Grilled Flank Steak with Herby-Green Sauce (Chimichurri)

Feel the summer grilling vibes all year long with this Grilled Flank Steak with an Herby-Green Sauce that’s our easy take on chimichurri! It’s a deliciously healthy way to fuel your active lifestyle.

This post was created in partnership with the Minnesota Beef Council.

Grilled Flank Steak: it’s what’s for dinner

Flank steak is the perfect addition to your weeknight menu because it’s lean, delicious, and quick-cooking. But don’t let that stop you from making this Grilled Flank Steak recipe on the weekend. It’s simply stunning with its jewel-toned sauce made with fresh parsley and olive oil and guaranteed to impress dinner guests at your next cookout. 

We’ve partnered with our friends at the Minnesota Beef Council to bring you this Grilled Flank Steak recipe that we know you’re going to love. A simple, yet flavorful, marinade transforms a lean cut of beef into tender, juicy strips of beef that you can enjoy hot from the grill or store for use later in the week to make a steak salad, steak fajitas, or steak tacos. Just imagine the possibilities!

Lean Red Meat + Healthy, Active Lifestyles

Eating healthy has never been so satisfying. Lean cuts of beef like flank steak are a delicious addition to your diet especially when you’re living an active lifestyle. Beef is an excellent source of 10 essential nutrients including protein, zinc, iron and B vitamins to fuel your active endeavors and support muscle growth and maintenance and recovery.A 3-ounce serving of lean beef, like flank steak, provides 25 grams of protein in just 160 calories in addition to those other essential nutrients we already mentioned.

No Grill? We’ve Got You Covered!

Now you can bring one of our favorite tastes of summer to your table year-round with the stovetop and oven directions we’ve included below. 

Ingredients for This Grilled Flank Steak Recipe:

Gather these ingredients to get this grilled flank steak cooking today:

• Beef flank steak – A lean and flavorful cut of beef that grills up fast. Can’t find flank steak? See below for a list of similar cuts of meat you can use in this recipe.
• Balsamic vinegar – Vinegar adds a bit of acidity to the marinade to help tenderize the meat. Red wine vinegar may be substituted for balsamic, if desired.
• Oil – Avocado oil or olive oil are both excellent choices.
• Dried Italian seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Fine salt
• Black pepper

Ingredients to Make The Herby-Green Sauce:

Here’s what you need to make the delicious herb sauce to serve with the steak:

• Italian parsley – Curly parsley may also be used if that’s what you have on hand.
• Lemon juice – Traditionally, chimichurri is made with red wine vinegar. We’ve swapped the vinegar for bright and citrusy lemon juice but feel free to use vinegar instead.
• Garlic
• Olive oil – Use the best quality olive oil you can source for the best flavor.
• Fine salt
• Black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Is Grilled flank steak healthy?

Yes! Lean cuts of beef, like flank steak, are a delicious way to add protein, vitamins and minerals to your diet and support an active lifestyle. A 3-ounce cooked portion of flank steak weighs in with just 160 calories, 6 grams of fat (2.6 grams saturated fat), 65 mg cholesterol and 23 grams of satiating protein. Plus, it provides 40% of your daily needs for zinc and 8% for iron. 

How To Make Grilled Flank Steak:

1. Prepare the flank steak marinade: In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, oil, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Whisk well. 
2. Place the flank steak in a large zip-top freezer bag or in a shallow glass container with lid or dish covered with plastic wrap. Pour the marinade over the steak and flip to coat on all sides. Place steak in the refrigerator to marinate for 3-4 hours (up to 12 hours), flipping the bag once or twice during the process.
3. When ready to prepare the steak, remove the bag from the fridge and allow the steak to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while the grill preheats.
4. Make the sauce: Add the parsley, lemon juice, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor or a small prep cup if using a blender. Process until almost smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with spatula as needed. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and set aside. 
5. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (425-450℉).
6. Remove the steak from the bag, discarding the marinade and place the steak on a clean plate. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
7. When the grill is hot, place the steak directly on the grill grate over direct heat if using a gas grill or charcoal grill (or towards the back of the grill if using a Traeger grill where it’s hottest). Grill 5-6 minutes then flip the steak and grill an additional 5-6 minutes or until the desired degree of doneness. We recommend using a meat thermometer or your grill’s temp probe to determine when the steak reaches your desired level of doneness. We recommend an internal temperature of 145℉ (medium-rare) or 160℉ (medium) for best results. 
8. Remove the steak to a clean plate and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing diagonally across the grain on a cutting board. Serve with sauce and enjoy!

Q&A for Grilled Flank Steak

Here are some questions we get asked often about this flank steak recipe:

• Can I prep this grilled flank steak recipe ahead of time? Of course! If you want to be ready to grill at a moment’s notice, we recommend combining the marinade ingredients at night before bed then placing the steak in the marinade in the morning so that it’s ready to grill at dinner time. The chimichurri green sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. The lemon juice will keep it from browning in the refrigerator. Of course, if you want to use the grilled flank steak to top a salad or toss into a wrap or pasta, go ahead and grill it, cool it, slice it and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• How do I store leftover flank steak? Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
• Does the flank steak grill time differ depending on the type of grill used? Ultimately, it will depend on how hot your grill is but these helpful Grilling Guidelines can help you hone your grilling craft no matter what cut of beef you have on the menu. 
• Help! I don’t know how long to grill steak. Any tips? Check out this Grilling Basics guide to learn more about how to grill flank steak or your other favorite cuts. The thicker the flank steak, the longer it will take to grill. Generally, a steak that’s ¾ – 1 inch thick will take 8-12 minutes total to cook. 
• What if I don’t have an outdoor grill? Can this be made on the stove or in the oven? If you don’t have a grill, a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat on the stove is a good option. Sear the steak on both sides for 4-5 minutes then transfer the pan to a preheated 450℉ oven and cook until desired degree of doneness. For the oven, position the upper rack 3-4 inches from the broiler and broil for 14-18 minutes, flipping halfway through. Always use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to check for desired degree of doneness.

How to Serve Grilled Flank Steak

Though delicious by itself, here are few suggestions for serving this grilled flank steak:

• Arugula, Peach and Quinoa Salad
• Copycat Olive Garden Salad
• Herbed Quinoa Pilaf
• Instant Pot jasmine rice or brown rice
• Crispy smashed potatoes, mashed potatoes or baked sweet potatoes
• Other ideas: On top of a salad, in a wrap, or tucked into tortillas to make a taco or quesadillas (don’t forget the pickled onions!)

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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel of Half Acre House

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