Taco night just got a bold upgrade.

If you’re the type who thinks tacos should come with some serious flavor, gooey cheese pulls, and melt-in-your-mouth steak, you’re in for a treat. These Cheesy Steak & Bean Tacos are the ultimate combination of savory, hearty, and downright addictive. Think street taco soul with a Tex-Mex heart.

🌮 Why You’ll Love These Tacos

• Juicy, seared steak seasoned to perfection
• Creamy, spicy beans for a hearty base
• Melty cheese that binds it all together in glorious, gooey fashion
• Optional crispy tortilla edges if you pan-fry or griddle them just right
• Fast enough for weeknights, satisfying enough for weekends

Let’s break it down.

What will you need?

For the marinade

• flap or skirt steak
• garlic
• chile chiltepin
• salt
• coriander seeds
• cumin seeds
• thyme
• onion powder
• achiote paste
• fresh orange juice
• fresh lime juice
• avocado oil

For the salsa fresca

• roma tomatoes
• white onion
• jalapeno
• garlic
• fresh cilantro
• salt
• water

For the guacamole

• avocado
• salt
• fresh lime juice

For serving

• corn tortillas
• Monterrey jack cheese
• refried beans
• jalapeno
• cilantro and onion

How to make cheesy steak and bean tacos?

I recommend using a molcajete to make the marinade. If you do not have one, you can use a food processor or blender. Start by adding the garlic, chile chiltepin, and salt to the molcajete and grind into a paste. Add in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, onion powder, thyme, and achiote paste and grind into a paste. Squeeze in the orange and lime juice, and add in the avocado oil. Mix to combine.

Pour the marinade over the steak and massage it in until fully covered. Place in the fridge to marinate.

For the salsa fresca, add the Roma tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, salt, and water to a blender and blend until smooth, or your desired consistency. Taste for salt.

For the guacamole, add the avocado to a bowl along with salt and fresh lime juice. Smash until combined and taste for salt.

Once the steak is done marinating, remove from the fridge and let rest for at least 15 minutes to get up to room temperature. Add avocado oil to a a pan over medium-high heat and lay in the steak. Add some jalapenos to the pan as well to fry with the steak. Flip the steak every minute until a nice crust forms and you reach your desired internal temperature. Remove the steak to some tinfoil and wrap tightly to rest. Wrap the jalapenos in a plastic bag to steam.

Once the steak has rested, chop it up into small pieces. Add to a bowl and pour any resting juices from the tinfoil in and mix.

Add in a pile of shredded Monterrey jack cheese to a pan and place a corn tortilla on top. Melt the cheese until it starts to crisp up and use a spatula to flip the cheesy tortilla and remove from the pan.

Add the tortilla to a plate and spread over a layer of refried beans. Cut the stem off one of the steamed jalapenos and slice in half and remove the seeds. Place the jalapeno over the beans and add in some of the steak. Top with some salsa, cilantro and onion, and some guacamole. Hope you enjoy!