They are a great option if you’re looking for a protein-packed meal that doesn’t take much time. And since you assemble each mulita one by one, you only need to make as many as you will eat in one sitting, and you can prep the components ahead of time! For more delicious Mexican recipes, try my birria tacos, chicken fajitas, or my recipe for chilaquiles.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Steak — you need ½ pound of flank steak, cut into 1-inch pieces. Lime — lime juice and lime zest both flavor the steak and add lots of brightness and acidity. Aromatics — a thinly sliced onion and a few minced cloves of garlic add a subtle sweetness and deep savoriness to the dish. Cumin — a staple Mexican seasoning, ground cumin seeds are just what you need for warm earthiness on your steak. Tortillas — homemade corn tortillas are the traditional choice, but you can use flour tortillas if you want. Cheese — I use Monterey Jack cheese, but you could use any melty cheese you like (such as Oaxaca cheese, Manchego, queso Chihuahua, mozzarella, or cheddar cheese). Toppings — you can be creative with the toppings and use what you have on hand. I like them with sliced jalapeno, avocado, diced tomato, and a little chopped cilantro.
How to Make Mulitas
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cut-up steak, lime zest, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. Cook until browned for about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move the cooked steak to a bowl, and leave the drippings in the skillet for the next step.
- Add the sliced onion, minced garlic, cumin, and a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet.
- Cook until the onion is tender and browned, which takes about 5 minutes. Be sure to stir often so the onions don’t stick to the skillet. Add the garlic and onion mixture to the bowl with the carne asada and set aside.
- Heat more olive oil in a 10-inch griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese.
- Top the cheese with ¼ cup of cooked steak and onions. Then sprinkle 2 more tablespoons of cheese on the steak. Place another tortilla on top.
- Gently press down on the tortilla with a spatula occasionally while it cooks. After about 2 minutes, when the bottom tortilla is golden brown and crispy, carefully flip the mulita. Continue cooking until the cheese has melted and the other tortilla is golden brown as well (another 2 minutes). Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Top each taco sandwich with jalapeno, avocado, tomato, and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
If you want a spicier mulita: Opt for pepper jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack. Get the correct size tortilla. You’ll need roughly 5½ inch tortillas. Smaller ones may break apart under the weight of the filling and topping. Cut the steak before you cook it. This makes it easier for the steak to get nicely browned and caramelized all over, and cooks much faster. Use different meat. I make these with steak, but you could also use al pastor or carnitas. Chicken would also work well! Topping ideas: A dollop of sour cream and colorful pico de gallo are delicious toppings for these little mules!
If you’ve tried this mulitas recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
