Steak Tacos Recipe With Chimichurri

This steak tacos recipe gives you juicy, charred flank steak in warm corn tortillas, finished with a bright parsley chimichurri, diced onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. A quick lime, garlic and cumin marinade does the flavor work, a very hot pan or grill gives you the crust, and slicing against the grain keeps every bite tender. It makes 12 tacos, enough for 4 people.

Below you’ll find a cut comparison for flank, skirt and sirloin, exact amounts with grams, step-by-step directions, a doneness chart, three ways to warm tortillas, a toppings list, carne asada tacos and steak street tacos variations, storage tips and a printable recipe card at the bottom.

Why You’ll Love This Steak Tacos Recipe

Good steak tacos come down to a few simple habits rather than a long ingredient list. This version keeps the work light and puts the effort where it shows up on the plate.

• Short marinade, big flavor: 30 minutes in lime, garlic, cumin and chili powder is enough, and you can leave it up to 8 hours.
• Real crust: high heat and a dry surface give the flank steak a browned outside without overcooking the middle.
• Tender slices: cutting thin strips against the grain shortens the long muscle fibers, so the meat doesn’t fight back.
• Fresh chimichurri: a 5-minute herb sauce cuts through the richness of the beef better than heavy toppings.
• Weeknight friendly: about 10 minutes of cooking once the steak has marinated.
• Easy to change: serve it as carne asada tacos, small steak street tacos or a taco bar.

Ingredients for Steak Tacos

Everything here is at a regular grocery store. Exact amounts are also in the recipe card at the bottom.

For the steak and marinade

• Flank steak, 1½ lb (680 g), about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick. Skirt or sirloin also work; see the cut chart below.
• Fresh lime juice, ¼ cup (60 ml), from about 2 limes.
• Olive oil, 1 tablespoon (15 ml).
• Garlic, 3 cloves, finely minced or grated.
• Ground cumin, 1 teaspoon, and chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon (or ½ teaspoon table salt).
• Black pepper, ½ teaspoon.

For the chimichurri

• Flat-leaf parsley, 1 cup packed (30 g), leaves and tender stems, finely chopped.
• Olive oil, ⅓ cup (80 ml).
• Red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons (45 ml).
• Garlic, 2 cloves, minced.
• Dried oregano, ½ teaspoon, and red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon.
• Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon.

For serving

• Corn tortillas, 12 (6-inch / 15 cm), or 24 small 4-inch tortillas for street-style tacos.
• White onion, ½ small (about 55 g), finely diced.
• Fresh cilantro, ½ cup, chopped.
• Avocado, 1 ripe, sliced or diced.
• Cotija cheese, 2 oz (57 g), crumbled, or feta.
• Lime wedges from 1 to 2 limes, plus salsa if you like.

Equipment You Need

• A large cast-iron skillet, grill pan or outdoor grill. It needs to get very hot and hold that heat.
• A zip-top bag or shallow glass dish for the marinade. Avoid bare aluminum, which reacts with lime juice.
• An instant-read thermometer. Flank steak is thin, so a minute either way matters.
• A sharp chef’s knife and a cutting board with a groove to catch juices.
• Tongs and a clean plate for the cooked steak.
• A kitchen towel or tortilla warmer to keep the tortillas soft.

Flank, Skirt or Sirloin: The Best Cut for Steak Tacos

Three cuts do most of the work in taco shops and home kitchens. All of them are full of beefy flavor and cook fast, but they differ in texture, price and how forgiving they are. Flank steak is the default here because it’s easy to find, even in thickness and lean.

If you pick skirt steak, our skirt steak marinade explains inside versus outside skirt and how long to marinate it. Skirt is thinner, so cut the cook time almost in half. For a tender, quick alternative, see our flat iron steak recipe. With sirloin, cut it into ½-inch cubes after resting instead of long strips.

• Look for even thickness and bright red color, with no gray patches.
• Check the label: “mechanically tenderized” or “needle tenderized” beef should be cooked to at least 145°F.

How to Make Steak Tacos (Step by Step)

This steak tacos recipe takes 20 minutes of prep, at least 30 minutes of marinating and about 10 minutes of cooking. You can make the chimichurri and chop the toppings while the flank steak marinates.

1. Marinate the steak

Whisk the lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Put the steak in a zip-top bag or glass dish, pour the marinade over it and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 8 hours. Longer than that and the lime starts to make the surface mushy.

2. Make the chimichurri

1. Finely chop the parsley by hand; a food processor can turn it into a paste.
2. Stir the parsley, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt in a small bowl.
3. Add the vinegar, then the olive oil, and stir.
4. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes so the garlic mellows and the flavors blend.

3. Dry and sear the steak

Take the steak out of the marinade, let the excess drip off and pat it dry with paper towels. Throw out the used marinade. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until a drop of water skitters and disappears, then add a thin film of oil. On a grill, aim for about 450–500°F (230–260°C).

Lay the steak in the pan away from you and leave it alone for 4 to 6 minutes, until it’s deeply browned. Flip and cook another 3 to 5 minutes. If the pan is too small, cut the steak in half and cook in two batches so it sears instead of steaming.

4. Check the temperature and rest

Push the thermometer into the thickest part from the side. Pull the steak at 140°F (60°C); it rises to about 145°F (63°C) as it rests. Move it to a clean plate or board and rest it for 5 minutes, which covers the 3-minute rest food safety guidelines call for and lets the juices settle.

5. Slice against the grain

This step matters more than anything else in the recipe. Flank steak has long, visible muscle fibers running in one direction. If you slice along them, each piece is a bundle of long strings. If you slice across them, each piece holds only short fibers, and it feels tender in your mouth.

1. Look at the steak and find the lines running along it. That’s the grain.
2. Cut the steak lengthwise into 2 or 3 strips about 3 inches (7–8 cm) wide, cutting with the grain. This makes the next cut easier.
3. Turn each strip 90 degrees so the lines run left to right.
4. Holding the knife at a slight angle, slice across the lines as thin as you can, about ¼ inch (6 mm).
5. For street-style tacos, chop the slices into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.

Spoon a few tablespoons of chimichurri over the sliced steak and toss it with the board juices.

6. Warm the tortillas

Cold corn tortillas crack and taste flat. Warming them makes them soft, fragrant and strong enough to hold a filling. Pick the method that fits your kitchen.

Stack warm tortillas in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer as you go. The trapped steam keeps them pliable for 15 to 20 minutes. If your tortillas are thin, double them up as taco shops do.

7. Build the tacos

Fill each tortilla with about 2 ounces of steak. Top with onion, cilantro, avocado and cotija, add a spoonful of chimichurri and serve with lime wedges.

Steak Doneness and Food Safety

The FoodSafety.gov safe minimum internal temperature chart lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of beef, which is medium. Many cooks prefer flank steak a little pinker; that falls below the official minimum, so choose it knowingly. Past medium-well, flank steak gets dry and chewy.

• Don’t reuse the raw marinade as a sauce. The chimichurri is your sauce.
• Use clean tongs and a clean plate for the cooked steak.
• Thicker steaks need a gentler finish; if the outside is dark before the center is ready, move it to a cooler part of the grill or a 400°F (205°C) oven for a few minutes.

Want exact doneness edge to edge? Cook the flank steak in a water bath with our sous vide steak guide, then give it a 1-minute hard sear per side before slicing.

Tips for the Best Steak Tacos Recipe

Most problems with homemade steak tacos are about heat, moisture and slicing. These habits fix nearly all of them.

• Pat the steak dry. A wet surface steams. A dry one browns in minutes.
• Preheat longer than you think. Cast iron needs 4 to 5 minutes to get truly hot.
• Don’t move it around. Let the crust form before you flip.
• Use a thermometer. Thin cuts go from medium to well-done in a minute.
• Always rest the meat. Slice it right away and the juices end up on the board.
• Slice thin and across the grain. It’s the difference between tender and chewy.
• Salt the toppings lightly. Cotija and the marinade already add salt.

Easy Variations and Substitutions

The basic method stays the same for every version below; only the seasoning, cut or toppings change.

Carne asada tacos

For carne asada tacos, use skirt steak and add ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and a minced jalapeño to the marinade. Grill it over very high heat for 2 to 4 minutes per side, then chop it fine. Top simply with onion, cilantro and salsa verde.

Steak street tacos

Steak street tacos are small and simple. Use 24 small 4-inch corn tortillas, doubled up, and chop the cooked steak into ½-inch pieces. Top only with white onion, cilantro, lime and a spoonful of salsa or chimichurri. You’ll get about 12 double-stacked street tacos.

More swaps

• Flour tortillas: softer and sturdier; warm them in a dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
• Cilantro chimichurri: replace half the parsley with cilantro and add a squeeze of lime.
• Smoky heat: add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or 1 minced chipotle in adobo to the marinade.
• Low-carb: serve the steak in butter lettuce cups or over rice and beans as a bowl.
• Dairy-free: skip the cotija and add extra avocado.
• Leftover steak: slice cold, cooked steak thin and warm it in a skillet for 1 minute. It also makes quick steak street tacos. Our leftover steak recipes have more ideas.

Steak Taco Toppings and What to Serve With Them

Keep toppings fresh and crunchy so the steak stays the star. Set them out in small bowls and let everyone build their own.

For sides, think simple and bright:

• Mexican-style rice or cilantro-lime rice
• Black or pinto beans, stewed or refried
• Grilled corn with lime, chili powder and cotija
• A crunchy cabbage slaw with lime juice
• Chips with salsa or guacamole

Love the flank steak and chimichurri combination? It also makes a great hot sandwich; try our steak sandwich recipe with caramelized onions. For a plain seared steak night, see our cast iron skillet steak. Not a beef night? Our oven baked chicken breast slices nicely into tacos too. Browse all our steak recipes for more ideas.

How to Store, Freeze and Reheat

Store the parts of this steak tacos recipe separately so the tortillas don’t go soggy and the toppings stay crisp.

• Refrigerate the sliced steak within 2 hours of cooking, in an airtight container, and eat it within 3 to 4 days.
• Chimichurri keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge; the color dulls, but the flavor holds. Bring it to room temperature and stir before serving.
• Freeze cooked, sliced steak in a freezer bag with the air pressed out for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat the steak in a hot skillet with a splash of water for 1 to 2 minutes, just until hot, or to 165°F (74°C) to follow leftover guidelines.
• Avoid the microwave on high, which makes thin slices tough; if you must, use 50% power in short bursts.
• Raw marinated steak can wait in the fridge for up to 8 hours before cooking.

These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart.

Steak Tacos FAQs

What is the best steak for tacos?

Flank steak and skirt steak are the top choices. Both are full of beefy flavor, cook in minutes and turn tender when sliced thin against the grain. Skirt is richer and juicier; flank is leaner and easier to slice neatly. Sirloin is a tender, milder option.

How long should I marinate steak for tacos?

At least 30 minutes and no more than 8 hours. Because the marinade contains lime juice, longer marinating can make the surface of the steak soft and mealy.

What’s the difference between steak tacos and carne asada tacos?

Carne asada means grilled meat, usually skirt or flank steak in a citrus marinade cooked over a hot fire. Steak tacos is the broader term and can use any cut or seasoning, cooked on a grill or in a skillet.

How do you keep steak tacos from being chewy?

• Don’t cook past medium-well.
• Rest the steak for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Slice thin, across the grain.
• Chop into small pieces for steak street tacos.

Can I cook steak for tacos without a grill?

Yes. This steak tacos recipe works well in a preheated cast-iron skillet, which gives a great crust. Turn on the vent fan, pat the steak dry, and cook in batches so the pan stays hot.

Can I make chimichurri ahead?

Yes, up to 1 day ahead for the brightest color, or 3 days in the fridge. Keep it covered and stir it well before serving, since the oil separates.

Steak Tacos Recipe Card

Calories are an estimate per serving (3 tacos with toppings and all of the chimichurri) based on USDA FoodData Central values for raw flank steak, olive oil, corn tortillas, avocado, cotija, onion, parsley, lime juice and vinegar.

Chef Emma

Steak Tacos With Chimichurri

Lime, garlic and cumin marinated flank steak, seared over high heat, sliced thin against the grain and served in warm corn tortillas with parsley chimichurri and fresh toppings.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Calories: 760

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Steak and marinade

• 1 1/2 lb flank steak 680 g, about 3/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 60 ml, about 2 limes
• 1 tbsp olive oil 15 ml
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Chimichurri

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley 30 g packed, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil 80 ml
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 45 ml
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

For serving

• 12 corn tortillas 6-inch / 15 cm
• 1/2 small white onion about 55 g, finely diced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 ripe avocado sliced or diced
• 2 oz cotija cheese 57 g, crumbled, or feta
• 1-2 limes cut into wedges

Equipment

• Large cast-iron skillet, grill pan or grill
• Zip-top bag or shallow glass dish
• Instant-read thermometer
• Sharp chef’s knife and cutting board
• Tongs
• Kitchen towel or tortilla warmer

Method

 

1. Whisk the lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Coat the steak and refrigerate in a bag or glass dish for 30 minutes to 8 hours.
2. Make the chimichurri: stir the chopped parsley, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes and salt with the vinegar and 1/3 cup olive oil. Let it stand at least 15 minutes.
3. Remove the steak from the marinade, discard the marinade and pat the steak dry. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat for 4 to 5 minutes (or a grill to 450-500°F / 230-260°C) and add a thin film of oil.
4. Sear the steak 4 to 6 minutes without moving it, flip and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, until it reads 140°F (60°C) in the thickest part.
5. Rest the steak on a clean board for 5 minutes; it will reach about 145°F (63°C).
6. Cut the steak with the grain into 3-inch-wide strips, turn each strip and slice it 1/4 inch thin across the grain. Chop into 1/2-inch pieces for street-style tacos and toss with a few spoonfuls of chimichurri.
7. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet 30 to 45 seconds per side and keep them wrapped in a towel.
8. Fill each tortilla with about 2 oz steak, top with onion, cilantro, avocado, cotija and more chimichurri, and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Total time includes at least 30 minutes of marinating. For skirt steak, cook 2 to 4 minutes per side. FoodSafety.gov lists 145°F (63°C) plus a 3-minute rest for whole beef cuts. Refrigerate leftover steak within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days; chimichurri keeps 3 days. Calories are an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central values and include all of the chimichurri.