Grilled Steak with Chimichurri
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Simple grilled steak with chimichurri is delicious for dinner any night of the week. In this post get grill times and cooking tips for different cuts of steaks and ideas for serving it up.
There’s something satisfying about a perfectly grilled steak. When you hit that sweet spot of perfect medium rare (or however you like it) and it’s been seasoned to perfection, every bite is magic.
The only thing to improve it, might be a delicious contrasting sauce that lifts and elevates that salted juicy beef flavor. Grilled steaks with chimichurri made a regular appearance at dinner this year, and I love that it’s quick, delicious, and makes great use of my carrot top chimichurri.
Options for Chimichurri
Maybe you’ll be able to score a good quality chimichurri at the store. But, around here you know it’s all about cooking from scratch. Thankfully, it’s super easy to make!
My carrot top chimichurri is made with 1 cup carrot greens, 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup olive oil. It comes together fast, lasts for 2 weeks, and is a zippy, bright addition to a savory grilled steak.
You can get lots of tips for making it perfect in my carrot top chimichurri post, or check out these other fun varieties from my fellow bloggers.
- Cilantro Chimichurri with Jalapenos
- Spicy Asian Chimichurri
- Classic, Authentic Chimichurri
- Red Chimichurri
Choosing the perfect cut of steak for grilling
There’s no steak prejudice in my house! There are SO many cuts that do really, really well on the grill. A few of the most popular grilled steaks to serve with chimichurri are flank, skirt, hangar, and flat iron.
But they aren’t the only ones who can make it a party. Ribeye’s, sirloins, new york strips, and even larger roasts like tri tips, can all be really tasty options.
For my recipe, I’m sharing a flank steak, but I’ve used many others! For easy reference, check out this chart to see cooking times and tips for the cut you choose.
Remember to get the grill really hot first, then keep the lid open during grilling. We’re not baking steaks here.
It’s also REALLY important that you account for resting time. We ALWAYS pull our steaks when they are near 130°F. During the 10 minute rest, the residual heat will bump it up to the 135°F range.
The importance of seasoning and resting
If you’re going to cook up some beef, don’t skimp on the seasoning. All that a quality steak really needs is salt. We like to add pepper but it’s not mandatory.
It’s hard to quantify how much salt to add, without knowing exactly the cut and thickness that you’re working with. My general rule of thumb is to use a coarse kosher salt, and for ribeyes, sirloins, and other individual steaks, it’s about ¼ teaspoon, or two small pinches, per side.
For larger steaks, that’s going to double.
But really, I just sprinkle the salt until each side has a well distributed coat. Don’t pack it on like a rub, just sprinkle it across the surface.
Once it’s done cooking DO NOT SKIP THE RESTING PERIOD! I can’t stress this enough!
All the juices from the steak are hot and bubbling and drawn to the surface during cooking. Letting it rest before slicing allows all those essential, flavorful juices redistribute through the meat, and finishes the cooking.
Let steaks rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Top with chimichurri and dig in!
I’m generous with my chimichurri and like to spoon it over the slices so you get some with every bite. Your steaks will be perfect served over rice, with blackened corn, grilled summer squash, baked or roasted potatoes, or with some fresh flour tortillas.
FAQ’s
I’ve tried my best to predict what you might ask when cooking, but if I’ve missed your question, please ask in the comments below!
Almost never, no! Unless you’re cooking a huge steak, like tri-tip, most do better staying over direct heat for a shorter amount of time.
The cooking times for the steaks listed above work for either. Use direct, high heat. For charcoal, build a bed of coals that ashes over to gray/white and is about 4-6 inches from the grill grate.
You won’t get the same smokiness, but yes, absolutely. Season and cook with the same cooking times in a hot pan.
I hope you love this simple dinner as much as we do. Chimichurri is a fun flavor to add to lots of things, but especially a perfectly grilled piece of beef. There are tons of delicious ways to use a good chimichurri, or to serve grilled steaks! Check out these other tasty inspirations below:
- Carne Asada with Grilled Pineapple Salsa
- Chimichurri Lemon Mahi Mahi
- Steak Tacos with Cilantro Chimichurri
Grilled Steaks with Chimichurri
Equipment
- Gas or charcoal grill
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound flank steak*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper optional
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Chimichurri
- 1 cup carrot greens, chopped or parsley
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- If using a charcoal grill, prepare a bed of coals 4 – 6 inches under the grill grate.
- Make the chimichurri by combining all the ingredients in a bowl or jar.
- Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper.
- When coals have ashed over (white/gray), or your gas grill is ready with direct, high heat, oil the grates with a towel or brush.
- Place on the steak and don't move it for 5 minutes.
- Flip and repeat, cooking for another 5 minutes. When the temperature reaches 127-130°F, remove the steak to rest.
- Rest for 10 minutes to allow the steak to come up to the 130-135°F range, and then slice and serve with chimichurri.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information and cooking times are provided as a best estimate. Values may vary based upon ingredients and equipment.
I didn’t know what to do with the beautiful carrot greens I had in my garden until now. The chimichurri sauce was so easy to make and so bright, a perfect accompaniment for the beef.
Wonderful to hear Silvia, I love that it is a no waste recipe too.
I used to eat the carrot greens when I had a kitchen garden. Lucky for me, I bought organic carrots with the green at the farmer’s market and made your chimichurri. OMG, what a great idea. We are having it with baked salmon tonite. Thanks for the recipe.
Enri, I am so happy you found this recipe to use with your carrot greens. I love that you find it great and I hope you enjoyed every bite with your salmon.
This recipe is so easy and simple, loving this Chimichurri sauce that is fresh and flavourful.
Thanks so much Hayley, it is one of my favorite ways to grill up and enjoy a steak. The Chimichurri is so flavorful!
This Grilled Steaks with Chimichurri is now our new favorite way to prepare steaks . We love the zest the chimichurri added to the overall flavor . Thanks for the great recipe , my husband has already requested this again.
Debbie, thank you very much, I am thrilled you and your husband enjoyed this recipe so much!
I made your steaks for my Superbowl party and they were a big hit! And everyone loved the chimichurri.
Wowza, I want to come to your super bowl party, I am thrilled they all loved the steaks and the chimichurri.
That Grilled Steak with Chimichurri was killer! Seriously, those flavors were next level—definitely a winner for grill nights. 🥩🔥👌
Rave review, thanks so much Megane.