30-Minute Chimichurri Skirt Steak
Meet your new go-to steak recipe (I'll be making this allll spring & summer long).
I haven’t been this excited for a steak recipe in a while.
Picture this: a really great high-quality cut of steak, both marinated AND dressed in the same herby, flavorful, and aromatic chimichurri.
It’s easy, beautiful, and seriously delicious.
What Is Chimichurri?
If you haven’t had chimichurri before or you don’t know what it is, don’t fret.
Chimichurri is a vibrant, tangy South American sauce made with fresh herbs, garlic, and red wine vinegar. I love using it as a condiment or marinade for grilled meats; it’s perfect for traditional steaks and chicken (but just as delicious on fish and roasted vegetables!).
Make this 30-minute chimichurri skirt steak and turn a busy weeknight meal into a restaurant-quality experience right at home.
The combination of tender sliced skirt steak with the zesty kick of a homemade chimichurri sauce is truly unbeatable.
The acidity in the chimichurri quickly tenderizes the meat while the garlic and fresh herbs infuse it with big flavor.
The chimichurri doubles as both a marinade and a flavorful condiment—as a busy mom and someone who has little time to get dinner on the table, there are few things better than that!
Recipe Tips
Buy the best quality meat you can get your hands on. The more experience I gain in the kitchen, the more I realize that the better your meat quality, the better the end result. I’m not saying you have to buy the most expensive skirt steak out there, but what I am saying is that you may not love this recipe as much as I did if you go to Walmart and buy the cheapest cut available.
Marinade, baby! For skirt steak, it's best to let it marinate for at least 15 minutes up to a few hours. To keep this dish short and sweet for busy weeknights, a quick 15-minute marinade will allow you to have dinner on the table in just 30 minutes. If you have a bit more time to spare, marinating the skirt steak for 2-3 hours will infuse even more flavor.
Cook on high heat. Some of the best cooking advice I received was from Ellen Bennett, who told me that things start to taste better when you cook on high heat. While this advice isn’t always going to be my first recommendation, it definitely lines up with this recipe. Grilling on high heat will lend to a steak with amazing texture and flavor—just be careful not to overcook (skirt steak is most tender when cooked to medium-rare)!
Rest is best. Always and forever make sure and let your steak rest for at least 5 minutes to allow the juices to evenly distribute throughout your steak and for the muscle fibers to relax. Relaxed muscle fibers = tender meat.
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1 food processor, or blender
large zip top bag, or shallow dish
flat grill pan, cast iron pan or grill
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak*
1 cup fresh Italian parsley
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh oregano**
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to coat the pan
1 large lemon, zest & juice
pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Chimichurri
Add the parsley, cilantro, oregano, and garlic into a food processor*** and pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. To the chopped herbs and garlic, add the red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and optional red pepper flakes. Season liberally with kosher salt (at least 1-2 teaspoons) and cracked black pepper. Pulse until combined but not completely smooth. The texture should resemble a thin pesto.
Chimichurri Skirt Steak
Place the skirt steak in a zip-top bag or a shallow dish and pour over 2/3 of the chimichurri, about 1 cup. Cover the rest of the chimichurri and reserve for serving. Marinate the steak for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 3 hours in the fridge. If marinating in the fridge, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking.
Whether you are cooking on an outdoor grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet, preheat to high. Remove the steak from the marinade and loosely dry with paper towels. Coat the grill grates with olive oil using a paper towel or drizzle the pan with extra virgin olive oil and sear the steak on high for about 3-5 minutes per side until it reaches about 130-135°F for medium-rare.
Remove the steak from the grill or pan and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. When ready to slice, cut the steak into thin, 1/4-1/2 inch slices against the grain.****
Sprinkle the sliced steak with an extra pinch of kosher salt and pour over any juices that escaped during slicing. Serve with the reserved chimichurri sauce spooned over top, and serve any extra on the side.
*Flank steak is very similar to skirt steak in that it's thin, long, and quick cooking. If you substitute flank steak, cook and slice it the same as you would the skirt steak: screaming hot pan, 3-5 minutes on each side, and slice against the grain.
**Fresh oregano is best when making this chimichurri. Pick off the tender leaves and discard the stems. If you don't have access to fresh oregano, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of dried oregano.
***Using a food processor is the quickest and easiest way to whip up this chimichurri. You can also use a standard or immersion blender by adding the herbs and the liquid all at once before blending. To make this without any special equipment, finely mince all the herbs by hand before mixing with the other ingredients.
****Cutting a skirt steak against the grain is the key to its tenderness. Determine the direction of the streaks in the steak and slice it perpendicular to those markings.
Have any questions? Leave them in the comments below, and I’ll answer ASAP! P.S. This is the first of four 30-minute meals I’ll be sharing this month! Because Maycember IYKYK. :)
What if you don't eat cilantro can you just double the parsley?
Where do you purchase your skirt steak?