Grilled Flank Steak Skewers are tender slices of beef seared to perfection and served with a bright and lively cilantro chimichurri sauce.
I have some very unique and delicious Mexican-inspired recipes on my site that I want you to know about. Starting with Oven-Ready Turkey Taco Lasagna, Homemade Mexican Horchata, Hot and Cheesy Mexican Street Corn Dip, Spicy Molé Turkey Chili, Mexican Street Corn Risotto, and Iced Coffee Margarita.
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Table of Contents Found Here
- The ingredient list:
- Ingredient information:
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- How this recipe came to be:
- Add-in and substitution suggestions:
- Can these grilled beef skewers be served as an appetizer?
- What herbs can be used in place of cilantro?
- What and why is slicing meat across the grain important?
- Can these beef skewers be cooked on an outdoor grill?
- Are flank steak and skirt steak the same thing?
- Why are the pickled onions important for this recipe?
- How long do beef flank steak skewers take to cook?
- Is the pineapple necessary in the chimichurri sauce?
- Renee's tips and tricks for recipe success:
- Can this recipe be made without slicing and skewering the meat?
- What to serve alongside these delicious grilled beef skewers?
- Printable Recipe Card
- Please comment if you've made this recipe.
The ingredient list:
*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.
Ingredient information:
FLANK STEAK - This meat cut comes from the cow's abdominal side muscles, making the cut lean but potentially tough. The key to tender flank steak is slicing the meat across the grain. Slicing can be done before or after cooking. See the video below for further explanation and instructions if you are unsure.
AVOCADO OIL - This neutral-flavored oil has a high smoke point, making it perfect for grilling. Brush it on the grill pan, grill grates, and the meat itself to prevent sticking.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - Since the chimichurri sauce is uncooked, it's best to use the finest extra virgin olive oil to achieve the best flavor possible. If needed for consistency, you can supplement the extra virgin olive oil with additional avocado oil (like you'll see me do in the video), but start with the extra virgin olive oil.
FRESH CILANTRO - This flat-leaf herb looks very similar to Italian flat-leaf parsley, but unlike parsley, cilantro has a very polarizing effect on people. If you're fortunate, cilantro has a bright, citrusy flavor and aroma, but unfortunately, some people dislike it because it has a soap-like flavor. See the swap-out suggestion below if cilantro doesn't suit you.
FRESH LIME JUICE - The fresh lime juice in the chimichurri will help to loosen the sauce and lend acidity to help cut through the meat's richness.
PINEAPPLE CHUNKS - This ingredient is optional but adds a delicious, unexpected tropical note to the chimichurri. Pineapple juice may also be used to thin the sauce if needed.
PICKLED RED ONION SLICES - This condiment is the contrasting pop of color and flavor that elevates these flank steak skewers from good to great! The onions' bright, sweet, acidic bite compliments the citrusy, herbaceous chimichurri and the meaty richness of the beef.
SALT AND PEPPER - I always use kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper in my kitchen. If you're using table salt instead of kosher salt, please take note of the gray box below.
*Important Note—If using table salt instead of kosher salt, please cut back on the amount of salt called for in the recipe card by half because they measure differently due to grain size.
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- indoor grill pan
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- blender or small food processor
- citrus juicer (optional)
- tongs
- instant read thermometer (optional)
- wooden skewers
- mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons (optional)
- kitchen timer
How this recipe came to be:
I have a large expanding file folder (think old-school) in which I keep all of the magazine recipes I've saved over the years.
Every so often, as a treat to myself, I go through the file and choose several recipes that I will finally try.
Today's basic recipe comes out of Food Network Magazine, dated May 2014. I have tweaked it only slightly by omitting a few of their original ingredients, and adding one of my own, the pineapple to the chimichurri sauce.
I also did not make my own pickled onions (the original Food Network recipe gives directions for that), I used store-bought pickled onions from a jar.
Add-in and substitution suggestions:
Skirt steak may be used in place of flank steak if needed.
Red pepper flakes would be a delicious addition to the cilantro chimichurri if you like things spicy. Add your desired amount into the blender along with the herbs and oil.
Pineapple juice may be used in place of pineapple chunks, if desired.
A light sprinkle of smoked paprika and/or smoked cumin onto the meat before grilling would give the meat more Tex-Mex flavor and would be a tasty addition.
Can these grilled beef skewers be served as an appetizer?
You bet!
I suggest trimming the meat down in length to appetizer proportions, but other than that you're good to go!
What herbs can be used in place of cilantro?
I know that many people have an aversion to cilantro, so if that's you, feel free to substitute Italian flat leaf parsley in place of the cilantro.
What and why is slicing meat across the grain important?
It will make a tougher cut of meat (like flank steak) more tender. Please see the Cook's Illustrated video below for more information.
Can these beef skewers be cooked on an outdoor grill?
They sure can.
Make sure to place them perpendicular to the grill grates for appetizing grill marks so the skewers don't fall through the grates and into the fire as they cook.
Are flank steak and skirt steak the same thing?
No, they're different cuts of beef, but they can be used interchangeably in many recipes. This one included.
Flank steak is sometimes also known as London broil.
Why are the pickled onions important for this recipe?
The brightness of the sweet and sour pickled onions cuts through the beef flank steak's richness and balances the completed dish's flavor.
They also bring a bright pop of contrasting color against the vivid green cilantro chimichurri sauce.
How long do beef flank steak skewers take to cook?
The cooking time will depend on a few things:
- How far are the grill grates from the flame (if cooking outside)?
- How thick are the flank steak strips?
- How you like your beef cooked (medium rare, medium, or well done)?
Generally, these beef flank skewers will take approximately 5-10 minutes, turning at least once during cooking.
Is the pineapple necessary in the chimichurri sauce?
No, the pineapple is not necessary, but it highlights the citrus flavor of the cilantro chimichurri.
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Renee's tips and tricks for recipe success:
If using wooden skewers, especially when cooking with open fire, like an outdoor grill, soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Soaking the skewers will prevent them from catching fire as you grill.
When threading the meat onto skewers, elongate the meat as much as possible so it isn't wavy on the skewer. This will make the meat cook faster and more evenly as more meat touches the grills hot surface.
If using metal skewers, make sure to use tongs for flipping the skewers as the metal skewers will become hot as the meat cooks.
Season the flank steak liberally with kosher salt and black pepper.
Oil the grill grates (or grill pan), liberally with avocado, vegetable, or corn oil to prevent sticking.
Add enough oil to the chimichurri sauce while blending to make the sauce thick, but pourable. Taste as you go and adjust the flavor with additional lime juice, or even red wine vinegar for an additional acidic component, and add salt and pepper if needed.
Can this recipe be made without slicing and skewering the meat?
Yes.
Cook the entire flank steak on the grill until it reaches your desired doneness (see the chart below for proper internal cooking temperatures for beef, and beef burgers) using an instant read thermometer.
Allow the beef to rest (covered) after cooking for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes slice the beef against the grain for maximum tenderness.
What to serve alongside these delicious grilled beef skewers?
- My Cheesy Hot Mexican Street Corn Dip is the perfect beginning to any Mexican meal.
- Flour tortillas.
- Mexican Pineapple Spears
When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.
Search engines such as Google appreciate comments and ratings and, in turn, will show my recipes to more people. Please look for the pink star rating box within the printable recipe card. Thank you!!
Printable Recipe Card
Grilled Flank Steak Skewers with Cilantro Chimichurri
Equipment
- grill pan optional
- outdoor grill optional
- small blender optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef flank steak cut into ¼" slices, across the grain
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
For the chimichurri:
- 1 bunch (about 2 cups) fresh cilantro, chopped tender stems and leaves only
- 2 1" squares pineapple chunks or 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
- ¼ cup pickled red onion slices (drained) or to to taste
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or to taste
Instructions
- Soak the wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes.
To make the chimichurri:
- Place the extra virgin olive oil, chopped cilantro, pineapple chunks (or juice), lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in the blender. Blend until smooth, thick, and pourable, adding more oil or citrus juice (if needed) to reach your desired flavor and consistency. Set aside.
- Heat the grill pan over medium/high heat while preparing the flank steak. Slice the flank steak across the grain into ¼" thick slices and season the strips with the remaining salt and pepper on both sides.
- Thread the sliced flank steak onto the prepared skewers, making sure to flatten the beef on the skewers so as much meat as possible so the most meat touches the hot grill surface.
- Working in batches (depending on the size of your grill pan) if needed, brush the hot grill pan with avocado oil. Lay the skewers perpendicular to the grill grates. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes making sure to brush the meat with additional avocado oil to prevent sticking. Flip the skewers and continue cooking the second side for an additional 2 - 3 minutes or until the flank steak is cooked to your preferred doneness.
- Remove to a platter and drizzle the skewers with the cilantro chimichurri and top with the (drained) pickled red onions.
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you'll enjoy making (and eating) this recipe for Mexican-inspired grilled beef flank steak skewers with cilantro chimichurri as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
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