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This 30-minute Grilled Flank Steak with chimichurri sauce is a must-try. Simply seasoned flank steak is grilled to juicy perfection with just the right amount of char. It’s sliced thin and served with a bright avocado chimichurri sauce starring parsley, lime juice, garlic, and a spicy dash of red pepper flakes.
If you’re a fan of trying new ways to cook steak, grab my recipe for Reverse Sear Steak and this really delicious Churrasco Steak!
I am obsessed with this Argentinian-inspired grilled flank steak! It’s incredibly easy to make, and every bite is exploding with flavor. My love for Argentine grilled food began when I first tried it at a local parrilla. The smoky, savory taste of the perfectly grilled meats hooked me instantly. Now, recreating those flavors at home with this recipe brings a bit of Argentina to our dinner table.
I seasoned the steak simply with salt, pepper, and cumin and threw it on the grill. It gets this awesome browned char while remaining juicy and tender on the inside. But the real kicker is that avocado chimichurri. Made with zingy lime juice, bright fresh parsley, and spunky garlic, it really ties the dish together. Hungry, yet? Good!
Why You’ll Love My Grilled Flank Steak Recipe
The perfect char. I love grilling flank steak. The meat gets the perfect grill marks on it and stays nice and juicy on the inside. That golden-brown crust adds so much to the flavor profile of the finished dish.
Bright, flavorful sauce. Avocado chimichurri is so good! It’s bright green in color and even brighter in flavor, with fresh, tart lime juice and plenty of garlic. Red pepper flakes and cayenne give it a subtle kick of heat that’ll keep you on your toes.
30-minute meal. If you’re a busy human like me, you’re going to love how quickly and easily this meal comes together. It’ll only take you 30 minutes from start to finish and makes for the perfect weeknight dinner.
What You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients you’ll need to turn this grilled flank steak recipe into a reality. Check out the recipe card below for precise measurements.
For the grilled flank steak
- Flank steak – Skirt steak would also be a great option here. Just note that it cooks up a little quicker.
- Seasonings – Ground cumin, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Olive oil – The oil will help keep the steak moist, preventing it from drying out during cooking.
For the avocado chimichurri
- Olive oil – Needed for blending the flavors of the herbs, garlic, vinegar, and other ingredients.
- Fresh lime juice – Squeeze fresh limes here. Lime juice from the bottle doesn’t have the same bright, fresh flavor.
- Garlic – I suggest using fresh garlic in your chimichurri sauce. However, if you only have garlic powder, you can use it as a substitute.
- Herbs and seasonings – Flat leaf parsley, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and fresh ground pepper.
- Avocado – Make sure your avocado is nice and ripe (but not too ripe).
How To Grill Flank Steak
Time to put on your apron! Here’s a quick look at how to make this grilled flank steak recipe with zesty chimichurri.
- Season the steak. Pat the steak dry and rub both sides with cumin, salt, and pepper. Coat the steak in olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or grill it right away.
- Grill. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill the steak to your desired level of doneness, flipping halfway through.
- Rest. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes while you make the chimichurri.
- Make the chimichurri. Add the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, herbs, and seasoning to a food processor and pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. Pulse in the avocado.
- Slice and serve. Slice the steak against the grain and serve topped with the chimichurri sauce.
How Long To Grill Flank Steak
How do you like your steak done? Red and rare? Totally cooked through? The choice is yours. Below is a list of grill times required to reach popular levels of doneness:
- Rare: Cook for 3 minutes per side. Your steak should reach an internal temperature of 120°F.
- Medium-rare: Cook for 4 1/2 minutes per side. The meat should reach an internal temperature of ~130°F.
- Medium: Cook for 5 1/2 minutes per side. Look for an internal temperature of ~135°F.
- Well done: Cook for 7 minutes per side. The steak should reach an internal temperature of ~145°F.
Keep in mind that your steak will continue to cook an addition 5˚F after you remove it from the grill.
Recipe Tips
- Allow the steak to sit out of the fridge. If the meat is too cold when you put it on the grill, it will seize up, and you will have a tough, chewy steak. Let the meat sit on the counter for about 15 minutes before cooking.
- Get the temperature right. You want your grill up at medium-high heat (~400°F). If the grill isn’t hot enough, the meat won’t sear properly. If the grill is too hot, the outside of the steak will cook too quickly, likely burning, before the inside of the steak has cooked to your liking.
- Use a meat thermometer. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the steak a few seconds before you plan to take it off the grill. Make sure your steak has reached the temperature corresponding to your desired level of doneness.
- Let it rest. Once you take the flank steak off the grill, allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. This will give the juices in the steak a chance to redistribute throughout the meat, giving you juicier, more flavorful bites.
- Slice against the grain. If you look closely, you’ll see little muscle fibers running parallel to each other on the steak. Slice perpendicular to the fibers for tender, easy to chew bites.
- Make the chimichurri fresh. Because this chimichurri sauce has avocado in it, it will start to discolor after a while, turning brown instead of a vibrant shade of green. So, it is best to make the sauce as close to serving as possible. I usually make mine while the flank steak is resting.
Serving Suggestions
I like keeping things simple with this chimichurri flank steak. I tend to serve it with simple Instant Pot Jasmine Rice. If I am feeling a little fancier, I’ll cook up this Mediterranean Rice or my Lemon Rice. For a delicious twist, serve the steak slices in flour tortillas, just like my Guajillo Steak. It makes for a fantastic meal!
Potatoes would be great, too. These Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes or my Lemon Garlic Oven-Roasted Potatoes are top-notch. To add some vegetables, try my Green Goddess Salad or this Radish Cucumber Salad.
Proper Storage
Refrigerator. Allow the steak to cool completely and then seal it in an airtight container. Seal the sauce in a separate airtight container if you haven’t already poured it over the steak. The leftovers will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the sauce will start to get a little brown as it sits in the fridge. You can still eat it, though.
Freezer. Seal the fully-cooled steak in an airtight container and the sauce in another, if possible. You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat. Thaw your leftovers in the fridge (if frozen) before arranging the steak in a baking dish, ideally without the sauce. Cover the dish and bake at 250°F for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve it with the leftover sauce. You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals until warm.
More Steak Recipes To Try
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Grilled Flank Steak
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 1.5 to 2 pounds flank steak
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Chimichurri
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Instructions
For the Steak
- Pat the steak dry using paper towels.
- Combine the ground cumin, salt, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl; stir until thoroughly incorporated. Rub the steak on both sides with the prepared seasoning.
- Drizzle olive oil over the steak and turn to coat.
- At this point, you can cover the steak and let it sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours or grill it.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Transfer the steak to the heated grill and cook it to the desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, which is 130˚F internal temperature.
- Transfer the cooked steak to a work surface, such as a cutting board, and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
For the Chimichurri
- Add oil, lime juice, garlic, parsley, oregano, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to a food processor; pulse until the herbs are finely chopped.
- Add the diced avocado to the food processor; pulse until well combined and chunky.
- Cut the steak across the grain into thin strips.
- Arrange the steak slices on a platter and serve with prepared avocado chimichurri sauce.
Notes
- Rare: 120°–125°
- Medium Rare: 130°–135°
- Medium: 140°–145°
- Medium Well: 145°–155°
- Well Done: 160°–165°
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
The best!!! I marinated my steak overnight and cooked it the next evening. The chimichurri was awesome… I added a little more red wine vinegar because we enjoy the vinegar tang. My husband and I could eat it with a spoon
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I’m more of a winter person,so I’d gladly swap your cold mornings 🙂 And this steak is just perfection. Nice idea with the avocado. I have to try it next time.
It doesn’t get much better than this! Love it!
Ohmygawsh! I’m in Phoenix, and it’s RIDICULOUSLY hot, for reals! I’m originally from Ohio, so I’d take your chilly mornings right about now! I really love chimichurri and never thought to add in some delicious avocado. How awesome!
What a beautiful dish! I am thinking of all of the things I can slather that avocado chimichurri sauce on!
Love that you put avocado in the chimichurri sauce! And that flank steak is cooked perfectly. 🙂
This looks delicious, however, do you realize you didn’t cut the meat correctly? It should have been cut against the grain, not with it as shown in your photo. The other way you meat would be more tender and no stringy.
This is a steak perfection! Also, I could totally eat the sauce on everything!
Californian checking in here 🙂 and yes, it’s been HOT!! Luckily, most of my backyard is shaded by around 2 so grilling is our dinner routine about 4 times a week. I’ll definitely be adding this to my menu for next week.