Carne Asada: 36g Protein

By Annette

Carne Asada: 36g Protein

You smell it before you taste it. Lime, garlic, charred edges, smoke off the grill.

This is the steak that makes a Tuesday feel like a celebration, and it asks almost nothing of you in return.

A quick marinade, a hot grill, and a few minutes a side. That’s the whole job.

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[PHOTO/DIAGRAM NEEDED: bright hero of sliced carne asada on a wooden board, charred edges, juicy pink center, sliced against the grain, fresh cilantro and lime wedges scattered around, natural daylight, clean light surface, cheerful and fresh. Free-image search: “carne asada flank steak sliced bright.” AI prompt: “Three-quarter angle photo of grilled carne asada flank steak sliced against the grain on a light wooden board, charred edges and juicy interior, fresh cilantro and lime wedges around it, bright natural daylight, clean light surface, cheerful fresh food photography, shallow depth of field, no text.”]

đź“Š The Macros

🥩 PROTEIN: 36g

Calories 400 · Carbs 2g · Fat 27g · Fiber 0g Protein density: 9.0g protein per 100 calories Serves 4 · about 20 min plus marinating · meal-prep friendly

Nine grams of protein per 100 calories is a knockout number, and this is just steak, lime, and garlic. No boost needed.

Flank steak is one of the most protein-dense foods you can put on a plate. This one clears 36g a serving on its own, which is exactly why it leads the page as-is.

🍳 The Recipe

Carne Asada. Serves 4 generously. Five minutes to mix the marinade, a couple hours to let it work, then 15 minutes at the grill.

A bright lime-cumin marinade does the flavor work while you go live your life. Then it’s a quick sear, a five-minute rest, and a sharp knife against the grain.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lb flank steak, the whole star of the show
  • â…“ cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and chili powder in a small bowl.
  2. Put the steak in a dish, pour the marinade over, and turn to coat. Marinate 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.
  3. Heat the grill to medium-high. Grill the steak 5 to 7 minutes a side for medium.
  4. Rest the steak on a cutting board for 5 minutes. This keeps it juicy.
  5. Slice thin, at an angle, against the grain. Serve warm.

Make-ahead: slice and portion into containers for the week. It’s fantastic cold over a salad, folded into low-carb wraps, or reheated gently for bowls.

[GIF PLACEHOLDER: mouthwatering “fire up the grill” energy, a knife slicing through a rested flank steak]

Grilling this? Reply and tell me how you served it. I read every reply.

🔄 The Swap

There’s no swap here, and that’s the point. Slicing 1 ½ pounds of flank into 4 real servings instead of stretching it to 6 keeps each plate at an honest 36g.

Some dishes are already protein powerhouses. Flank steak is one of them, so the only move is to portion it like a satisfying dinner, not a tasting plate. Cut it across the grain so it stays tender.

If you want a leaner profile, trim visible fat before slicing. The protein number doesn’t budge.

🔬 The Science

Why is carne asada such a quietly perfect midlife dinner?

Flank steak is protein-dense and lean. At about 9 grams of protein per 100 calories, it delivers a big muscle-building dose without a big calorie load, which is hard to find in a cut this flavorful.

Beef is rich in leucine. Leucine is the amino acid that triggers muscle protein synthesis, the repair process that keeps your muscle on your frame. After 35 that trigger gets less sensitive, so steak’s high leucine punches above its weight.

Almost zero carbs means steady energy. With nothing to spike your blood sugar, you get clean, even fuel, especially when you serve it over greens or with roasted vegetables.

“Some dinners need help to hit their protein number. Carne asada just needs a hot grill and a sharp knife.”

đź’ˇ The Takeaway

A celebration dinner that’s secretly the easiest, leanest protein on your week. Marinate, grill, slice, done.

Make the full batch and you’ve got steak for tonight and lunches that beat anything you’d buy.

Send this to someone who thinks “high protein” has to mean boring chicken every night.

Want a whole week of dinners this easy? I built it for you.

Download the free 7-Day 120g-Protein Meal Plan → Seven days of meals and snacks, every day hitting 120g of protein, with a full grocery list and honest macros on every plate.

Written by Annette. Real food, honest macros, not medical advice.

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