The best recipe for marinated steak tacos cooked on the grill with chimichurri sauce, pico de gallo salsa, and pickled red onions. Video.
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I’m so excited to share one of my all-time favorite recipes for entertaining – Grilled Steak Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce! They are always a hit at our catering events and guests continually come back to ask for the recipe, so I thought I’d share it with you.
One of the best things about growing up in Southern California was its proximity to Mexico. Being able to drive over the border or hop on a quick flight allowed my family to visit many different areas and experience regional Mexican cuisine. My obsession with visiting Mexico is always the same – finding the best taco!
Grilled Steak Tacos | 60-sec Video
Although this is not a traditional Mexican taco, it comes very close to the perfect taco for me. The Chimichurri Sauce gives the tacos an amazing burst of flavor. I use it on everything from grilled vegetables to fish, chicken, and tofu. It’s particularly good with grilled meat, and it’s a perfect summer condiment.
Steak Taco Ingredients
- Flank Steak or skirt steak – grass-fed and finished if possible.
- Tortillas – 4-inch corn or flour tortillas, or a corn-flour blend, or make your own!
- Traditional toppings: chopped onion, chopped cilantro and lime
- Our version: Chimichurri Sauce, Pickled Radishes or pickled onions, Grilled onions, Pico de Gallo
Steak Taco Marinade
- Fresh orange juice and lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Chopped cilantro
- Spices: cumin, coriander, chili powder.
- Optional addition: 1-3 teaspoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotles) . This adds a nice smoky flavor!
How to Make Grilled Steak Tacos
Step one: Marinate. Make the marinade and marinate the steak for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Place it in a covered baking dish, turning from time to time, or a sealed ziplock bag.
Step Two: Make the sides. Chimichurri Sauce, Quick pickles (radish, onion, carrot or whatever you like) or Pickled Red Onions, and simple Pico de Gallo Salsa. If feeling ambitious, I’ve added more sides at the bottom of the post to really create a Mexican Feast! You can make all the sides a day ahead!
Step three: Grill! Bring the marinated flank steak to room temp before grilling. Preheat your grill to med-high. Cook to medium-rare, roughly 5-7 minutes per side. You could also cook this on a grill pan. A little charring is good here. Remember to let the meat rest for 10 minutes covered with foil.
Step four: Tortillas. Lightly grill tortillas them or toast them over a gas-flamed stovetop, until they just begin to bubble. Keep them warm by stacking them and wrapping with a clean kitchen towel, and place in a wide bowl. Place everything out for guests to assemble.
Step five: Thinly slice the steak across the grain, into thin bite-size strips and lay on a big cutting board, topped with a generous amount of the Chimichurri sauce. (Or leave it on the side).
Chef’s Tip
Brian and I make this steak taco recipe together. I marinate the beef ahead and make the sides. He is in charge of the grilling. It is fast and easy work with two people, and we can have most of it complete in 40 minutes, sometimes 30 if the meat is pre-marinated. Or feel free to make all the sides a day ahead, and marinate the steak. Then all you have to do is grill the meat and tortillas- easy for entertaining!
Vegan option:
A quick substitution for vegans and vegetarians is to use grilled portobello mushrooms as the “steak”, or Mexican spice-rubbed tofu (see recipe notes). Everything else can stay the same!
What to Serve with Steak Tacos
If you would like to put on more of an elaborate spread, some other additions could include sliced Mexican rice, beans, guacamole, grilled scallions, crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, or this fresh and lively tomatillo salsa. Serve everything on an extra-large cutting board, letting people make their own steak tacos, such a fun way to serve a group of people.
Our Mexican Stuffed Baked Potatoes make a delicious side!
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Crock Pot Borracho Beans
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole (three ways!)
- Pickled Onions
- Delicious Peppery Pickled Jalapeños
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Mexican Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
- Pinto Beans
Hope you enjoy these Grilled Steak Tacos with chimichurri sauce! Let us know what you think in the comments below!
More Favorite Beef Recipes
- Korean Beef Bulgogi
- Homemade Meatloaf
- Grilled Flank Steak with Corn & Radish Salad
- Oven Brisket
- London Broil (in the Oven)
- Rajas Tacos
- Cauliflower Tacos with Mole Sauce (Vegan!)
- Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Lobster Rolls
Grilled Steak Tacos
- Prep Time: 60 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 16 tacos
- Category: Main, beef
- Method: grilled
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Grilled Steak Tacos (Carne Asada Tacos) with Chimichurri Sauce, Pico de Gallo, and Pickled veggies -flavorful and delicious, perfect for outdoor gatherings and barbecues.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Flank Steak (or pounded skirt steak, organic grass-fed is best)
- 1–2 large, sliced sweet onions for grilling (optional)
- 1 bunch scallions for grilling(optional)
Carne Asada Marinade:
- Juice of 1 orange ( 1/3 cup)
- Juice of 2 limes (1/4 cup)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar ( optional)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (stems ok)
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon of any or each cumin, coriander or chili powder.
- optional 1–3 teaspoons adobo sauce ( from canned chipotles) This adds a nicely smoky flavor!
- 1 bunch Cilantro or about 1 cup packed (small stems OK)
- 1 bunch Italian Parsley- about 1 cup packed (thin stems OK)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (1-2 limes)
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or more
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 of one jalapeño pepper
Simple Pico De Gallo:
- 4 vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
- 1 Serrano chili, minced
- 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 limes, juiced
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Quick Pickles: ( or substitute Pickled Red Onions)
- 2 cups mix of sliced radishes, onion, or carrots, cauliflower, or whatever you like
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns or whole coriander seed
- A few sprigs of cilantro
Tortillas: 12 small tortillas. Homemade tortillas are nice! Or, try a Corn and Flour blend- my favorite!
Garnish Ideas:
- Lime wedges, Chipotle Mayo, avocado slices, Mexican cabbage slaw, crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese (optional), Tapatio or hot sauce, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, Mexican Pinto Beans
Instructions
- Steak Instructions: In a large bowl, mix together ingredients for the marinade. Place steak and onions in the bowl and toss with marinade. Let sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally. (Or marinate for up to 3 hours in the fridge, bringing to room temp before grilling.) Pre-heat the grill to mediump-high heat. Grease the grill. Grill steak on med-high heat to the desired doneness. I usually cook to medium-rare, 5-7 mins each side. Grill the onions and scallions untio tender and charred. A little char is good on the steak here too. Let rest for 10 minutes, covered in foil, before thinly slicing the meat across the grain.
- Chimichurri Sauce: Either chop everything finely and place all ingredients in a bowl, or alternatively place all dry ingredients in a food processor, pulsing several times until chopped. Add oil, lime juice, cumin, coriander, and salt. Pulse repeatedly until combined, but not too smooth. Add more oil if you want a looser sauce. Set aside in a small serving bowl.
- Pico De Gallo Salsa: Finely dice tomato, onion, jalapeño and cilantro. Season with salt, pepper and lime. Sometimes I’ll add diced avocado and a couple splashes of Tapatio hot sauce. Place all in a bowl, mix and let sit for 15 min to 1 hour (makes 2 Cups)
- Quick Pickles: In a small saucepan, combine water, vinegar, sugar, salt and peppercorns or coriander seeds. Add your choice of sliced radishes, slivered onions, thinly sliced carrots or whatever else you like. Bring to a boil. Remove and place in freezer for 10-15 minutes (or refrigerate until cold). Remove and place in a serving bowl or jar. Top with a little fresh cilantro. Or you could make pickled red onions instead.
- Tortillas – lightly grill, until soft and pliable (or grill directly on a gas burner. flipping and turning for 30 seconds) wrap up in a towel, to prevent drying.
- Serve everything together, along with any additional garnishes.
Notes
- Vegan Option: Seared Mexican Rubbed Tofu: Use your favorite taco seasoning, or make your own using this spice rub recipe. Cut tofu into strips, coat with spice rub and sear all sides in a hot skillet with a little oil. I will often start with coating and searing one piece of tofu first,and test for salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one taco with chimichurri
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 3.6 g
- Sodium: 331.5 mg
- Fat: 8.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 14.9 g
- Cholesterol: 34 mg
Great recipe! Just a heads up your metric measurements only change for half of the items. For example it does not change for the orange juice (1/3 cup). It’s a bit frustrating!
Glad you enjoyed these. And sorry about the metric conversion, it is glitchy!