Steak Aguachile Verde

Beef aguachile verde is ideal for hot summer days or lazy days when you want something quick and easy. Steak aguachile is a vibrant, refreshing, light meal packed with bold Mexican flavors.

While typically made with shrimp, I’m re-creating a steak version I enjoyed way back in 2010 in Austin, Texas, at the local steakhouse. Their version used an Asian-based sauce, but hailing from San Diego I wanted my version to have a Mexican-twist.

Steak Aguachile

My steak aguachile recipe is more of a mix between aguachile and ceviche. It uses the longer “cook time” of ceviche but uses the spicy chile water of aguachile. Since I’m using beef steak instead of shrimp, the denaturation process must be extended.

Denaturation is the process of using the acid in the lime juice to break down the proteins in the meat vs. using the traditional heat method. While doing so, the meat is infused with the brightness of the marinade, making it tender and full of flavor. Keep in mind that it’s still technically raw since heat isn’t used in the preparation process. 

Wondering if aguachile is safe to eat? I enjoy this beef aguachile recipe every few weeks and have never had issues. However, what works for me might not work for you. Research this cooking method and decide if it’s for you.

Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients needed to make this filet mignon aguachile recipe. See the recipe card below for the full list:

• Beef Steak – I use filet mignon for many beef recipes, but there are more steak options listed below to consider
• Citrus Juices – fresh lime juice and orange juice
• Soy Sauce – keep to the low-sodium version
• Olive Oil – use a light-tasting olive oil. A cheap or heavily flavored oil will overpower the brightness of the dish
• Garlic Cloves – if you don’t want to make garlic chips, use double the minced garlic
• Optional Toppings – pickled red onions, pickled peppers, avocado, cilantro, or mango.

How to Make Beef Aguachile Verde

It takes about 80 minutes to make this dish. An hour of this time is spent marinating/cooking the meat. The other 20 minutes is to slice and sear the steak and chop up the toppings. It’s a very simple and quick process. Here’s a quick step-by-step overview:

Marinate the Onions – add the onions and pickling liquid to a small bowl and marinate until ready to serve.

Sear the Steak – A quick sear on the steak starts the cooking process and adds texture to the beef. Rest and slice.

Marinate the Steak – Mix up the citrus marinade, pour of the sliced steak and refrigerate for an hour.

Make the Garlic Chips – after the steak is in the refrigerator take 5 minutes to make homemade garlic chips. All it takes is thinly sliced garlic in a bit of olive oil.

Serve and Enjoy – Drizzle with fresh marinade, top with your favorite toppings and serve!

Best Steak To Use

Here are the best cuts to make this steak aguachile verde recipe. Remember, using high-quality, fresh beef is crucial, preferably from a trusted butcher or source.

• Filet Mignon – this is my favorite cut to use since it’s naturally a lean and tender cut. I don’t have to worry about unsavory chunks of fat in an otherwise light dish.
• Ribeye Aguachile (Ribeye de Aguachile) – ribeye is a great cut to use as it’s easy to tenderize. I would trim the excess fat, but it’s not required. You may very well like it with it intact.
• New York Strip Steak (Bife de Chorizo)- a NY steak has more marbling than a filet mignon but less than a ribeye. It’s a great “in-between” choice.
• Sirloin Filet – beef sirloin is an inexpensive option to consider using.

Darcey’s Tips For Success

• Sous Vide Steak – To pasteurize the steak you can make a sous vide filet mignon, sous vide ribeye, or sous vide sirloin filet. You’d need to cook at 100 degrees for an hour before slicing and saucing.
• Homemade garlic chips – Try not to skip this step. It seems like a time suck but I promise it’s not. It takes about 5 minutes total while the steak is marinating. If you opt not to make the homemade garlic chips, just mince both garlic cloves and add to the marinade.
• White pepper has a mild and fruity flavor compared to black pepper, which is why it works great in this aguachile verde recipe. Don’t go out of your way to buy a bottle if you don’t have it. Just omit it altogether, or use black pepper.
• The ideal time to marinate the steak is an hour. Any less, you can run into food safety issues, and any longer, the meat can get mushy.
• Serve this raw meat dish solo or with saltine crackers, tortilla chips, or tostada shells.

Drink Pairings

For steak aguachile, you’ll want a wine that can balance the dish’s bold, tangy, and spicy flavors. The wines need enough crispness to match the lime and spice in the aguachile, while their subtle fruit notes complement the beef without overpowering it.

My recommendations are rosé, riesling, sauvignon blanc, or Prosecco. A lime margarita or Mexican Mule will also pair well.

More Mexican Recipes

Here are a few more of my popular Mexican recipes to check out while you’re here!

Steak Aguachile Verde (Beef Aguachile Recipe)

Steak Aguachile Verde is made with thinly sliced seared steak marinated in a bright mix of lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, and Worcestershire. This beef aguachile recipe is finished with classic Mexican-themed toppings: red onions, avocado slices, jalapeno slices, cilantro, and garlic chips.

Print
Pin
Share on Facebook
Share by Text

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 person

Calories: 745kcal

Author: Darcey Olson

Cost: $15

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 lb boneless filet mignon (*Note 1)
• ½ cup fresh lime juice (*Note 2)
• 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
• 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• white pepper (*Note 3)
• 2 garlic cloves, 1 minced and 1 thinly sliced (*Note 4)
• 1 large seeded jalapeño, half minced and half thinly sliced (*Note 5)

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

• Avocado slices, cilantro leaves, sliced jalapeños

Instructions

MAKE THE MARINATED RED ONIONS

• In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the onion slices, 2 tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

SEAR THE STEAK

• Add 1 tbsp. oil to a cast iron skillet and pre-heat over medium-high heat until it’s scorching hot (it will start to smoke a little). Swirl so the oil coats the bottom of the skillet. This will take approx. 3-5 minutes.Season the steak with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and white pepper. Add the steak to the skillet and sear, undisturbed, until a nice crust forms. Depending on the thickness of your steak this will take between 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest, uncovered, while you make the marinade.

MARINATE THE STEAK

• While the steak rests, add the lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, minced serrano, minced garlic and 1 tbsp. of olive oil to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade and set aside.

• Thinly slice the steak and lay flat on a large and shallow plate. Try not to overlap the steak slices. Pour the remaining half of the marinade over the steak so each piece is covered in the marinade. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour.

MAKE THE GARLIC CHIPS

• While the meat it marinating, make the garlic chips. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the slices of garlic to the skillet, ensuring no slices overlap. Cook for approxamely 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove with a metal slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside until ready to serve.

SERVE THE AGUACHILE VERDE

• Remove the steak from the marinade, removing as much as possible, and transfer to a large serving platter. Drizzle the reserved marinade over the top of the steak. Garnish with the pickled red onions, garlic chips, sliced jalapeños and avocado slices. Serve with saltine crackers, tostada chips or tortilla chips.

Notes

Note 1 – steak options that work well: filet mignon, ribeye, ny strip, and sirloin filet.
Note 2 – do not use bottled lime juice. The flavor will drastically change and won’t have the “fresh” taste.
Note 3 – replace with black pepper, or omit altogether, if you don’t have white pepper.
Note 4 – if you don’t want to make garlic chips, just use both cloves in the marinade instead.
Note 5 – for extra heat use serrano peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 70g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 51g | Sodium: 1864mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg