Steak And Chimichurri Sandwiches Recipe

Chimichurri is one of the many great sauces that South America is known for. Made with finely chopped parsley, garlic, vinegar, chiles, and oil, chimichurri is a product of Argentina and Uruguay that is often compared to pesto. Unlike basil pesto, which is herby, nutty, and a little zesty, chimichurri brings heat and fresh flavor. Because of the brighter, more spicy flavor profile, chimichurri is best paired with rich, meaty, or oily dishes like steak and fatty fish.

Chimichurri is the star of this steak hoagie roll recipe written with developer Michelle McGlinn. Inspired by South American flavors, she smothers chile-rubbed steak with chimichurri and nestles it between soft hoagie roll buns. Like any good hoagie, the steak is coated in cheese and toasted until melty, but the best is yet to come. Right before serving, tangy pickled onions are squeezed between the buns for a bright, punchy finish. Anything but boring, these easy, South American-inspired steak and chimichurri hoagies are sure to become a regular dish on your weekly dinner rotation.

To make quick pickled onions, you'll need a red onion, white vinegar, sugar, and salt. Keep the salt handy for the steak, which you'll be coating with chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. You can use any quick-searing beef (avoid tough cuts like stew meat), though we recommend a sirloin, flank, or skirt steak. You'll need two different oils — one with a high smoke point for searing the steak and a flavorful olive oil for the chimichurri. From there, you'll just need white wine vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, parsley, hoagie rolls, and provolone (or your favorite melty cheese) to finish the sandwiches.

Slice the onions very thin using a mandoline and add them to a jar.

Heat the vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, and 1 tablespoon salt in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions in the jar and let cool.

Store in the refrigerator until bright pink and tender, about 1 hour.

In the meantime, marinate the steak. Mix together the chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt.

Rub the mixture onto the steaks and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.

To make the chimichurri, add the olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic clove, oregano, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, salt, and parsley to a food processor.

Pulse until very finely chopped, like a sauce.

To cook the steak, first heat the neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the marinated steaks and sear on either side until just browned, about 2 minutes per side.

Slice the steaks against the grain into ½-inch strips.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Place the hoagie rolls open-faced on a sheet tray and fill with the steak.

Top with the provolone slices.

Bake until the cheese is melty, about 10 minutes.

To serve, top each sandwich with chimichurri and pickled red onions.

These steak sandwiches come together pretty quickly, but we'll readily admit that waiting for the onions to pickle perfectly and the steak to fully marinate isn't exactly the first thing we want to be doing when we get home hungry after a long day. A real fast and easy meal is one that can be pulled together in minutes, almost thoughtlessly, and be devoured during an episode of The Bachelor. The best news about a long prep time, though? It can be done ahead.

The best way to make these sandwiches ahead of time is to prepare each element before you go to work — or for the night owls, the evening before. The blended chimichurri will last in the refrigerator for four to five days, or until the sauce is no longer bright green. The steak can be marinated eight hours in advance, but it can also be cooked and stored in the fridge for four to five days. The pickled onions can be made as far as two weeks in advance and are excellent on salads, tacos, and wraps, so making a batch ahead is a huge benefit to your other meals. With all of the fillings prepared in advance, you can simply fill a hoagie with steak and cheese, toast it until warm, and top it with the onions and sauce. Suddenly, that hour and a half becomes 15 minutes or less — perfect for any day of the week.

Chimichurri and pickled red onions are some of the most versatile toppings you can have in your fridge. Chimichurri is a simple and spicy mix of herbs, oil, and vinegar that can be used as a finishing sauce or a marinade in a variety of dishes. Mostly simply, chimichurri can be repurposed as a sauce on salmon, chicken, or shrimp. You can also use it to marinade grilled chicken, steaks, and even ribs. You can use it to finish burgers or spread over tacos. You can even eat it with breakfast, spooning it over fried eggs or mixing it into a potato and chorizo hash.

Pickled onions are just as versatile as chimichurri, if not even more so. If you like the tangy, sweet taste of the softened onions, the options are endless. Any type of taco is a welcome base for pickled red onions, as are spruced-up nachos and burgers. The onions make a good side dish to smoked brisket and ribs, and they also pair well with meatloaf and spicy pork loin. Pickled red onions also make a great addition to salads, perking up the lettuce and complementing proteins like tuna salad and chicken. If you have extra chimichurri or onions after making the hoagies, consider it a good thing — all of your meals for the next week will be especially tasty.