Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos

These Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos are as close as I’ll get to a Halloween-style recipe. I’m not the biggest fan of horror movies or Halloween, but I personally would eat these tacos vampiros no matter what the name is.

I first had a Vampiro Taco while in California on a road trip, and I was hooked. Crispy corn tortillas with piles of meat and toppings are perfect for me!

These Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos are right on the money for this Halloween season. No tricks, all treats! 

What are Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos

Tacos Vampiro is a unique take on classic street tacos. They are open-faced grilled tortilla tacos topped with meat, cheese, and other classic tacos ingredients.

The open-faced tortilla will become crackly and the layer of cheese will form a delicious crust. From there, you add another layer of cheese and toppings like your meat, and in this case, chipotle salsa! 

Okay, but where does the name come from? You might assume we are talking about vampire tacos, but the name “Tacos Vampiro” has a relatively muddled origin. Although, it still makes it fun for Halloween as it is slightly sinister. 

For other taco recipes, check out my Shrimp “Al Pastor” Tacos, Fried Pork Belly Tacos, Campfire Quesabirria Tacos and Carne Asada Breakfast Tacos.

Why You’ll Love Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos

These are some of the best tacos… And not just because they have a fun name.

The crunchy tortilla, savory flavors, and slight kick of the chipotle salsa will make anyone a repeat offender when it comes to loading up your plate with these bad boys.

For the melted cheese, make sure to use a freshly grated cheese. Pre-grated cheese lacks oil and will likely burn. Instead, you want it to develop that nice cheese crust that makes these vampiro tacos so irresistible!

You’ll also love that this recipe only takes 30 minutes of prep time. The rest of the time is spent marinating or cooking. You can even marinate your meat ahead of time if that works better for your schedule. This recipe is pretty flexible. 

For example, I ended up double-cooking my steak. I wasn’t happy with the coloring the first time around, so I sliced it into smaller bits and tossed it back on the grill to get some crispy edges. Even though this was double cooked, it was still very tender meat. This is because I marinated it for 24 hrs. 

Like I said, mine was still tender and crispy, but you can cook yours however long you like. The longer the marinade (up to 36 hrs), the more likely it is to be tender, but the less red color it will have.

If you’re not a fan of crispy tortillas, you can also adjust the cooking time to make them less crispy. It just depends on how you like it!

How to Make  Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos

Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos Ingredients

• Skirt Steak or Flap Steak

Marinade:

• Whole Serranos
• Chopped Cilantro
• Limes
• Navel Orange
• Garlic Cloves
• White Onion
• Soy Sauce
• Garlic Powder
• Ground Cumin
• Black Pepper
• Canola Oil (or Olive Oil)
• Kosher Salt

Chipotle Salsa:

• Tomatillos
• Garlic Cloves
• Chipotle in Adobo
• White Onion
• Sugar
• Kosher Salt

Tacos:

• Corn Tortillas
• Shredded Jack Cheese (make sure you use freshly grated cheese)
• Guacamole
• Sour Cream
• Diced Red Onions
• Chopped Cilantro

Let’s Get Cooking

Marinate the Steak

Add the serranos, white onion, garlic cloves, cilantro, lime juice, orange juice, and soy sauce to a blender. Blend everything until it comes out smooth.

Then add the marinade to a bowl or large plastic storage bag, then add your cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and canola oil. Mix it all together and then add your steaks to the marinade.

Let your steaks marinate for at least 12 hours, but you can leave them for up to 36 hours.

For other marinade recipes, check out Bourbon Marinated Ribeyes, Garlic Soy Marinated Salmon, Herb Marinated Hanging Leg of Lamb and Elote Style Chicken Wings.

Make the Chipotle Salsa

Now it’s time to preheat your grill to high heat for direct grilling (around 400F).

Add a cast iron skillet to the grill and get it very hot. Then add your tomatillos, garlic cloves, and onion to char for 2-3 minutes. Once they are charred, add them to a blender with your chipotle in adobo and blend till smooth. Next, add your salt and sugar as needed.

Keep warm and set to the side until you are ready to serve.

Prepare the Steak

Now it’s time to pull your steaks out from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add your slices of steak to the grill and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until they are 125F internal.

At this point, you can discard the marinade. When your steaks are done, pull them off to rest for 5 minutes.

When you’re ready, grab a cutting board, and slice the steaks against the grain into cubes.

(Optional): For more char flavor, place your cubed steak back on the grill in a skillet and cook for another 2-3 minutes to get extra crispy. Pull off once done.

Make the Tortillas

Now for the fun part, preheat a skillet/plancha to medium-high heat (about 375F). Grab a handful of freshly grated cheese and place it on the skillet about the same size as your tortilla.

Repeat adding cheese to the skillet for your desired amount of taco shells. Next, add your tortilla on top of the cheese melts, then carefully flip it over.

Pro Tip: use a nice spatula to get the cheese to release. Continue cooking the tortilla until it is hard (about 2 more minutes). Pull off once your tortillas are done.

Serve

Now we are ready to serve! Top each taco with a heaping handful of steak, red onion, chopped cilantro, sour cream, chipotle salsa, and a spoonful of guacamole. Boom, you have an amazing dish!

If you don’t want to take the time to make our Chipotle salsa, you can always opt for pico de gallo or any red salsa instead.

Storage

If you have some leftover steak tacos, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. If you can, I recommend keeping the ingredients separately.

Reheating/leftovers

To reheat your leftovers, place your steak on a baking sheet in the oven at around 350F until warm. Then follow the recipe to grill your tortillas and assemble your tacos as if everything was fresh.

If you are reheating leftover tacos, you can arrange them in a baking tray and place them in the oven at 400F until warm.

FAQs

What is the difference between tostada and Vampiro?

The main difference between the two is tostadas are made with premade crunchy tortillas, and vampiros are made on the spot. Vampiros are grilled on top of a layer of cheese, making them extra cheesy.

What is the best cut of steak for tacos?

The best cut of steak for tacos is definitely skirt steak. Which we use in this recipe.

They are a great, lean cut of meat that pairs well with the marinade and is quite cost-friendly.

You could also opt for flank steak, which is a heavier cut of meat when compared to skirt steak. Although both are good choices for your tacos.

This is a recipe I’ll definitely be revisiting. I can’t get enough of the crunchy shell, cheesy crust, and meat toppings piled high. I hope you have as much fun serving these tacos this Halloween season as I did! Let us know how your Grilled Steak Vampiro Tacos turned out by leaving a comment! 

For more delicious recipes, check out my second cookbook Flavor X Fire or my first cookbook Food X Fire!

Needing more spice in your life? My spice line can help with that. Check them out here.