Sheet-Pan Steak and Pepper Tacos

By Kristina Felix

Updated February 26, 2026

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Ready In
45 min
Rating
5(75)
Comments
Read comments

Tacos de alambre are a Mexico City classic that can be a mix of almost any protein but almost always includes steak, onions, green peppers and melty cheese — and often bacon. It's served piled high on a plate like a mountain of goodness, with a side of warm tortillas and delicious salsas. While alambre means skewer, the skillet method has become standard, and here we're simplifying it even further with a sheet pan approach. Flank and skirt steak both work well so choose whatever is in your budget. In this recipe, bacon is placed in a cold oven and as the oven heats, it slowly melts the fat off of the bacon onto the sheet pan. Traditionally, tacos de alambre are the main event on their own, though there’s no reason you couldn’t serve them alongside refried beans and rice.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 tacos

  • 4 slices bacon, diced (4 ounces) or use 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed and sliced

  • 2 limes

  • 1 pound flank or skirt steak

  • ½ white onion (about 5 ounces)

  • 6 ounces mushrooms, such as shitake or cremini

  • 1 large green pepper or 2 medium poblano peppers (about 9 ounces) 

  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 slices Muenster cheese, 4 to 5 ounces

  • 8 corn tortillas

  • Your favorite salsa, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

41 grams carbs; 57 milligrams cholesterol; 387 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 10 grams fiber; 827 milligrams sodium; 24 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. If using, spread the diced bacon evenly in the pan. Arrange a rack in the top third of your oven, place the sheet pan (with or without the bacon) in the cold oven and set the temperature to 425 degrees. 

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Juice the limes into the bowl and stir to combine. Dice the steak into ¾-inch pieces, add to the bowl and mix well to coat. Set aside to marinate.

  3. Step 3

    While the meat marinates, prep the remaining vegetables: Thinly slice the onion and mushrooms, trimming away any tough stem ends (reserve for stock if desired). Cut the pepper into ¾-inch dice. Add the vegetables to the bowl on top of the meat, but don’t mix them in. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper into the bowl.

  4. Step 4

    When the oven reaches temperature, about 15 minutes, carefully remove the hot sheet pan (the bacon fat will be hot), and pour the bacon and drippings into the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine (the bacon won’t be crispy at this stage). If not using bacon, add 2 tablespoons oil to the bowl instead and toss to combine. Arrange the contents of the bowl in one layer on the hot sheet pan, place back in the oven, adjust the heat to 450 degrees and roast until meat is charred in spots and vegetables have begun to caramelize, about 20 minutes. 

  5. Step 5

    Toss the meat and vegetables in the sheet pan to coat with the juices, arrange in one layer again, and top with the cheese slices. Return to the oven until cheese is completely melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    While the meat and vegetables roast, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Warm your tortillas in it, about 2 minutes per side, then transfer them to a clean dishtowel to stay warm. Keep the skillet on the heat over medium.

  7. Step 7

    To serve, scrape the cheesy meat and vegetable mixture directly into the hot skillet. Bring it to the table along with the warm tortillas and salsa so everyone can build their own tacos.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
75 user ratings
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Comments

Delicious

I tripled the garlic and used one red bell pepper and one poblano. We did not melt the cheese over the top, instead adding shredded cheese to individual servings. It was absolutely delicious! Next time I’ll double the marinade and use 2 bell peppers, 2 poblanos and double the mushrooms.

Mary

Used seitan instead of steak and omitted the bacon to make this vegetarian. DELICIOUS. Will make again.

Jon

I made this tonight it came out very tasty definitely something I'd make again and some interesting techniques in this recipe. Putting bacon in on a cold sheetpan to come to temp was a great idea.

Kacie

This recipe was good as tacos but it was GREAT the next day as filling in quesadillas, using pepper jack cheese instead of Muenster.

Millard Johnson

In my own private rarting for recipes, I give this one a boarderline wow-worthy. Closer to a fajata than a taco, this is excellent. When it came tome to cover with cheese, I used 4 cheese Mixican instead of Munster. Munster, it seemed to me would be a bit bland for this recipe. I misted a towl and wrapped the tortillas in it. While I heated the tacos in the microwave. I poured the meat mixture into the hot cast iron skillet. It was worth the pot scrubbing effort to get the hiss and smell.

J

Really yummy! I added a little red pepper to the marinade and doubled up on onions and peppers because I forgot mushrooms….

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