Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
If you’re looking for an easy delicious Summer recipe, this Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce is it!
A mouthwatering, juicy steak is paired with a herby fresh chimichurri sauce that makes the most divine dinner whether you’re cooking for your family, having a bunch of friends over for a casual weekend BBQ, or celebrating a special occasion.
Do you know the best thing about this flank steak recipe? It’s fast AND flavorful — is there anything better than that?
As I write this, the rain is pounding outside. I’m dreaming of summer weather, and the minute warm temps arrive I’ll be making this on repeat. It’s such a great dish for Summer entertaining! It’s elevated, it comes together easily and quickly, and it is guaranteed to impress everyone around your table.
Why use flank steak?
Whether I need a quick dinner for my husband and I, or I’m having a bunch of friends over for a casual BBQ, I love using one of my favorite cuts of meat…..flank steak. It’s an easy steak to cook, doesn’t take a lot of time, is reasonably priced and isn’t fussy. You can whip up an easy steak marinade, or simply sprinkle with salt and pepper before cooking. Either way, you’ll have a delicious steak dinner.
It’s a lean cut which means there’s not a lot of fat. Because of the lack of fat, flank steak benefits from quick cooking methods. A quick sear on a grill (4-5 minutes per side), instead of a long roasting time, is the best way to cook it and will ensure you have tender, juicy steak.
Another benefit of using flank steak is it’s usually thicker in the middle and thinner on the ends. Why does that matter? Because if your family is anything like mine, you might have people around your table who have a preferred level of doneness. You might have someone who wants medium-rare, someone else might prefer medium and there might even be in outlier who wants rare. Because of the shape of the flank steak, the ends will be more cooked and closer to medium, as you get closer to the center you’ll have medium-rare slices and in the middle you’ll have closer to rare.
If you can’t find flank steak, you can use other cuts of meat — skirt steak, hanger steak and flat iron steak would all work.
Flank steak is sometimes called london broil, so if you can’t find flank steak and only see london broil use that.
What is chimichurri sauce?
Literally the best sauce EVER!!
Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce traditionally made with parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. It’s fresh and herbaceous and cuts through the richness of the meat. I highly recommend doubling the sauce because you’ll want to use it on everything! It’s a sauce that’s incredibly versatile and lends well to different variations. If you love fresh cilantro, use that along with the parsley. Like more heat? Add some diced jalapeno.
You can absolutely make this in a food processor, but I encourage you to leave the food processor in your cupboard and use a sharp knife instead. The sauce is meant to be chunky and not a purée, so a knife will result in a better consistency than a food processor. Plus, it’s so much easier to clean!
The flavor in this chimichurri recipe will build over time. For the best results make it an hour ahead, or even a day or two before serving.
Fresh herbs give so much flavor. If you can find fresh oregano, use that instead of dried for even more flavor.
The red pepper flakes give a slight kick of heat to balance the flavor.
Flank Steak Tips:
Before you season your steak, pat it dry very thoroughly. Drying your steak first will help the salt adhere to it.
A great way to tenderize the meat before cooking is to sprinkle it generously with salt. Let it sit for a couple of hours to allow the salt to break down the muscle fibers in the meat.
If you’ve refrigerated your meat, bring it to room temperature before cooking. This usually takes about an hour. If you put a cold steak in a hot pan (or on a hot grill) your steak will steam instead of develop a gorgeous char. Instead, you’ll get a rubbery outside and not a flavorful crust.
A hot grill is ideal for the perfect sear. Set the temperature to medium-high heat — you want the steak to sizzle the instant it hits the grill. This will help create the char which is what will also help you create flavor.
If you don’t have a grill, use a large skillet or cast iron pan.
Allowing the steak to rest on a cutting board after you finish cooking it gives the juices time to redistribute within the meat, and the muscles time to relax to get a gorgeous tender steak with loads of flavor.
And speaking of cutting your steak, it’s important to cut it on the diagonal or, another way to put it, against the grain. Flank steak has lines running across it, so use a sharp knife to cut in the opposite direction of those lines. It makes a huge difference and will ensure you get juicy thin strips instead of tough pieces.
When in doubt, use a meat thermometer. There are loads of ways to tell when the flank steak is done, but the most accurate will always be a meat thermometer. I love using this digital one.
Another great thing about flank steak — it tastes just as delicious at room temperature as it does straight off the grill. If you have limited stove space (or grill space) and are cooking for a crowd, no need to worry about making sure the steak is piping hot. If it cools down before you have a chance to serve it, it will still be delicious!!
Why is the char important?
It’s mentioned a lot when talking about cooking meat, and if you’re wondering what the big deal is, hopefully this answers your question. The main difference between a dish you want to eat on repeat and a dish that’s meh is flavor. Flavor is what brings you back for bite after bite. And not the same flavor. A whole array of flavors……sweet, spicy, tangy, fresh.
Building flavor is incredibly important when it comes to cooking. But don’t worry, it’s easier than you think! One of the easiest ways to build flavor when cooking a steak is to develop a char, or crust, on the outside.
The char seals in your seasonings and provides a barrier so the flavor stays in the steak and doesn’t run out all over your cutting board. Think of the char as a flavor wall……….flavor stays in, and doesn’t escape out!
Side dishes to serve with this recipe:
I love a simple green salad with a vinaigrette, or this summer zucchini salad with lemon and parmesan. For a fresh, light side dish try this sweet and savory watermelon salad with pistachios. Nothing says BBQ quite like grilled corn and this grilled corn with lime butter is an elevated twist that’s absolutely delicious!
What to do with the leftovers:
Use room temperature flank steak in salads or sandwiches.
If you’re lucky enough to have extra chimichurri sauce, spoon it over grilled vegetables, leftover flank steak, grilled chicken or grilled shrimp.
This grilled flank steak with chimichurri will become a summer staple and, trust me, you’ll want to spoon this chimichurri over all your steak recipes from here on out!
Thank you so much for stopping by!! If you make this I’d love if you’d rate and leave a comment! Your feedback will help other hungry readers who are looking for tasty recipes!
