Steak Sandwich

This super delish steak sandwich is made with tender and juicy grilled flank steak, chimichurri sauce, a creamy and mildly spicy sandwich spread, and a bed of fresh veggies in between 2 buttery and crispy slices of bread. It's love at first bite!

Ready for one of the best steak sandwiches of your life?

Well, make it and you understand all the hype about it. 

Why you will love this Grilled Flank Steak Sandwich

• Easy: Although this steak sandwich recipe requires several steps, it is simple to prepare in about 30 minutes. Marinating the steak is what requires more time. If you are in a hurry, you can make a ribeye steak sandwich using this air fryer steak recipe though -- which takes only 15 minutes to get ready. 
• Healthy: This sandwich is high-protein and can be low-carb if you use low-carb bread, or gluten-free is suing gluten-free bread.
• Versatile: You can use skirt steak instead of flank steak, add a different spread (store-bought or homemade) such as aioli, and of course, add cheese, or replace any of the veggies.
• Budget-friendly: Flank steak is way less expensive than ribeye steak. one of the most cost-effective cuts of beef and vegetables for the salads is easy to find and not expensive.

Best steak for a sandwich

Tender cuts of meat are better for steak sandwiches such as ribeye steak or filet mignon for a gourmet sandwich. But these are pricy cuts and the following make great alternatives:

• Top Sirloin Steak: It is not as tender as ribeye, but if cooked properly it will make one great steak sandwich! One of my favorite cuts of the top sirloin is picanha, which comes from the cap and so is more tender. This picanha roast recipe or grilled picanha steak would make a great sandwich because it has more marbling. 
• NY Strip: It has less marbling than a ribeye steak yet it's still a tender cut. 
• Skirt steak: It costs less than ribeye but more than flank steak because it is fattier and has more marbling than flank steak, making it a good choice for a sandwich. The choice will come down to how much you want to spend on your meat.
• Flank steak: It is a lean, though cut but when marinated and cooked quickly over high heat such as grilling, it can become tender and suitable for a steak sandwich especially if serving a crowd. In addition, it costs much less than ribeye and skirt steak. I am feeding my family and love value. So yes, I am making a sandwich with flank steak but you can opt for any of the other cuts above. 

Steak Sandwich Recipe

This flank steak sandwich recipe calls for a few steps:

• Marinade the meat
• Grill it on a griddle or cast-iron pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat
• Let it rest for 5 minutes to distribute its juices
• Slice it thinly against the grain
• Prepare the chimichurri and spread
• Assemble the sandwich

It has savory, tangy, garlicky, herby, and mildly spicy flavors and different textures, making a complete and comforting summer meal for lunch or dinner.

If you don't find flank steak, you can easily replace it with top sirloin, NY strip, skirt steak, or ribeye, depending on how much you want to spend on your meat and how quickly you want to prepare your meal. 

You can also adapt this recipe to use a different spread and sauce and other seasonal veggies to go with your steak.

Although budget-friendly, it makes a meal that everyone will love! It's truly one of the best flank steak sandwiches you will have!

Equipment

To make this grilled steak salad, you will need:

• 1 grill mark cast-iron skillet or griddle
• 1 tong
• 1 platter
• 1 cutting board
• 1 Chef's knife
• 1-gallon Ziploc bag
• 2 bowls

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the Steak Marinade

• ½ cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup honey (or maple syrup or agave. For a keto salad, use sugar-free maple syrup)
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar (balsamic or apple cider vinegar)
• 6 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tablespoon of garlic powder)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or sriracha)
• 3 tablespoon chopped parsley (or cilantro)

Steak

• 1 ½ pounds flank steak (or skirt steak) -- If you can spend more, you can use ribeye, NY strip, or top sirloin which requires no marinating. 

Homemade sandwich spread (or see notes for a quicker one):

• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• ½ teaspoon sriracha (or a pinch of red pepper flakes)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried chives) 
• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)

 

Homemade Chimichurri sauce (or store-bought) 

To Assemble the steak sandwich:

• 8 slices thick, whole grain seeded bread (if possible, choose bread with slices in a square shape, or use sourdough bread)
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced (skip it if you are not a fan of onions or swap for this pickled red onions)
• 1 ¼ cups fresh baby arugula (or other fresh green leaves of your choice)

NOTE:

To make a quicker spread,  use an 8 oz container of Chive and Onion Cream Cheese spread, or Spicy jalapeno cream cheese spread, store-bought. Then, let come to room temperature and mix well with 1-2 tablespoon of mayonnaise, or just enough to make it creamier and more spreadable on the bread slices.

How to make a steak sandwich

To make this sandwich with flank steak, follow the steps below:

STEP 1 -- Prepare the Flank Steak Marinade:

• To start, make sure your steak is completely thawed! Then prepare our simple flank steak salad marinade.
• In a gallon Ziploc bag, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade (olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, and parsley).
• Zip the top and toss the marinade mixture gently until the salt is dissolved. Then, place the flank steak in the marinade. Make sure to press out any excess air from the bag and seal it tightly.
• Using your hands, massage the marinade around the flank steak for an even coating.
• Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to up to 24 hours. Remove the bag from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so it will cook evenly. Meanwhile, clean and preheat your grill (see below)!

NOTE: If you prefer to not marinate the meat before grilling, tenderize the thawed steak by placing plastic over the meat on a cutting board. Then use the rough edge of a meat mallet to lightly pound the meat on both sides. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season both sides well using this homemade keto taco seasoning!

STEP 2 -- Grill Flank Steak:

• To cook flank steak on a grilling pan (STOVETOP), heat a large grill mark cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until sizzling hot.
• Spray the bottom with no-stick cooking spray or oil it with a brush. Add the meat and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your steak and the level of doneness you want.
• To get checkboard grilling marks, rotate the steak 45 degrees after 2 minutes.
• Use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature. It must reach 125° F (52°C) for rare or 135° F (57°C) for medium-rare. But remember to take the meat out of the grill when it has reached a temperature that is 5 degrees BELOW the temperature mentioned above because the meat will continue to cook after being removed from the grill.

TIP: While your meat is grilling, add some corn to the grill. Cut a lime in half and grill it until you see char marks. The juice from grilled lime will add great depth to your steak salad!

STEP 3 -- Let the Grilled Steak Rest for 5 Minutes:

• After grilling, transfer your flank steak to a platter where it can catch the dripping. Tent your steak with foil to keep it warm and retain/distribute the juices while it rests for 5 minutes.

STEP 4 -- Slice the Flank Steak Thinly, into ¼-Inch Strips, Against the Grain:

• After resting for 5 minutes, tented with foil, place the meat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice the flank steak thinly, into ¼ inch strips, against the grain. But make sure to cut the strips at a 45-degree angle, not straight up and down.

NOTE: “Against the grain” means that your knife should be cutting the meat perpendicular to the lines of muscle (“grain”) that usually run along the length of the flank steak.

STEP 5 -- Make the Chimichurri Sauce

Follow this authentic chimichurri sauce recipe and use it as a dressing for our grilled flank steak salad. You can replace it with any sauce of your choice such as pesto. 

STEP 6-- Make the Steak Sandwich Spread:

In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayo, garlic, sriracha, herbs, and lime juice until creamy and homogeneous. Or if you are in a rush, make the quicker spread by mixing flavored cream cheese with mayo. 

STEP 7 -- Toast the Bread

Heat a griddle or cast iron pan (with grill marks preferably) over medium-high heat. Brush the slices of bread (on both sides) with olive oil (or unsalted butter) and toast the bread just until it becomes crispy and with grill marks, about for 1-2 minutes per side.

STEP 8 -- Assemble the Best Steak Sandwich:

Smear the sandwich spread on 8 slices of bread.

Place tomato slices and then steak slices on top of 4 bread slices. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the chimichurri sauce on top of the steak slices.

Next, add red onion and arugula. Top with remaining bread slices (the side with the spread must be face down) and enjoy!

Tips on making the best steak sandwich recipe

• You can marinate and/or cook the flank steak ahead as well as make the chimichurri and the sandwich spread.
• If you prefer, you can easily replace the chimichurri with an herbaceous pesto sauce or a sweet-tangy balsamic vinaigrette.
• You can use any fresh green leaves of your choice although I enjoy the mild bitterness of the arugula. Crisp romaine lettuce would be a good choice too!
• You can add a melting cheese to your sandwich such as smoked cheddar, gouda, havarti, and gruyere, depending on your pocket and the extra flavor note you want to impart. 
• The cooking time may vary depending on the steak you use to replace flank steak in this recipe and also the sauce and spread you use.
• If using skirt steak instead, make sure to marinade the meat for just 20 minutes at room temperature, or your steak will become mushy. 
• If you prefer, use caramelized onions instead of fresh veggies.  

What to serve with a grilled steak sandwich

There are many options, among them:

Crispy veggies: Air fryer potato wedges, Air fryer zucchini fries, oven-baked carrots, grilled corn on the cob, and yuca fries recipe.

Salad: Caprese pasta salad, potato salad with mayonnaise, white bean salad recipe, coleslaw salad recipe, raw salad, or cucumber chickpea salad. 

Soup: Low-carb tomato soup, creamy potato leek soup, sweet potato soup, and corn chowder recipe.  

FAQ'S

Can I make this steak and arugula sandwich in advance?

Yes! You can prep all the ingredients for this sandwich (steak, chimichurri, spread, and veggies) at least 1-2 days ahead and store each in separate airtight containers in the fridge. However,  make sure to toast the bread before assembling your steak sandwich so it won't harden, and also assemble the sandwich before serving; otherwise, it can become soggy. 

What kind of bread do I need for a steak sandwich?

You need thick, crusty bread that can hold up all the substantial meat filling and the other stuff stacked up without falling apart easily, or becoming soggy when soaking up the steak juices. Thick whole grain, sourdough, ciabatta, baguette, hoagie, and Texas toast make great choices!

Is this chimichurri steak sandwich healthy?

Yes! We use whole grain bread, grilled flank steak which is lean cut cooked using a healthy cooking method, an herby sauce (chimichurri), a Greek yogurt-based spread, and fresh veggies. It's wholesome and high-protein!  

How to store

• ROOM TEMPERATURE: Bread must be stored in its original bag at room temperature in a cool, dry place and toasted right before assembling the sandwiches.
• FRIDGE: Store any of the fillings of this steak sandwich (steak, chimichurri, spread, and veggies) separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. However, assembled sandwiches must be eaten right away or within 5-10 minutes of having been assembled. 
• FREEZER: Only freeze your cooked steak leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on a deep dish, add a tablespoon of water or broth on top, cover with plastic wrap, and heat in the microwave on low at 30-second intervals until hot. Then, assemble your sandwich. But be aware if making this recipe with a skirt or flank steak, once re-heated your tender steak won't be medium-rare anymore and may become slightly chewy. 

Other Sandwich Recipes

• Brisket sandwich with bbq sauce
• Ground turkey sandwich recipe
• Chicken salad sandwich recipe
• Tuna salad sandwich recipe
• Ham and cheese breakfast sandwich
• BBQ pulled chicken burgers

PIN & ENJOY!