Mulitas are basically a double-deck quesadilla with two tortillas and meat on the inside. They’re loaded with gooey melted cheese and a flavorful carne asada, with crispy tacos on both sides. Talk about mouth-watering Mexican comfort food everyone loves!
Serve them with salsa, guacamole, or pico de gallo to take them over the top!
Best Mulita Recipe
There will never be anything more satisfying than delicious mulitas – they’re kind of a cross between a quesadilla and taco, but in a sandwich form. It’s very popular in Los Angeles, and you’ll find them on the menu at many taco trucks and Mexican restaurants.
The shortcut for faster and more flavorful mulitas is to cut the steak BEFORE marinating. With this easy recipe, now you can make the best mulitas at home – delicious carne asada and cheese are served between two crisp golden brown tortillas. Over flowing flavor meets melted cheesy bliss: the best mulitas ever!
What are Mulitas?
Mulitas is Mexican street food that is very popular in Los Angeles. It’s a cross between tacos and quesadillas. You can think of it as sandwiched tacos.
Mulitas vs Quesadilla
A quesadilla is a type of Mexican taco, usually consisting of a flour tortilla filled with cheese, beans, meats and spices. A Mulita uses two tortillas: one on the top and one on the bottom, with meat and other fillings in the middle. Also most often, corn tortillas are used in mulitas instead of flour tortillas.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flank or Skirt Steak: They’re best for stir-frying. I used flank steak in this recipe.
- Olive Oil: You’ll need it for the marinade, stir-frying, and brushing the tortillas.
- Salt and Pepper: For seasoning the steak.
- Soy Sauce: It helps to tenderize the meat while adding more flavor.
- Cider Vinegar: Tenderize the steak. You can also sub white vinegar or lime juice.
- Sugar: It adds extra flavor to the marinate.
- Ground Cumin: A classic Mexican spice that adds a lot of flavors.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Tortillas: 6-inch works the best. Both corn and flour tortillas work for this recipe. You can use store-bought or make your own at home.
- Monterey Jack Cheese: Use shredded. Cheddar or Mexican cheese will work fine too.
- Onion, Cilantro, Avocado: These add extra texture and freshness to the mulitas. You can also add diced tomatoes, guacamole, or bell pepper.
How to Make Mulitas
Step 1: Cut the steak
Slice the steak into thin strips BEFORE marinating.
Step 2: Make the marinade sauce
Whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and minced garlic in a large bowl.
Step 3: Marinade the steak
Place the steak in the marinade and coat thoroughly. Cover in plastic wrap and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour (If you marinate it longer, place it in the fridge).
Step 4: Make carne asada
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, take the steak from the marinade (discard the liquid), and add to the skillet. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until cooked through.
Step 5: Assemble mulitas
Brush the tortillas with oil on both sides. Place one tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle cheese to cover the surface, and then add about a layer of carne asada and sliced onions. Add more cheese, and then place a tortilla on top. Cook the bottom until golden brown for about 1-2 minutes, and then carefully turn to the opposite side and continue to cook until golden brown. Remove from the skillet.
Step 6: Add toppings
Gently peel the top tortilla and add mashed avocado, diced tomatoes, and cilantro. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and the filling. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Pro Tips
- Flank steak or skirt steak works best for this recipe. If you choose to use the central cuts such as rib-eye or sirloin steak, you can skip the marinade process.
- Cut the uncooked steak into thin slices perpendicular to the grain.
- Marinating your steak BEFORE cooking will make it tender with much more flavorful.
How to Store Mulita Tacos
It’s best to eat mulitas immediately after it’s cooked when it’s warm and cheesy. If you’d like to make it ahead, you can cook carne asada steak ahead of time, and assemble the tacos when you are ready to eat.
If you do have leftover mulitas, you can take store them in a zip-loc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven for about 10-15 mins at 350F until the cheese is melted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Mulita?
Mulitas are originally from Mexico and similar to quesadillas, except that they have two layers of tortillas. It’s like a Mexican version of a grilled cheese with meat in the middle. You can find them on the menu at many Los Angeles taco trucks and Mexican restaurants.
What Kind of Meat is Best for Carne Asada?
Traditional carne asada uses flank steak or skirt steak. The two cuts are very similar but skirt steak has more tough fibers than flank steak. Marinate before cooking, otherwise, it will get very chewy. You’ll need to cut them against the grain.
What’s the Best Kind of Cheese for Mulitas?
- Monterey jack
- Cheddar
- Mozzarella
- Colby Jack
- Asadero
These cheese are semi-hard cheeses that melt well with great flavors.
Where to Find the Best Mulitas in LA?
Some popular Taco trucks and restaurants include Tacos El Korita, Tacos Tamix and Tire Shop Taqueria.
More Mexican Recipes You’ll Like
You May Also Like
If you tried this recipe, let me know how your mulitas turn out in the comments below!
Quick and Easy Mulitas (Best LA Style Carne Asada Mulitas Taco with Video)
Ingredients
Steak
- 1 1/2 lbs flank steak (or skirt steak)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Marinade
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 garlic cloves minced
Mulitas
- 10 to tortillas (corn or flour, 6-inch)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup sliced onion
- cilantro
- 1-2 avocados mashed
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes I use red and green
- 2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- Slice the steak into thin strips: Cut the steak into thin strips against the grain.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and minced garlic in a large bowl.
- Marinade the steak: Place the sliced steak in the marinade and coat thoroughly. Cover in plastic wrap and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour (If you marinate it longer, place it in the fridge).
- Make carne asada: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, take the steak from the marinade (discard the liquid), and add to the skillet. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until cooked through. (If there is too much liquid during cooking, you can scoop it out.)
- Assemble mulitas: Brush the tortillas with oil on both sides. Place one tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle cheese evenly on top, and then add about a layer of carne asada, and sliced onions. Add more cheese, and then place a tortilla on top. Cook the bottom until golden brown for about 1-2 minutes, and then carefully turn to the opposite side and continue to cook until golden brown. Remove the cooked mulita to a plate.
- Add toppings: Gently peel the top tortilla and add mashed avocado, diced tomatoes, and cilantro. Repeat process with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and the filling. Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Flank steak or skirt steak works best for this recipe. If you use the central cuts such as rib-eye or sirloin steak, you can skip the marinade process.
- Cut the steak into thin slices perpendicular to the grain.
- Marinating your steak before cooking will make it tender with much more flavorful.
Video
Nutrition
Gina says
5 STARS!!! Thank you for this recipe!
Liz says
I’m mexican food obsessed and it was so fun to try something new! Thanks for the recipe!
Kamryn says
Are these macros for 1 mulita or for the entire recipe ?