Carne Adobada Tri-Tip Tacos
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These carne adobada tri-tip tacos bring bold, smoky chili flavor, tender grilled beef, and fresh taco-truck toppings together in the easiest way possible. A tangy blend of guajillo, chiles de árbol, and citrus infuses the meat with deep flavor, while quick grilling keeps it juicy and perfect for tacos. If you’re planning a summer cookout or taco night, this recipe delivers big payoff with minimal effort. Looking for more ideas? Try making California chicken burritos or birria tacos next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big on bold flavor – The combination of dried chilies, chipotle, and citrus creates a rich, tangy adobada marinade that transforms simple tri-tip into something special.
- Perfect for entertaining – Marinate ahead, grill fast, then let everyone build their own tacos—ideal for parties, taco bars, or easy weeknight dinners.
- Versatile and customizable – Use the sliced tri-tip for tacos, burrito bowls, salads, or even sandwiches. One batch gives you tons of options.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Chilies – I use a mix of guajillo, chiles de arbol and chipotles in adobo sauce in this marinade. The dried chilies are reconstituted in hot water and blended with canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, onion, garlic, lime juice and orange juice.
- Citrus – The freshly squeezed lime juice and orange juice added to the marinade help to tenderize the meat.
- Onion – While onion is used in the marinade, the beef tacos are also served finished with a simple spiced chopped onion mixture to add some fresh flavor. I love the contrast of the raw onions over the meat.
- Tri-tip – Not only is steak a great source of protein, but the lean meat lends itself well to grilling. Look for a tri-tip with good marbling and bright red color. When cutting the tri-tip, always cut against the grain.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
Let the grilled tri-tip rest for the full 15 minutes before slicing—this keeps all the juices inside and ensures clean, tender slices. Always cut against the grain for the best texture.
What is Beef Tri -Tip?
The tri-tip comes from the portion of meat at the tip of the sirloin. There is only one per cow, making them highly sought after. The lean cut is rich in beef flavor and extremely tender. Because of its lean nature, it is best served grilled. Tri-tip is frequently found cooked in the Santa-Maria style of BBQ, also known as California BBQ. Simply seasoned meat is cooked over a red oak, open-fire grill with the meat being raised and lowered over the flame.
How to Cook Tri-Tip
Since it’s a lean cut, tri-tip is best cooked using high heat, quick methods like grilling. I marinate the meat ahead of time, quickly grill it, then slice it and serve over tacos. The cooked tri-tip can also be sliced and served over rice and beans as a burrito and rice bowl.
What Is the Difference Between Adobada and Al Pastor?
Traditionally, both al pastor and adobada are made with pork, though I use tri-tip in this recipe. The marinade is similar, but the cooking style is where things really differ. With al pastor, marinated pork is loaded onto a spit (with pineapple) and slowly cooked over a flame. With adobada, it’s typically cooked quickly on a grill.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Tri-tip: Swap with flank steak, skirt steak, or sirloin if tri-tip isn’t available.
- Dried chilies: If you can’t find guajillo or chiles de árbol, ancho chilies or pasilla chilies work well for a milder heat.
- Chipotle in adobo: Substitute with a pinch of smoked paprika + a splash of hot sauce for a similar smoky kick.
- Corn tortillas: Use flour tortillas or serve the meat over rice for a burrito bowl.
- Onion–cilantro topping: Swap serrano for jalapeño, or omit the heat entirely for a more mild topping.
How to Make Carne Adobada Tri-Tip Tacos (Step-by-Step)
Add the guajillo chilies and chiles de arbol to a medium bowl and pour hot water over the top, letting it sit until the chilies soften, about 10 minutes. Add the softened chilies and ¾ cup of the soaking water to a blender with the chipotle and adobo sauce, onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice and oregano. Blend until smooth, then season to taste with salt.
Add the beef tri-tip to a large bowl or resealable container and pour the marinade over the top, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight. When ready to grill, remove the meat from the marinade, wiping off any excess marinade. Heat the gas grill to medium-high.
Add the tri-tip and sear for about 8 minutes. Turn the meat over and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Turn and cook once more for another 5 minutes. Repeat until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 130ºF. A 2-pound tri-tip should take a total of about 25 minutes to cook.
Remove the meat from the grill and let rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes. Thinly slice the meat and set aside on a serving platter.
In a small bowl, stir to combine the onion, cilantro, serrano and lime juice. Season to taste with salt.
Lay slices of the steak onto the tortillas and top with avocado and a spoonful of the onion mixture. Serve immediately.
How to Serve Carne Adobada Tri-Tip Tacos
- Build tacos with warm corn tortillas, sliced tri-tip, avocado, and the fresh onion–cilantro salsa.
- Set up a taco bar with toppings like queso fresco, pickled onions, radishes, or salsa verde.
- Serve the tri-tip sliced over rice and beans for an easy burrito bowl.
- Pair with grilled corn, Mexican rice, or a crisp cabbage salad.
How to Store Carne Adobada Tri-Tip Tacos
- Store the meat: Keep leftover sliced tri-tip in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze cooked tri-tip slices (without toppings) for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat or splash with a little broth to keep it moist.
- Store toppings separately: Keep the onion-cilantro mixture and sliced avocado separate for best texture.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Up to 24 hours is ideal. Any longer and the citrus can start to break down the texture of the meat.
You can sear the tri-tip in a heavy skillet and finish it in a 425°F (220ºC) oven until it reaches 130°F (54ºC) internally.
Yes, reduce or omit the chiles de árbol and use more guajillos for a richer and less spicy marinade.
Absolutely. Marinate the tri-tip the night before, grill it the day of, slice, and keep warm in a covered dish until serving.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this carne adobada tri-tip tacos recipe, I recommend giving these a try:
- Carnitas Tacos with Stewed Pinto Beans
- Baked Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos
- Texas-Style Beef Short Rib Chili
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Carne Adobada Tri-Tip Tacos
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Ingredients:
For the adobada tri tip:
- 6 guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 3 chiles de arbol, stemmed and seeded
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce
- ½ medium yellow onion
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 1 (2-pound) Swift Meats beef tri-tip
For serving:
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ cup (packed) cilantro, chopped
- 1 medium serrano pepper, seeds removed and diced
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 6" corn tortillas, warmed
- 1 medium Hass avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
Instructions:
For the adobada tri-tip:
- Add the guajillo chilies and chiles de arbol to a medium bowl and pour hot water over the top, letting it sit until the chilies soften, about 10 minutes.
- Add the softened chilies and ¾ cup of the soaking water to a blender with the chipotle and adobo sauce, onion, garlic, orange juice, lime juice and oregano. Blend until smooth, then season to taste with salt.
- Add the Swift Meats beef tri-tip to a large bowl or resealable container and pour the marinade over the top, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.
- When ready to grill, remove the meat from the marinade, wiping off any excess marinade. Heat the gas grill to medium-high.
- Add the tri-tip and sear for about 8 minutes. Turn the meat over and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Turn and cook once more for another 5 minutes. Repeat until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 130ºF. A 2-pound tri-tip should take a total of about 25 minutes to cook.
- Remove the meat from the grill and let rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes.
- Thinly slice the meat and set aside on a serving platter.
For serving:
- In a small bowl, stir to combine the onion, cilantro, serrano and lime juice. Season to taste with salt.
- To assemble the tacos, lay slices of the steak onto the tortillas and top with avocado and a spoonful of the onion mixture. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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Wonderful recipe! Thank you.
Happy to hear you enjoyed! Thank you for sharing Jim!