Flavorful, juicy seared flank steak. Perfectly charred corn tortillas. Fresh, citrusy chimichurri sauce. Plus, 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 poolside steak tacos 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!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $3.65
- Total Cost (about 6 servings): $21.89
- Those Other Guys: $18.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Flank Steak (or Skirt Steak) - Flank steak is usually pretty budget-friendly at the store. 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 lime/lemon, olive oil, molasses, 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 tortillas if you really want, but there's something about corn tortillas to me that screams authentic street tacos. The key to getting corn tortillas pliable and stopping them from breaking? Heating them up before serving!
Variations and Substitutions
Steak: If you can't find flank steak, skirt steak is usually budget-friendly as well. You can also use your favorite cut of beef like ribeye or sirloin.
Marinade: Part of getting the steak tender is the marinade. That citrus breaks down the tougher fibers in the meat. If you don't have limes or lemons, use a large orange.
Toppings: Get creative! Spread a layer of refried black beans on the tortillas, or top with creamy guacamole.
How to Make Flank Steak Tender, for Tacos
The key to a tender flank steak? Marinating the meat!
Step 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 plastic storage bag with olive oil, spices, and Worcestershire sauce.
Add your flank steak to the marinade bag, remove all of the air while sealing, and let that sit for 1 - 2 hours.
Step 2: 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 ready to cook.
Sear until it's cooked to your preferred temperature (I recommend medium) and let sit before slicing against the grain.
Recipe Pro Tips
- Avoid the bitter pith. When zesting your lemons and limes, stop when you get to the white layer. If you zest any further, your marinade will be super bitter!
- 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 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!
Recipe 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 or sirloin.
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 my citrus-forward marinade recipe below for a punch of flavor and a juicy steak at the end. Marinate the steak for one to two hours.
Other Easy Taco Recipes You'll Love!
If you tried this Chimichurri Flank Steak Tacos Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Chimichurri Flank Steak Tacos
Equipment
- Citrus Squeezer
- Microplane
- Plastic Storage Bag
- Food Processor (or blender)
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Tongs
- Chef's Knife
Ingredients
Steak Marinade
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- ½ count lime (juice and zest)
- 1 count lemon (juice and zest)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 pounds flank steak
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup Italian/flat-leaf parsley (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 tablespoons carne asada seasoning
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- corn tortillas
- pico de gallo
- quesa fresca cheese
- limes
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
To Marinate the Steak:
- Add all of the marinade ingredients to a large Ziplock bag and combine well.⅓ cup avocado oil, ½ count lime, 1 count lemon, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon salt
- Place your flank steak in the bag with the marinade and rustle the bag to ensure the meat is completely covered.1.5 pounds flank steak
- 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.1 cup Italian/flat-leaf parsley, ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ½ count lime, 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
- Blend well until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- When your sauce forms, transfer it to a sauce cup with a lid. Set aside.
To Make the Flank Steak Tacos:
- Remove the marinated meat from the bag and pat dry. Let the steak come to room temperature.
- Season with the carne asada seasoning on both sides.2 tablespoons carne asada seasoning
- Heat up the avocado oil in a cast iron on medium-high heat until shimmering.2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 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. Be sure to slice against the grain for tender steak.
Assembly:
- Meanwhile, toast the corn tortillas in a small skillet.corn tortillas
- Assemble your tacos with the sliced flank steak, chimichurri sauce, pico de Gallo, and your other favorite toppings. Enjoy!pico de gallo, quesa fresca cheese, limes, chopped cilantro
Conner F says
So good!! Steak was juicy and the sauce is a new favorite. Thank you; especially for the tip on the corn tortillas. I could never figure out how to get them as sturdy as the take-out spots.
Shani H. says
Thank you for the review Conner!