How to make a Thai Chimichurri Flank Steak, with an easy chimichurri marinade and dressing.

Chimichurri is an oil-based sauce originating from Argentina and Uruguay, typically served with grilled meats. My Thai Chimichurri Flank Steak replaces some traditional ingredients with local ingredients, for an Asian twist.

Chimichurri tastes herby, garlicky, spicy and tangy. While chimichurri is usually served as a sauce condiment alongside steak, but traditionally it is also used to marinade the meat. The Chimichurri-marinated flank steak results in a quick and easy dish that is BURSTING with flavour!

How to Prepare Flank Steak

I used Flank Steak here. It’s a lean cut of meat that is often cheaper than the sirloins or ribeyes since the lack of fat make it not as beefy tasting. It can also be tough due to muscular fibres. Don’t just delegate this to stir fries; flank is the best steak to whack marinades on!

Flank steak can be tough due to the muscle fibres. Not only will marinating it with the Chimichurri sauce make for a delicious steak, it also tenderises the beef. A couple more tips to tender flank:

If your flank comes in a large piece, you want to cut it into a sections. I like each slice to be about 5-6cm in width, so that’s how I gauge cutting the flank. Cut your flank along the grain, since you will need to cut across the grain when serving.

Tip #1: Cook it medium rare, for soft, tender beef.

Tip #2: When serving, cut the steak thinly, and against the grain. This will make every slice a delicious, tender bite!

Can I use any other types of steak? Yes! Sirloin is my fave cut of steak, because it’s such a flavourful steak with the right balance of fat and lean meat. I do not need to season my sirloin that much!

Since we want the chimichurri to season our steak, I prefer using a cheaper steak for this. Flank is best for this purpose, to take full advantage of the chimchurri flavours.

Why you will love this Thai Chimichurri Flank Steak

This is so full of flavour, but most importantly – it comes together SO easily. You can get a delicious steak dinner in less than 30 minutes, depending on how long you marinate your meat.

It’s SO EASY! Simply pulse all the ingredients together and we’re good to go!
It’s VERSATILE! You can use this both as a marinade AND as dressing. While I use it for steak here, you can use this as a sauce with pan fried salmon, roast chicken, even over salads.
It’s bursting in flavour! The herby, aromatic parsley and cilantro, with the brightness of the lime juice and the bite of the bird’s eye chillies is so addictive.

You just need a pan for this, I love my cast iron pan for getting a nice, crusty steak exterior, with perfectly cooked medium-rare meat within.

What you need to make the Thai Chimichurri Sauce

There’s so many Chimichurri variations out there, but of course I HAD to give this more of an Asian twist, by adding more cilantro, lime juice and the bird’s eye chillies! The ingredients here are simple.

Garlic
Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro or Coriander is the main herb used in this recipe.
Fresh Parsley: Parsley is the predominant herb in Chimichurri, but I used more cilantro! Flip this around if you want a more traditional Chimichurri. If you want even MORE Thai flavours, use basil!
Oregano: I used dried oregano here, but you can also use fresh oregano.
Lime Juice: Instead of lemon juice, I prefer using lime juice! Easily replaceable with lemon juice. Alternatively you can also use apple cider vinegar.
Thai Bird’s Eye Chillies: Of course, I have to sneak in my favourite chilli peppers of all time here! Replace with any chilli pepper of choice, or chilli flakes.
Olive Oil: You can also use neutral tasting oil such as vegetable oil.

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