Quick Chimichurri Carne Asada
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This Chimichurri Carne Asada makes for the ultimate summer dish that is full of authentic Mexican flavors! If you love Mexican food, we be sure to also check our delicious Chicken Fajita Tacos, Steak Quesadillas and Southwest Chicken Bowls. Or consider serving this Chimichurri Carne Asada with a side of chips and our Tasty Guacamole.
Why We Love this Recipe
- Restaurant-quality– This dish tastes authentic but can be made at home with minimal effort!
- Quick! Like all our recipes, this Chimichurri Carne Asada comes together in a quick 28 minutes!
- Flavor-packed! The marinated steak is juicy one the inside with an awesome char-grilled flavor on the outside.
🤔 What is Carne Asada?
Carne Asada means “grilled meat” in Spanish, and that’s exactly what it is! Typically, meat is marinated in a combination of spices and juices and grilled, resulting in a delicous, charred flavor.
➡️ The Best Meat for Carne Asada
Carne asada is typically made with skirt steak or flank steak, though we prefer skirt steak for its flavor and texture. Whichever meat you choose, just sure to cut against the grain when serving to maximize tenderness!
To ensure the juiciest and most tender outcome, check our our tips for avoiding tough and chew steak.
🛒 Ingredients
Notes on Ingredients. Full list of ingredients and quantities available in the recipe card.
- Lemon Juice, Clementine juice & lime juice– fresh is ideal
- Garlic– freshly minced garlic is preferred
- Olive oil– extra virigin-olive oil
- Cilantro & Parsley– fresh is ideal
- Salt
- Tajin– Chili powder will also work if you don’t have Tajin
- Skirt Steak- flank steak will also work, just allow for more cooking time
- Mayonnaise
- Sherry vinegar
- Cotija cheese– crumbled
- Optional items: Avocado, tomatoes, corn and beans. We served our care asada over a mix of veggies, but this is totally optional! If you are looking for a quick bean salad, check out this Vegan Bean Salad.
Note: No juicer? No problem. See our tips on how to juice a lemon without a juicer for this recipe.
👨🏼🍳Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the Steak
Step 2: Make Creamy Chimichurri Sauce
Step 3: Cook the Meat
Step 4: Slice Meat and Drizzle on Sauce!
✔️ Expert Tips & Tricks
- To cut down on time, buy pre-chopped herbs, and bottled citrus juices (lemon, lime and orange). While we think fresh ingredients are always best, we know that sometimes it’s not an option. Gourmet Garden makes both dry-chopped and tubed paste for a few different herbs, including cilantro and parsley.
- Rinse herbs properly (I sandwich them in between two paper towels or a towel afterwards to extract excess water). Then use snippers or a chef’s knife to remove the stems, and chop those leaves!
- Marinate your steak for longer if you have time. We suggested a minimum of ten minutes for this quick recipe, but steak can be marinated for up to 2 hours, covered, in the refrigerator. Find more tips on ensuring a juicy and tender outcome for your steak.
- Allow meat to rest before cutting it into thin slices and against the grain to maximize tenderness.
- Taste-test the Chimichurri sauce. Stir in vinegar and salt in small increments and taste as you go, until it’s just right.
- For a creamier finish, blend chimichurri sauce ingredients together in the blender or Vitamix until smooth.
🍴How to Serve
We served our Carne Asada over a corn and bean salad (like this Three Bean Salad) and topped with avocado, but there are tons of other options! You can serve this dish on its own or in warm tortillas with your favorite toppings, like guacamole, pico de gallon, sour cream and/or cheese.
❓FAQ
Cook steak for 3-5 minutes on each side and until it reaches an internal temperature of 130°F for medium-rare or 140 °F for medium.
Our Chimichurri sauce has a creamy texture and tangy flavor! The herbs add a ton of flavor, as does the citrus and vinegar! For more control over the taste, sample the Chimichurri sauce as you make it. Stir in vinegar and salt in small increments and taste as you go, until it’s just right.
Store carne asada and chimichurri sauce in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to four days.
No, this dish is not dairy-free. To make this dish dairy-free, simply ditch the cheese crumbles.
Tips for Picky Eaters
- Sauce on the side. Offer to serve the steak with the Chimichurri sauce on the side.
- Serve with a surefire side. None of us ever know if our kids will like a new dish, so consider offering this meal with their favorite sliced veggies, like carrot sticks or sliced cucumbers. You can also serve this dish with a side of chips and this simple 4-ingredient Guacamole!
- Let kids choose how to eat this dish. You can eat this Chimichurri Carne Asada on its own, in a tortilla or over salad. Let your kids pick which version.
Craft For This Recipe
Playfood Olive Oil
Looking for a fun activity to entertain your kids while you prepare a meal? Kids can make their own play food Olive Oil Bottle from an empty glue bottle!
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🥩Quick Chimichurri Carne Asada
Equipment
- medium bowl
- cutting board
- chef's knife and/or kids' kitchen knives
- mincer
- measuring devices
- small bowl
- grill pan
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoon clementine/orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ((1 clove for marinade & 1 clove for sauce))
- 9 Tablespoon chopped, fresh cilantro ((1 T for marinade & 1/2 cup for sauce))
- 4.5 Teaspoon salt ((3 t for marinade, 1 1/2 t for sauce))
- 1/2 Teaspoon tajin
- 1 – 1 1/2 Pound skirt steak
- 1 cup mayonaise
- 8 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped, fresh parsley
- cooking spray
- 1-2 tbsp crumbled cotija cheese (as desired )
Instructions
- MARINADE! While the water's heating, in a medium bowl mix together the marinade ingredients: lemon juice, clementine juice, olive oil, 1 of the minced garlic cloves, 1 T of the chopped cilantro, 3 t of the salt, and the tajin. Add meat and immerse in marinade. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- CHIMICHURRI SAUCE! In a small bowl, combine: mayo, lime juice, sherry vinegar, chopped parsley, the remaining 1/2 cup of the chopped cilantro, the remaining minced garlic clove, and 1 1/2 t of the salt. Whisk briefly with a fork until well combined. Set aside.
- MEAT! Heat a grill pan on med-high. Spray with cooking spray and use basting brush to spread the oil around, into the nooks. Cook skirt steak for 6 mins (or more), flipping frequently. Cut meat into strips, against the bias (cross-grain).
- SERVE: Slice meat, drizzle with Chimichurri sauce and sprinkle crumbled cotija over plated meal.
Notes
- To cut down on time, buy pre-chopped herbs, and bottled citrus juices (lemon, lime and orange). While we think fresh ingredients are always best, we know that sometimes it’s not an option. Gourmet Garden makes both dry-chopped and tubed paste for a few different herbs, including cilantro and parsley.
- Rinse herbs properly (I sandwich them in between two paper towels or a towel afterwards to extract excess water). Then use snippers or a chef’s knife to remove the stems, and chop those leaves!
- Marinate your steak for longer if you have time. We suggested a minimum of ten minutes for this quick recipe, but steak can be marinated for up to 2 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.
- Allow meat to rest before cutting it into thin slices and against the grain to maximize tenderness.
- Taste-test the Chimichurri sauce. Stir in vinegar and salt in small increments and taste as you go, until it’s just right.
- For a creamier finish, blend chimichurri sauce ingredients together in the blender or Vitamix until smooth.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
