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These Chipotle Sesame Adobo Steak Tacos are on repeat at my house! Juicy, well-seasoned steak is cooked to perfection and tossed in a creamy, smoky Chipotle Sesame Adobo sauce that is truly addicting.
Inspired by the El Picosito Tacos at Tacodeli, these tacos feature juicy, well-seasoned steak cooked to perfection and tossed in a creamy, smoky Chipotle Sesame Adobo sauce. The sauce, reminiscent of Salsa Matcha, adds a rich depth of flavor that makes this dish truly stand out. While slightly spicy, the heat is well-balanced, making these tacos a total winner! Cady, on the Defined Dish team, was obsessed with these from Tacodeli while she was pregnant so I had to make my own rendition!
This is also probably my favorite way to make steak tacos. Cutting the steak into these tiny, bite-sized pieces ensures each side becomes perfectly crisp while remaining nice and juicy. Tossing the steak in the seasoning after also allows each piece to get nice and flavorful!
Ingredients:
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Garlic
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Creamy, Unsalted, and Unsweetened Peanut Butter
- Coconut Sugar
- Avocado Oil
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Tamari or Soy Sauce
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Flap, Flank of Skirt Steak
- Ground Cumin
- Paprika
- Tortillas
- Avocado
- Cotija Cheese
- Fresh Cilantro
Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step One: Make the Chipotle Sesame Adobo Sauce
In a high-speed blender or a wide-mouth jar with an immersion blender, combine all the sauce ingredients. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
Step Two: Prepare the Steak
Cut the steak into small ½-inch cubes and pat dry with a paper towel to ensure a good sear.
Step Three: Begin Cooking the Steak
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil and let it heat up. Add the cubed steak to the pan in an even layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until a golden-brown crust forms.
Step Four: Season the Steak
Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, cumin, and paprika. Toss to coat and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the steak is cooked through and no longer pink.
Step Five: Finish the Steak
Reduce the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of the Chipotle Sesame Adobo Sauce. Toss the steak in the sauce until evenly coated. Remove from heat.
Step Six: Assemble the Tacos
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or over an open flame until soft and pliable. Fill each tortilla with a generous portion of the cooked steak. Drizzle with additional Chipotle Sesame Adobo Sauce. Top with sliced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ:
If you are ultra-sensitive, this might not be the recipe for you! While I find it perfectly balanced, the chipotle peppers might add too much spice for you.
My kind of cook — yes! You can definitely add another chipotle pepper or serve this with hot sauce.
You can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of warm water if your sauce is too thick! Depending on your peanut butter, this can happen.
I hope y’all love this recipe as much as we do! Comment below once you try it!
Chipotle Sesame Adobo Steak Tacos
Ingredients
For the Chipotle Sesame Adobo:
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon creamy unsalted and unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (sub brown sugar)
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For the Steak:
- 1 ½ pounds flap, flank, or skirt steak
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
For Assembly:
- 8-10 flour tortillas, I use Siete Almond Flour Tortillas
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Make the Chipotle Sesame Adobo Sauce:
- In a high-speed blender or a wide-mouth jar with an immersion blender, combine all the sauce ingredients. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
Prepare the Steak:
- Cut the steak into small ½-inch cubes and pat dry with a paper towel to ensure a good sear.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil and let it heat up. Add the cubed steak to the pan in an even layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until a golden-brown crust forms.
- Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, cumin, and paprika. Toss to coat and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the steak is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Reduce the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of the Chipotle Sesame Adobo Sauce. Toss the steak in the sauce until evenly coated. Remove from heat.
Assemble the Tacos:
- Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or over an open flame until soft and pliable. Fill each tortilla with a generous portion of the cooked steak. Drizzle with additional Chipotle Sesame Adobo Sauce. Top with sliced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
These were absolutely incredible. The chipotle sauce is so flavorful with just the right amount of ‘kick.’ I made these with the herb rice loaded up with lots of cilantro from The Comfortable Kitchen cookbook. Will be making these again and again.
DELICIOUS! I was worried this was going to take alot longer than it actually did but it went pretty quickly. Love all the seasoning and the adobo sauce and the way the tiny chop on the meat means every bite gets a lot of flavor. Cooked exactly as per the recipe, other than putting out a side of sour cream for serving. Definitely on the rotation for Taco Tuesday!
SO GOOD.
so glad you loved these!!! they are a show stopper.
I made this recipe with flap steak. It was delicious! I was concerned by the odd ingredient list but it definitely is a winner! Instead of tacos I served it with a chipotle slaw and grilled zucchini.
Glad you gave this one a try! Love those serving suggestions.
This was absolutely delicious! I used a leftover tri tip and just warmed it in a skillet with cumin and cumin to season it. The salsa was perfect. Will be making all summer long!
Do you think I could substitute coconut aminos for soy in this recipe? Looks delish!
I used coconut aminos and it turned out great!