Flavorful, juicy seared flank steak. Perfectly charred corn tortillas. Fresh, citrusy chimichurri sauce. And all of your favorite toppings. Chimichurri Flank Steak Tacos are an absolute must for your next Latin-themed dinner!
Years ago, I visited Cancun and had the BEST steak tacos (poolside, too!) that I've ever had in my life. And I've been obsessed ever since. These flank steak tacos are Coined Cuisine approved - made with a budget-friendly cut of steak but filled with plenty of flavor. And you certainly can't forget the homemade chimichurri sauce on top!
Ingredients
- Flank Steak (or Skirt Steak) - Flank steak is usually pretty budget-friendly at the store. You can also sub for skirt steak if you find that. Below, I show you how to make flank steak extra tender!
- The Steak Marinade - To make flank steak tender, you need a great marinade. We're using a a quick and easy citrus steak marinade made with limes, olive oil, and spices.
- Tangy Chimichurri Sauce - This is an authentic Argentinian sauce that goes good on almost anything. The recipe is incredibly simple to make - just add your fresh herbs and spices to a food processor or blender and let the machine do all the work for you.
- Corn Tortillas - You can use flour if you really want, but there's something about corn tortillas to me that screams authentic tacos. The key to getting corn tortillas pliable and stopping them from breaking? Heating them up before serving!
How to Make Flank Steak Tender for Tacos
The key to a tender flank steak? Marinating the meat!
1.) For our steak, we're creating a quick and easy citrus marinade. All you do is add lemon + lime juice (and zest) to a large Ziploc bag with olive oil, spices, and Worcestershire sauce.
Tip: When zesting your lemons and limes, only zest until you get to the white part of the flesh. If you zest any further, your marinade will be super bitter!
2.) Add your flank steak to the marinade bag, remove all of the air while sealing, and let that sit for 1 - 2 hours.
3.) Once you're finished marinating, set the steak down and pat dry. Then season with your favorite steak or carne asada seasoning, and you're done!
Making Homemade Chimichurri Sauce
First off - if you haven't fallen in love with chimichurri sauce yet, you will after this recipe.
You can use it to top any type of protein, put it in pasta, or dip your veggies in it. It has a garlicky, tangy, savory taste - and the fact that it's mostly made of fresh herbs really coats your palate perfectly.
To a food processor/blender, add all of your ingredients: fresh Italian parsley leaves, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, and a few spices. Blend it all together, and that's it!
You can actually keep this on the counter while you're assembling everything else. After 24 hours, it's best to move it to the fridge where it will keep for weeks.
Tips & Tricks
- Toast your Tortillas - ESPECIALLY if you use corn tortillas. I like to take a cast-iron and heat it up over high heat; don't add any oil or butter to the pan. Then add the tortillas and char for about 10-15 seconds on each side until you get beautiful grill marks.
- Searing your Steak - You can cook your flank steak for tacos a ton of different ways - on a grill, in the stove, on the stove-top, etc. I love to sear mine on top of the stove in a cast-iron skillet. You want to cook it on high heat for a great sear on the outside... be sure to use a meat thermometer to get your preferred cook on the meat.
- Serving Tacos for a Crowd - Take some of the work away from you, and let everyone assemble their own tacos! If you have a large sheet pan or board, simply add your toasted tortillas, bowls with different toppings, and the seared steak cut into slices or cubes. That way, everyone can create their own perfect bite!
FAQs
I love using flank steak because it's budget-friendly, quick and easy to cook (almost foolproof), and is really easy to find in stores. You can also use skirt steak.
You can keep homemade chimichurri in a sealed container on the counter for 24 hours. After that, place the dish in the refrigerator where it should keep for about 2 weeks.
The secret is a great marinade and a little bit of patience. Try this citrus-forward marinade recipe below for a punch of flavor and a juicy steak at the end. Marinate the steak for one - two hours.
Other Easy Taco Recipes You'll Love!
Easy Breakfast Tacos with Sausage
Chimichurri Flank Steak Tacos
Ingredients
Steak Marinade
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ count lime juiced and zested
- 1 count lemon juiced and zested
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.3 pounds flank steak or skirt steak
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup Italian/flat-leaf parsley leaves firmly pack the measuring cup
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ count lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 4 count garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Taco Assembly Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon carne asada seasoning
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- corn tortillas
- pico de gallo
- quesa fresca cheese
- pickled jalapeños
- avocado
- hot sauce
- limes
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
To Marinate the Steak:
- Add all of the marinade ingredients to a large Ziplock bag and combine well.
- Place your flank steak in the bag with the marinade and rustle the bag to ensure the meat is completely covered.
- Remove all air, seal, then place in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours.
To Make the Chimichurri Sauce:
- Add all of the chimichurri ingredients to a blender or food processor.
- Blend well until combined. Set aside.
To Make the Flank Steak Tacos:
- Remove the marinated meat from the bag and pat dry. Season with the carne asada seasoning on both sides.
- Heat up 2 tbsp. of avocado oil in a cast iron on medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Place the steak in the skillet.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until there's an even char on the steak. Remove, and set aside for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, toast the corn tortillas using a small skillet.
- Assemble your tacos with the sliced flank steak, chimichurri sauce, pico de Gallo, and your other favorite toppings. Enjoy!
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The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $3.65
- Total Cost (6 servings): $21.89
- Those Other Guys: $16.99 per serving
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!