This chimichurri flank steak is crazy flavorful, thanks to a perfect chimichurri sauce. Cooked medium rare inside on the skillet, the flank steak is super tender, and it’s all easy and quick to throw together, coming together in about 30 minutes, not counting marinade time. Great for entertaining and good on the grill, too! Whole30, clean eating, paleo, low carb, and keto.
Show of hands: who loves chimichurri flank steak (or churrasco) as much as I do?
Wrong – trick question! Literally, no one loves chimichurri flank steak like your girl. Impossible! My mouth waters at the thought of hitting the local churrascaría for dinner. Oh, and there’s not even a question from my husband when a special occasion is coming up. He already knows where we’re going to dinner.
Where, you ask? Where the chimichurri flows freely, and the flank steak is super tender and coated in the stuff. Bonus points for Brazilian cheesy bread (pão de queijo, if you want to be fancy) and caipirinhas!
Chimichurri Flank Steak
The reason I love chimichurri flank steak so much is simple: it’s heavy on the flavor, but it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. While it does taste best when it’s been marinated, it takes only a few minutes to sear in a cast-iron skillet. And yes, you read that right! No need to bundle up in the winter or sweat your buns off in the summer to grill this chimichurri flank steak. I like it best seared in a super hot, heavy skillet: done quickly with a gorgeous crust. Perfection.
Oh, and that chimichurri sauce? I adapted the recipe from Texas de Brazil’s years ago, and it’s a favorite recipe on my site. It’s the ideal blend of parsley and cilantro, plus fresh garlic, dried oregano, spicy chili flakes, fresh lemon juice, and rich olive oil. We have a jar in the fridge at all times and have for the last six or seven years. Yes… it’s that good.
Why This Chimichurri Flank Steak Is So Good
- The chimichurri sauce is absolutely bursting with flavor and comes together super quickly in the blender or food processor.
- Using flank steak makes this recipe affordable and easy. It’s a good cut of meat but not too expensive, like a nice ribeye or strip. However, it’s still super tender and doesn’t require a lot of work to make delicious!
- Marinating the flank steak in the chimichurri sauce tenderizes the meat and injects it with tons of flavor.
- The chimichurri sauce is my favorite, hands down. It’s the perfect blend of bright lemon juice, lots of fresh garlic, herbaceous parsley and cilantro, dried herbs, a bit of spiciness, and a salty touch.
Chef’s Tips
- Make sure you cut the steak against the grain. To do that, look for little grooves or lines in the meat. They should all generally go one way. You will want to cut perpendicular to this grain or flow. So say the grain runs east to west from your vantage point, cut north to south (or south to north – same deal!) to cut against the grain. This makes a big, big difference in the tenderness of your chimichurri flank steak, believe it or not.
- You can swap out other cuts of meat for the flank steak here, like skirt steak. Marinate the steak as you would in this recipe but increase or decrease your searing time, depending on how thin or thick the steak is.
- Make the chimichurri sauce in the food processor: blitz the garlic first, followed by the herbs. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until the desired texture. So quick and easy!
Can I Grill Chimichurri Flank Steak Instead?
Go for it! This recipe will give you some good guidance when it comes to actually grilling the flank steak. You’ll follow the directions of this recipe the same in terms of making the chimichurri sauce and marinading the steak. However, just follow their process when grilling!
TL;DR version: Heat the grill to 450º F. Grill 4-5 minutes per side or until your internal thermometer reaches 130-135 degrees. After that, carry on with the recipe as written here!
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Best Chimichurri Recipe: Texas de Brazil Recipe
- Air Fryer Steak with Easy Herb Butter
- The Best Filet Mignon Recipe Ever with Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- Chimichurri Whole30 Meatballs with Swiss Chard
- Quick Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers
- Carne Asada Fries
- Hibachi Steak with Fried Rice and Vegetables
- Bone-In Ribeye with Garlic-Herb Butter
- Garlic Butter Parsley Potatoes
- Sous Vide Tri Tip with Easy Chimichurri Sauce
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Chimichurri Flank Steak
Ingredients
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds flank steak
For the Chimichurri Sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic peeled
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- ½ tablespoon salt plus more to taste
Instructions
For the Chimichurri Sauce
- In a food processor, add the garlic. Pulse until minced. Add fresh parsley and cilantro and pulse until finely chopped. Add remaining chimichurri sauce ingredients and pulse until well combined. Set aside.
For the Steak
- Marinate the steak: If the steak is large, about 2 pounds, or too big to fit into your skillet, cut it down the middle now. Make sure to cut against the grain (See Tips section in post content for help). Place steaks in a large baking dish or plastic food storage bag and add ⅓ cup chimichurri. Turn to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1-2 hours.
- Sear the steaks: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Remove steaks from chimichurri and scrape off excess marinade. Pat dry and sprinkle with a modest amount of salt.
- If working with two pieces of steak, pour 1 tablespoon of avocado oil into a cast-iron skillet and let heat about 30 seconds or until shimmering but not smoking. If working with steak in one piece, pour 2 tablespoons avocado oil in and heat.
- When the oil is shimmering, use a pair of long tongs and carefully place steaks in skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the steak. See Notes for details.
- Remove steak from skillet and let rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Repeat with the second piece of steak, if steak had been cut in two. After resting, cut the steak into ½" slices against the grain. Arrange on a large serving platter and top with fresh chimichurri sauce. Serve with additional chimichurri.
Notes
- For a thicker piece of flank steak:
- 3 minutes per side = medium-rare
- 4 minutes per side = medium
- For a thinner piece of flank steak:
- About 2 1/2 minutes per side = medium-rare
- 3 minutes per side = medium
- Medium rare = 130–140°F (55–60°C)
- Medium = 140–150°F (60–65°C)
- Medium well = 150–160°F (66–69°C)
- Well done = 160–170°F (70–75°C)
- Rare will feel very soft.
- Medium rare will feel a bit firmer but still tender.
- Well-done will feel very firm.
Nutrition
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Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
bbquing says
Hi! Cheryl. Honestly, I really like this meal and I love chimichurri, I find that so fascinating! Definitely trying that out!
Anna Claire | 40 Aprons Team says
We hope you enjoy it! It’s definitely a reader favorite. 🙂
Jennifer says
Absolutely delicious as a marinade!
Megan | 40 Aprons Team says
So glad you loved it, Jennifer! Thank you for leaving a review!
Paige D. says
Woah! This was amazing, so much flavor. Thank you
Maureen says
Loved it. Cooked it rare. Not sure of the marinating got into the meat. Flavors were very good and it was very simple to make. Will make again and again.
Jessica says
Can you explain the nutritional info? It doesn’t list servings and is this for the steak only? The fat content seems low for that much olive oil. I’m doing Weight Watchers and am trying to track. Thank you! (I’ve made this before btw and we love the chimichurri!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi 🙂 Serving information is for 1 serving, and yes, it includes the olive oil. 🙂
Liana says
Can you freeze the chimmichurri sauce? Btw, my 3 sons and husband love this dish! They think I am the best cook because of it!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi! We recommend freezing the chimichurri in individual portions, then wrapping each portion and storing in an airtight container in the freezer. The portions should stay good for about three months. 🙂
Nichole says
This was truly the best flank steak I’ve ever had. I made it last night and am dying to make it again already. Thank you!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Yay!
Kaitlyn says
This Chimichurri sauce is AMAZING! I ended up using a whole bundle of parsley and cilantro (partly because it was a tad too salty at first) and it turned out great! Our guests swooned over it! I put it on left over steak and eggs in the morning and couldn’t get enough of it! This is going to become a regular staple in our fridge. It’ll be amazing on fish, pork, chicken – you name it!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Yay! We are so glad you like it. 🙂
Colleen says
Hello!!
Is there a substitute I can use for cilantro (I am one of the “it tastes like soap” people!)?
Cheryl Malik says
Absolutely! You can just use more parsley, which actually makes this recipe more authentic to Argentina, too. Let me know how it turns out!
Steven Lakso says
This Chimichurri over salmon is a family favorite.
Cheryl Malik says
That sounds delicious!
Woody says
How much is a serving?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Roughly eight ounces!
Melissa says
So do I marinate the steak in half of the sauce and save some? Do I make a separate one to pour over it after cooked or are you using the marinade on the top?
Cheryl Malik says
Melissa,
You will marinate the steak in 1/3 of the sauce. Save the rest for additional toppings :).
Rhonda says
Can you marinate steak in sauce over night??
Cheryl Malik says
Yes!!!
chihyu says
OMG! Everything looks so good. I’m drooling just by looking at it!
jennifer says
This is a meal I love making, can’t wait to try you version with the chimichurri sauce! sounds easy!
paleoglutenfreeguy says
I love the idea of always having that sauce in the fridge ready to go! It would work on so many things!
STACEY CRAWFORD says
I love chimichurri sauce on meat! This looks so good I can almost smell it.
Raia Todd says
I’m drooling… It’s been too long since I had a steak, I think. 😉 Your chimichurri sounds yummy, too!
Linda says
I’m always excited for chimichurri sauce. It is so refreshing and it goes perfectly with this flank steak.
Christina says
If you grill the steak instead, do you recommend closing the lid or leaving it open?
Tammy says
I added your chimichurri to your mayo and served it over asparagus for Easter. Huge hit!
Cheryl Malik says
That’s so interesting! I’ll have to try that!
Tessa Simpson says
Flank steaks is one of very favorites…grass fed is pretty spendy, so it’s a real treat! So darn easy…and the flavor really popped! Thanks!
Jean says
This is basically my favorite meal, right here. There’s nothing better than chimichurri and steak together!
Kari - Get Inspired Everyday! says
I love chimichurri so much, and with the warmer weather coming up, I’ll definitely be trying this on the grill!