Flank Steak Aji Panca Chimichurri

Flank steak aji panca chimichurri, plated for a private birthday dinner in Winchester, Massachusetts, late July.

The house was a quiet colonial on a tree-lined street north of Boston, the kind of neighborhood where dogs walk themselves and everyone waves. Six people around the dining room table. The host was turning fifty and her husband had booked me through Partum Events a month out. The brief that came back was simple: “She hates being sung to. Make the food the thing.”

I love that kind of brief. Give me a lane and I’ll drive.

Flank steak aji panca chimichurri made sense the moment I read it. Intimate group, a couple of steak lovers at the table, a birthday that needed to feel like an occasion without anyone having to stand up and make a speech. Flank steak sliced against the grain, draped in chimichurri, hit with a bright salsa criolla on top. It looks like someone put effort into it. And the aji panca marinade does the kind of background work that makes people ask what’s different without being able to name it.

Why This Flank Steak Aji Panca Chimichurri Recipe Works

Most chimichurri steak recipes skip the marinade entirely and lean on the sauce to do all the heavy lifting. Admittedly, that’s a fine strategy. However, you’re leaving flavor on the table.

Aji panca is a Peruvian dried red chili paste. Smoky, slightly sweet, and deeper than anything you’ll get from standard steak seasonings. The heat doesn’t scream. Instead, the paste just makes the beef taste more like itself. Combined with cumin, lime zest, and a hit of red wine vinegar, the marinade then penetrates the meat over a few hours and builds a base that the chimichurri amplifies instead of replacing.

The other thing most people get wrong with flank steak is the slice. Flank has a very visible grain running lengthwise. Slice with it and you get long, chewy strings. However, slice against it at a slight angle, and the knife does the tenderizing work for you. Same cut of meat. Completely different result on the plate.

Salsa criolla is the third layer here and it matters. The soaked raw onion, fresh chili, and lime keep the whole plate from getting heavy. Flank steak aji panca chimichurri is a rich combination. The criolla cuts through it.

What You Need for Flank Steak Aji Panca Chimichurri

Flank steak. A 24-ounce piece for four people, 36 ounces if you’re feeding six. Flank is thin, which means it responds fast on high heat. That’s what you want. It’s also a working muscle, which gives you real beef flavor that holds up against a bold marinade. Don’t swap in skirt unless that’s genuinely all you can find.

Aji panca paste. This is the ingredient people ask me about most. Latin markets carry it. Whole Foods sometimes has it. You can order it online if you’re planning ahead. It comes in small cans and lasts a long time in the fridge. If you truly cannot find it, ancho chili paste is the closest substitute, but you’ll lose some of that smokiness.

Fresh parsley for the chimichurri. Not flat-leaf, not curly, just fresh. The chimichurri depends on it. Dried parsley in chimichurri is a decision I won’t dignify with a response.

Red onion for the salsa criolla. The cold-water soak is not optional. Raw red onion straight into the bowl is harsh and it steals the show. Ten minutes in cold water and it goes from aggressive to pleasant.

Fresh Fresno chili. A little heat, a lot of color. Red jalapeño works if that’s what you have. The goal is thin slices of fresh chili that look as good as they taste.

Lime. Both zest for the marinade and juice for the criolla. Buy two per four servings. You’ll use them.

How to Make Flank Steak Aji Panca Chimichurri

I got to the Winchester house around four. The table was already set, someone had put fresh hydrangeas in a low vase, and meanwhile the birthday guest was pouring white wine for her sister in the kitchen. Low-key energy. The kind of start to a job that makes everything easier.

Prep the Flank Steak Aji Panca Chimichurri Marinade

First, I got the marinade together. Aji panca paste into a bowl, minced garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, and the zest off two limes. Salt, pepper, mix it into a thick rust-colored paste. It smells incredible. Slightly smoky, tangy, warm from the cumin. I rubbed it over the entire surface of the flank steak, pressing it in with my hands so it wasn’t just sitting on top. Then I covered it and put it in the fridge. The steak needed at least an hour. I gave it closer to two while I handled everything else.

💡 Press the Marinade In: Rubbing with your hands instead of a brush presses the paste into the surface of the meat, which means it actually stays there when the heat hits instead of sliding off.

Build the Chimichurri

Next was the chimichurri, and I made this first specifically because it needs time. I finely chopped the parsley and oregano, minced three garlic cloves until they were almost a paste, then combined them in a bowl with red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. After that, I drizzled in the olive oil slowly while stirring. You’re not emulsifying here, you’re just building a cohesive sauce. I covered it and left it on the counter. Chimichurri gets better the longer it sits at room temperature. The garlic mellows. The herbs bloom in the oil. Make it early and stop worrying about it.

💡 Time Fixes Chimichurri: Fifteen minutes at room temperature is the minimum, but an hour is better. The vinegar softens the raw garlic and the oil absorbs the herb flavor in a way that just-made chimichurri never achieves.

Quick Salsa Criolla

The salsa criolla was last, because the timing on it is shorter. I sliced the red onion thin, dropped it into a bowl of cold water, and left it for ten minutes while I sliced the Fresno chilies. After draining the onion and patting it dry, I combined everything: onion, chili, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Back in the fridge to sit until service.

Sear and Rest

About thirty minutes before we were eating, I pulled the steak out of the fridge and let it come up toward room temperature. Cold meat on a hot pan seizes. Therefore, you want it relaxed before it hits the heat. Their cast-iron grill pan had a real patina on it, which I appreciated. You can tell when a kitchen actually gets cooked in.

Next, I got the pan screaming hot. I mean really hot. Flank steak is thin and the goal is a hard sear before the interior overcooks. I pressed the steak flat against the surface, let it go for three and a half minutes without moving it, and then flipped it. Another three minutes for medium-rare. You’re looking for a crust that has some color and pull. A good sear before you flip means you get browning instead of steaming.

💡 Don’t Move the Steak: Leaving the steak completely alone for the first three minutes is what builds the crust. Moving it breaks the contact with the pan and you get gray instead of brown.

Off the heat, I rested the steak for ten minutes on a cutting board. This matters. Cut into it early and the juices run out onto the board and you lose all of that. After five minutes, the steak finishes carryover cooking and relaxes.

Slice and Plate

Finally, I plated it. The aji panca had left a dark crust on the outside and the interior was pink and clean. I set the steak on a warm plate, piled salsa criolla on top, spooned chimichurri into the mound, and let the pan juices run around the base. Tomato wedges on the side, micro cilantro over everything, because it was her birthday and a plate should look like one. For more on the sauce itself, see my dedicated chimichurri sauce recipe.

Her sister walked in from the dining room right as I was finishing the plating. She looked at the board for a second and said, “I don’t even want to eat it.” The birthday guest said, “I do.” They carried it to the table themselves, which I always take as a good sign.

💡 Slice on a Board, Not a Plate: Slicing on a cutting board and serving from the board keeps the presentation clean and lets you control how the layers stack. A plate gets messy fast once you start slicing.

Chef’s Notes

Plating

Slice the steak and fan it across a wide cutting board or serving platter. Spoon the chimichurri in a line down the center of the slices, then pile the salsa criolla on top. Don’t overthink it. The colors do the work. Lime wedges on the side, micro cilantro or parsley scattered over, and a couple of edible flowers if you want the occasion to feel like one.

Wine

A Malbec is the obvious call and I’m not going to pretend there’s a better answer for a Peruvian-marinated steak. Something from Mendoza, not too tannic, with some fruit on it. However, if you want to go in a different direction, a Carménère from Chile works well and leans into the Latin flavor profile. I brought a bottle of Zuccardi Valle de Uco to this particular dinner and the table was happy.

Prep Ahead

The marinade can go on the steak the night before. Four hours is fine. Overnight is better. The chimichurri holds for two days in the fridge, just bring it to room temperature before serving. The salsa criolla is best made day-of, no more than a couple of hours ahead.

Scaling

This recipe is built for four. For six, use a 36-ounce piece and add 50 percent to everything else. For eight, double it exactly. Flank cooks fast so you can do it in two batches without losing much. Don’t try to cook a 4-pound flank steak whole. Two smaller pieces give you more control and better crust-to-interior ratio.

Swaps

No aji panca? Ancho chili paste is the closest substitute. Less smoky but still complex. Skirt steak works if flank isn’t available. Cook it the same way. If someone at the table doesn’t eat beef, this marinade also works extremely well on portobello mushrooms. I’ve done it.

Flank Steak Aji Panca Chimichurri

Flank steak marinated in aji panca paste, seared hard over high heat, and served with homemade chimichurri and bright salsa criolla. Built for a Winchester, MA birthday dinner where the host wanted the food to do the talking.

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Marinate Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Latin American

Calories: 780

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Aji Panca-Marinated Flank Steak

• 24 oz flank steak
• 4 tbsp aji panca paste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• zest of 2 limes
• to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chimichurri Sauce

• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 8 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salsa Criolla

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small red chili (such as Fresno), thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of 2 limes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnishes

• micro cilantro or parsley
• lime wedges
• edible flowers

Equipment

• Cutco 1738 Gourmet Prep Knife for slicing flank against the grain
• Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet for the screaming-hot sear
• Microplane Zester Grater for lime zest in the marinade

Method

 

Marinate the Flank Steak

1. In a small bowl, mix together the aji panca paste, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, lime zest, salt, and pepper until a cohesive paste forms.
2. Rub the marinade over the entire surface of the flank steak using your hands, pressing it into the meat so it adheres.
Press the Marinade In: Using your hands instead of a brush presses the paste into the surface so it stays put when the heat hits instead of sliding off.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight. One hour is not enough for aji panca to do real work on flank.
4. Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking to let the steak come toward room temperature.

Prepare the Chimichurri Sauce

1. In a bowl, combine the chopped parsley, oregano, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
2. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while stirring to bring the sauce together.
Time Fixes Chimichurri: Let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. The vinegar mellows the raw garlic and the oil absorbs the herb flavor in a way that just-made chimichurri never achieves.
3. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or up to 1 hour before serving.

Make the Salsa Criolla

1. Soak the thinly sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow its sharpness, then drain and pat dry.
2. In a bowl, combine the onion, sliced chili, chopped cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

Cook the Flank Steak

1. Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until very hot. You want it smoking before the steak goes in.
2. Place the steak in the pan and leave it completely undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t move it.
Don’t Move the Steak: Leaving it alone for the first three minutes builds the crust. Moving it breaks contact with the pan and you get gray instead of brown.
3. Flip once and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare, adjusting time for preferred doneness.
4. Remove from heat and rest on a cutting board for 8 to 10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Flank bleeds if you rush the rest.
5. Slice thinly against the grain at a slight angle for maximum tenderness.
Slice Against the Grain: Flank has a very visible grain running lengthwise. Cutting across it shortens the muscle fibers and is the difference between tender and chewy.

Plate and Serve

1. Fan the sliced steak across a wide cutting board or serving platter.
2. Spoon chimichurri in a line down the center of the slices, then pile the salsa criolla on top.
3. Garnish with micro cilantro or parsley, lime wedges, and edible flowers if using. Serve immediately.

Notes

Plating: Rest the flank 10 minutes, slice thinly against the grain, then fan the slices across a warm white plate, seared side up. Tomato wedges tucked against one side, cut-side out. Salsa criolla piled on top of the steak in a loose mound with the chimichurri spooned into it so the green and red onion read together. Orange-yellow pan juices pooled around the base, not over the top. Micro cilantro scattered over the mound.

Wine: A Malbec from Mendoza is the right call. Not too tannic, some fruit. A Carménère from Chile also works well and leans into the Latin flavor profile.

Prep ahead: Marinade can go on the steak the night before. Chimichurri holds for two days in the fridge , bring it to room temperature before serving. Salsa criolla is best made day-of, no more than a couple of hours ahead.

Scaling for service: To 8: double the marinade, cook the steak in two smaller pieces rather than one scaled-up cut. Two pieces give better crust-to-interior ratio and let you hit medium-rare on both without a cold center. To 12: triple the marinade and chimichurri, grill three separate flanks. Rest each 8 minutes before slicing. Salsa criolla gets made within the hour, the acid dulls the onion color fast and a gray onion on the plate reads tired.

Dietary swaps: GF and DF as written. Nut-free as written. Not vegetarian. For a vegetarian version: this marinade works on portobello mushroom caps or thick-cut cauliflower steaks. Marinate 2 hours, not 24 (vegetables break down faster). The aji panca paste is load-bearing. If unavailable, sub ancho chili paste one-for-one, the heat drops slightly but the fruit-and-smoke note stays. Do not sub chipotle, it reads too smoky and pulls the dish in a different direction.

Filed Under: Equipment

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Cutco 1738 Gourmet Prep Knife

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About the Chef

Paige Gilbert

I started Partum Events because I wanted to cook the way I believe food should be experienced: personal, intentional, and built around the people at the table. The Chef Files is where I write down every dish I develop for real client events in Newport, Cape Cod, and Boston so you can cook them at home exactly the way they were plated.

Every case file is a solved problem. A dish that earned its place because it worked at a real table, not because it performed on social.

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