Our Steak And Cheese Torta Recipe Is Perfectly Hearty

We have Mexico to thank for some of our most beloved late-night foods, such as tacos, burritos, tamales, and elote. Considered street food, the heavily-spiced, corn-based handhelds were originally a fusion of influence from Aztecs, Mayans, and the Spanish settlers, who shared the food street-side in vendor markets. One of the most famous street foods is the torta, a sandwich known for its generous quantity of fillings and uniquely crispy bread.

If a torta bread vaguely reminds you of a French baguette, you'd be on the right track. Likely inspired by French breads brought to the country during the 1860 French occupation of Mexico, telera rolls are crispy on the outside with an airy, chewy inside, much like their French counterpart. The bread and its use in tortas became distinctly Mexican over time, spreading through Mexico City as a delicious, quick meal sometimes pressed onto a warm griddle. Like tacos, tortas are very customizable, and you can even make tortas using leftover steak at home — but it's just as easy to make a batch of fresh Mexican steak and cheese tortas using this recipe by developer Michelle McGlinn, which features seared carne asada, melty Oaxaca cheese, and mouth-watering garlicky cilantro crema. Ready in less than an hour, this torta recipe is the perfect way to switch up your regular Tuesday taco night.

The carne asada in this recipe is a traditional version using just salt, pepper, olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, and oil for searing. You can use any quick-searing steak like sirloin or ribeye, but we recommend flank or strip steaks, which are thinly cut, quick-searing steaks that can be chopped into tender pieces. For the cilantro crema, pick up Mexican crema (or sour cream), lime juice, a few more cloves of garlic, cilantro, and salt. From there, you'll just need mayonnaise, Oaxaca cheese, shredded lettuce, avocados, and 4 telera rolls to assemble the sandwiches.

Season the flank steak on either side with salt and pepper.

Add the steak to a shallow bowl or sealable bag and cover with olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, and garlic. Let sit for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat.

Remove the steak from the marinade and allow the excess to drip off. Add the steak to the skillet or griddle.

Sear until browned on either side, about 6 minutes.

Remove from the heat and slice into cubes.

To make the cilantro crema, add the lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and salt to a food processor.

Pulse until well combined.

Preheat the broiler to high and position a rack in the middle of the oven.

To assemble the sandwiches, first spread each roll with mayonnaise and add them to a baking sheet.

Add the carne asada to the bottom bun, then layer with Oaxaca cheese.

Toast until the cheese is melted and the buns are toasted, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the crema, lettuce, and avocado, then add the top bun to serve.

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Telera rolls are one of the two breads most commonly associated with traditional tortas. Telera and bolillo rolls are both crusty breads that resemble French baguettes, and when eaten fresh, have a similarly airy texture inside. Because they are distinctly Mexican breads, you're most likely to find them in Latin American-specific grocery stores, particularly those with in-house bakeries. Because the breads stale quickly, it is best to buy them fresh, made day-of, if possible — just like you would a baguette.

Telera rolls are oblong, much larger than a hamburger bun and much crustier, and often characterized by two vertical score lines along the top. If you can't find telera rolls specifically, there are many other bread options that will work. You can use a very fresh French bread or ciabatta, which are both crusty breads, or you can use softer hoagie rolls or hamburger buns for a slightly less crusty version. You can also try your hand at making telera rolls from scratch using bread flour, yeast, and lard.

In Mexico, torta is a term that broadly refers to sandwiches, though it's likely that when the term is used, it is being used to describe the meat and cheese sandwich made with telera rolls. That being said, there are no rules for a torta specifically, and you can add many toppings to the sandwich to make it your own. You can add pinto beans or black beans for added protein, or switch the Oaxaca cheese for pepperjack, queso fresco, or even cotija. You can add cooked peppers for some heat, or pickled red onions for a more tangy taste. You can also add salsas like pico de gallo or salsa verde for more flavor.

Some tortas are even smothered in salsas. One of the most famous smothered — or dipped — tortas is called a pambazo, which is dipped in a guajillo-based sauce before being stuffed and griddled. Though pambazos are often filled with chorizo and potato, you can replicate the flavor with this steak torta by dipping the bread in salsa or a homemade guajillo sauce before building and toasting the sandwich.

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