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Flank Steak Chimichurri starts with a cilantro lime chimichurri that works double duty as the marinade, so every slice of grilled steak is packed with herby, garlicky flavor, and it is the recipe Jason fires up first when the grill comes out on a summer Saturday. If steak night is calling, our carne asada steak kabobs belong on the same grill grate.
Five minutes in the food processor builds a chimichurri-style marinade that turns an affordable flank steak into the juiciest, most flavorful steak of the summer.
Flank Steak Chimichurri Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 4 hours marinating)
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 301kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Herby, garlicky, and bright (cilantro lime chimichurri with a hint of smoke and spice)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our brown sugar brined grilled pork chops
Quick Answer
Pulse cilantro, parsley, lime juice, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and seasonings in a food processor while drizzling in olive oil until it forms a thick chimichurri paste. Coat the flank steak in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Let the steak sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, then grill over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until the thickest part reaches 135 degrees for medium-rare. Rest for 10 minutes and slice thinly against the grain.
Jump to:
- Flank Steak Chimichurri Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Flank Steak Chimichurri
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Flank Steak Chimichurri FAQs
- Other Recommended Grilled Dinner Recipes
- Grilled Flank Steak Chimichurri (Cilantro Lime Marinade)
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The chimichurri IS the marinade. Instead of a separate marinade and sauce, the herby paste does both jobs, flavoring the steak for hours and leaving a fresh, garlicky crust on the grill.
- Acid tenderizes the flank. Lime juice and red wine vinegar gently break down the surface fibers of this lean, hard-working cut, so it grills up tender instead of chewy.
- Brown sugar builds the char. A little sugar in the marinade caramelizes over the flames, giving the steak those deep, smoky grill marks without burning.
- Room temperature steak cooks evenly. Letting the steak sit out 30 to 60 minutes before grilling means the center is not fridge-cold, so you hit medium-rare edge to edge.
- 135 degrees, then rest. Flank steak is best at medium-rare. Pulling at 135 and resting 10 minutes lets the juices redistribute instead of running out on the cutting board.
- Slicing against the grain is non-negotiable. Cutting across the long muscle fibers in thin strips shortens them, which is the single biggest difference between tender steak and shoe leather.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Budget cut, steakhouse result. Flank steak is affordable, and the chimichurri marinade makes it taste like a high-end churrasco plate.
- The marinade does all the work. Five minutes of pulsing in the food processor and the fridge handles the rest, just like our marinated air fryer ribeye.
- Feeds a crowd off one steak. Sliced thin against the grain, one flank steak stretches across six plates of tacos, bowls, or salads.
Key Ingredients
A big bunch of herbs and pantry staples build the chimichurri that makes this steak. Quantities are in the recipe card below; here is why each matters.
- Flank steak. A lean, beefy cut that drinks up marinade and grills fast. Skirt steak works the same way if that is what your butcher has.
- Cilantro and parsley. The green heart of the chimichurri. The cilantro brings the bright Tex-Mex note while parsley keeps it classic and grassy.
- Lime juice and red wine vinegar. The double acid that tenderizes the steak and gives the chimichurri its signature tang.
- Garlic. Rough chopped and pulsed in. Three or four cloves give the marinade its punchy backbone.
- Olive oil. Drizzled in while the processor runs, it emulsifies everything into a thick paste that clings to the meat.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This flank steak chimichurri bends to whatever is in the fridge and on the spice rack.
- Make it classic Argentinian. Drop the cilantro, lime, and cumin and lean on parsley, oregano, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
- Turn up the heat. Pulse in a jalapeno or a teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a chimichurri with real bite.
- Use a different cut. Skirt steak, sirloin, or even rib eyes all love this marinade. Adjust grill time to the thickness.
- No grill? No problem. A screaming-hot cast iron skillet or the broiler gives the same char, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Save some for serving. Make a double batch of the chimichurri and reserve half (never touched by raw meat) to spoon over the sliced steak.
How to Make Flank Steak Chimichurri
- Place the cilantro, parsley, lime juice, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, salt, paprika, cumin, and pepper in a food processor, then rough chop the garlic and toss it in.
- Pulse the mixture while drizzling in the olive oil until it forms a thick chimichurri paste.
- Coat the flank steak in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Let the steak sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, then grill over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until the thickest part reaches 135 degrees for medium-rare. Rest 10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Marinate at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better. The acids need time to flavor and tenderize this lean cut.
- Do not skip the room temperature rest. A fridge-cold steak on a hot grill cooks unevenly: charred outside, cold center.
- Get the grill genuinely hot. Flank steak wants a fast, hard sear. Medium-high heat and a closed lid get it done in minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer. Pull at 135 degrees for medium-rare. Flank turns tough past medium, so do not wing it.
- Rest the full 10 minutes. Slicing early lets every drop of juice escape. Tent it loosely with foil and be patient.
- Find the grain before you slice. Look for the direction of the muscle fibers and cut thin strips across them at a slight angle.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Sliced flank steak chimichurri is a build-your-own-dinner dream. Pile it into warm tortillas taco-bar style like our carne asada ribeye tacos, or fan it over rice bowls with grilled peppers and onions.
For a backyard cookout plate, pair it with our fried red potato wedges and a scoop of marinated cold green bean salad, and spoon any reserved chimichurri over the top.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and might be even better the next day. Slice them cold over a salad, stuff them into a burrito bowl, or sear them quickly in a hot pan for steak quesadillas.
Flank Steak Chimichurri FAQs
It is grilled flank steak flavored with chimichurri, the Argentinian herb sauce of parsley, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. This version adds cilantro, lime, and warm spices, and uses the chimichurri as the marinade itself, so the steak soaks up all that herby, garlicky flavor before it ever hits the grill.
At least 4 hours, and overnight is better. The lime juice and red wine vinegar need time to tenderize the lean flank steak while the herbs and garlic flavor it. Past 24 hours the acids can start to break down the surface too much, so overnight is the sweet spot.
Pull it at 135 degrees in the thickest part for medium-rare, which is the best doneness for flank steak. After a 10 minute rest it lands right around 140. Cooked past medium, this lean cut tightens up and turns chewy no matter how good the marinade is.
Yes. A screaming-hot cast iron skillet or the oven broiler both work beautifully. Cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, just like on the grill, until the steak hits 135 degrees. You still get a deep char from the brown sugar in the marinade.
Three usual suspects: it was overcooked past medium, it was not rested, or it was sliced with the grain instead of against it. Pull at 135 degrees, rest 10 full minutes, then slice thin strips across the visible muscle fibers and it will be tender every time.
Make a double batch and reserve half before it touches the raw steak. Never reuse marinade that has had raw meat in it. The reserved chimichurri is incredible spooned over the sliced steak, stirred into rice, or drizzled on grilled vegetables.
Keeping the grill hot? Our marinated grilled shrimp skewers are the fast-cooking second act.
Grilled Flank Steak Chimichurri (Cilantro Lime Marinade)
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups cilantro loosely packed
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley loosely packed
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 pounds flank steak
Instructions
- Place the cilantro, parsley, lime juice, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, salt, paprika, cumin, and pepper into a food processor or powerful blender.1 & 1/2 cups cilantro loosely packed, 1/4 cup fresh parsley loosely packed, juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Rough chop the garlic and toss that in.2 garlic cloves
- Start pulsing the mixture and drizzle in the olive oil until it is a thick paste.1/4 cup olive oil
- Cover the steak in the marinade, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or, at best, overnight. Turn it about halfway through the marinating process if you can.2 pounds flank steak
- Allow the steak to sit out for 30-60 minutes at room temperature before grilling.
- Prepare and preheat your grill over medium-high heat.
- Cook until an internal temperature reaches 135°F in the thickest part for medium-rare, about 3-5 minutes per side, or cook to your desired temperature.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain in thin strips to serve.
Notes
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh cilantro and lime juice make a big difference in flavor.
- Don’t Overcook: Flank steak can become tough if overcooked. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Let It Rest: Allow the steak to rest for a few minutes after grilling to let the juices redistribute.
- Slice Against the Grain: Cutting the steak against the grain makes it more tender.
- Grill on High Heat: High heat gives the steak a nice sear while keeping the inside juicy.
- Experiment with Flavors: Feel free to tweak the marinade to your liking. Add more garlic, different spices, or a splash of orange juice for a unique twist.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I can almost smell this on the grill now! Thanks for linking up at My Favorite Posts Show Off Weekend Party. Hope to see you again tomorrow.
Michelle @ On A Wing And A Prayer
I’ve not tried chimichurri, but this looks amazing! Thanks for sharing at the Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop. Have a wonderful day!
Katie
Just dropping by from Whimsey Wednesday, and I have to say that cilantro & lime combine to make one of my favorite flavors of all time- so of course, I have to pin, like, tweet and g+ this one! Thanks for playing into my mouth’s favor! Deb @ Kneaded Creations 🙂