traditionally made with corn tortillas or masa tortillas. Use the best you can find (or make your own!), as they are the foundation of this amazing taco.
- Fresh add-ons: Diced red onions, chopped cilantro, and a couple of thin slices of avocado add freshness and a pop of color to the tacos.
How To Make A Vampiro Taco
These cheesy carne asada tacos could not be easier, and the hardest part is mixing the marinade (which isn't really hard at all). Here's what you'll do.
- Make the marinade. Mix all the skirt steak marinade ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously to combine.
- Marinate the steak. Add the skirt steak to a gallon-sized ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the top. Give it a good shake to combine, pop it in the fridge, and go about your business. (For at least an hour!)
- Cook the carne asada. When you're ready to make your tacos, dump the full bag of steak into a large skillet and cook until the steak is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make your cheesy tortillas! Get a griddle or cast iron skillet nice and warm - you'll want to put the temperature on low-medium so that you don't burn the cheese. Grab a handful of shredded cheese and put it on the skillet in a small circle. You want it to be about the size of your tortilla. Allow it to melt for a couple of minutes, then place a tortilla on top of the cheese and let it sit for an additional minute or so. Using a sturdy spatula, scoop up the entire thing and flip it over to grill the other side of the corn tortilla. Remove it from the skillet and repeat with the rest of your tortillas.
- Assemble your tacos. Take each tortilla and fold it into a taco shape. Add a scoop of the carne asada to the folded tortillas, then top with your add-ons.
- Enjoy! Experience love at first bite as you swoon over these amazing tacos.
Variations And Substitutions
- Cheese. Feel free to experiment with different cheeses, especially Mexican cheeses like Oaxaca. Just make sure whatever you use melts easily so that it can adhere to the tortilla.
- Tortillas. Corn tortillas are the classic here, but if they aren't your thing, try using small soft tortillas of your choice. I also love doubling up on my corn tortillas and warming some extras to serve with each taco.
- Add some heat. Looking to pump up the spiciness? Add some diced jalapenos, serrano chiles, green chili, or some chipotle salsa for some extra spice.
- Get creative with the add-ons. The choices are really endless here, and you can use anything you'd put on a normal taco. A spoonful of guacamole, quick-pickled red onions, red pepper, pico de gallo, salsa, lime crema, or sour cream - mix it up and put your own unique twist on it!
Frequently Asked Questions
While an hour is sufficient, for a deeper flavor, you can marinate it for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Nope! You can use whatever filling you like - carnitas, al pastor, chicken, veggies, beans - you name it. The main thing that makes it a vampire taco is the cheesy grilled tortilla.
The carne asada can be prepped ahead, but for the best experience, don't make the tortillas until you're ready to serve, and assemble the tacos just before serving to maintain the crispy texture of the tortillas.
Any non-stick skillet will work, just ensure it's at the right temperature to melt the cheese to a golden brown without burning.
If you make these Carne Asada Vampiro Tacos, let me know what you think in the comments below. And please tag me with a pic @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
More Easy Mexican Dishes
- Chorizo Tacos With Avocado Lime Sauce
- Crispy, Baked Tequila Lime Bone-In Chicken Wings
- Loaded Skillet Steak Fajita Nachos
- Baked Spanish Chicken Wings
- Spanish Sliders With Chorizo And Roasted Red Pepper
- Sheet Pan Nachos With Chorizo
- Chicken Mole Tacos
- Easy Red Chicken Enchiladas
Recipe
Vampiro Taco Recipe (Using Skirt Steak)
Ingredients
For The Carne Asada
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon canola oil (or other neutral-tasting oil), divided
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Chile powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ lbs skirt steak cut into ½-inch bite-sized pieces
For The Vampiro Tortillas
- 3 cups Colby Jack cheese shredded
- 8-10 corn tortillas plus extra if you'd like to double up on the tortillas
Toppings
- ¾ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- salsa verde
- guacamole
- chopped avocado
Instructions
- Mix the marinade. In a medium jar, combine the soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Put the lid on the jar and shake the marinade until everything is well combined.
- Chop the skirt steak into ½-inch bite-sized pieces and place in a large 1-gallon ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the skirt steak, seal the bag, and shake to coat the steak in the marinade. Allow the steak to marinate for at least one hour, or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
- When you're ready to make the tacos, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the steak and the marinade into the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the steak is cooked through and the marinade has reduced slightly.
- While the steak is cooking, prepare the tortillas. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat, add ¼ cup of the shredded Colby jack cheese and allow it to melt slightly. The circle of cheese should be about the size of your corn tortilla. Once the cheese has melted slightly (about 1 minute), add the corn tortilla to the top and press down with a spatula. Allow the tortilla to rest on the cheese for about 30 seconds to a minute, then flip the tortilla over and cook for 1-2 minutes more, or until the tortilla is warmed through and slightly stiff. Repeat with all tortillas.
- Add the carne asada to the cheesy side of the tortilla and top with diced red onion, fresh cilantro, and chopped avocado. Serve with lime wedges, salsa verde, and guacamole on the side.
Notes
- For best results, use the highest quality of corn tortillas you can find. These are the foundation of your Vampiro tacos!
- You can use pre-shredded cheese, but I find that buying the cheese in blocks, then shredding it when I'm ready to use it prevents it from drying out and makes it easier to melt.
- Experiment with your add-ons! Try guacamole, different types of salsa, sour cream - mix it up!
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Brandon Busacker says
Forgot to include cumin in the list of ingredients. How much do you recommend using? I used a teaspoon and seemed about right
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks for the catch! I've updated the recipe - should be 1 tsp.
Mia says
OBSESSED! These are so good. I love the cheesy crusted taco and the carne asada is perfect. Making these on repeat!