Instant Pot Steak Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

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Instant Pot Steak Tacos are taking taco night to a whole new flavor bursting level!  Piles of tender, juicy steak piled on a bed of guacamole, and topped with a tangy Chimichurri Sauce – Taco Tuesday is about to get a serious upgrade!

Never have I ever seen my family fight for the last bit of steak like they do for this meal.

We enjoy a grilled steak every now and again, but typically I'll buy a small flank steak and everyone's happy with a few slices.

But Holy Hannah Banana, that is not the case with this one.

I had kids stealing pieces off my husband's plate while he was on the phone, dish duty bargaining, crying, yelling, begging, you name it.  This meat is that good!

Then combine it with guac and a splash of chimichurri sauce and you'll find yourself fist fighting for the last slice of steak yourself.

I rarely leave a taco so plain, but this steak taco is all about that citrusy, garlicky meat – no elaborate toppings needed here.

Expect your next Taco Tuesday to be a roaring success!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT STEAK TACOS

• TENDER, JUICY STEAK:  The citrus, garlic marinade doubles as a marinade and the cooking liquid, ensuring that every single bite is infused with remarkable flavor.  It is “melt in your mouth” tender, like no steak you've ever pulled off the grill (promise).
• CHIMICHURRI SAUCE:  Chimichurri is basically a blend of herbs, vinegar, and oil.  So simple, yet the tanginess cuts through the richness of the meat and avocado and really elevates the entire taco.
• EASY:  Throw the meat in the pressure cooker while you take 15 minutes to whip up the chimichurri and guacamole – dinner is served!
• PARTY WORTHY:  Need to feed a crowd?  Double or triple the meat and you've got yourself one heck of a taco bar.

HOW TO MAKE STEAK TACOS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

1. Slice meat into strips (make sure to cut against the grain)
2. Place meat in a bag with the marinade and let it sit overnight for best results
3. Dump meat and marinade into the pressure cooker pot
4. Cook until it's melt in your mouth tender
5. Place all the chimichurri ingredients in a blender or food processor
6. Blend until it's mostly smooth but a tad chunky

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• MARINATE THE MEAT:  Yes, it's an extra step, but it is so worth it!  I've tested it with and without the overnight marinade and the overnight version is absolutely more flavorful and tender.  That being said, if time doesn't allow, it's still incredible without the long marinade time.
• SLICE MEAT AGAINST THE GRAIN:  This is a must for steak.  Cutting it against the grain makes it much easier to chew which is important when eating steak in a taco.  There's nothing worse than taking a single bite and having the entire slice of steak come out in one piece!
• EASY GUACAMOLE:  I'm a HUGE fan of Litehouse Guacamole Herb and Spice Blend.  Guacamole comes together in 3 minutes and tastes better than any restaurant version I've ever had – honestly!
• THE TORTILLA:  I prefer a corn/wheat blend when it comes to tacos.  Trader Joe's has a great one and I've recently found an incredible brand in the produce section of my local grocery store.  If you can't find a blend, I suggest using warmed or charred corn tortillas so they don't crack so easily.
• TOPPINGS:  I know I said that toppings aren't needed here, but I have added grilled peppers and onions and it is lip-smacking awesome and also helps to stretch the meat a bit more.

HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE 

• Store:  Place cooled meat in a sealable container with the juices from the pot in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Reheat:  Gently warm in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop in its juices just until warm.  Overcooking will dry it out.
• Freeze:  Meat freezes great!  Freeze it flat in a freezer-safe ziptop bag with the meat juices.  When ready to eat, let it thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat as directed above.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS 

Both marinade and chimichurri can be prepped up to 3 days in advance.  Call ahead to your grocery store and ask your favorite butcher to slice your meat – one of my favorite easy dinner tricks!

Make guacamole right before serving to avoid browning.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH TACOS

• Instant Pot Mexican Rice
• Instant Pot Horchata – a cooling drink for any Mexican inspired meal
• Instant Pot Black Beans
• Instant Pot Pinto Beans

VARIATIONS

• Chimichurri Chicken Tacos:  Swap the steak for sliced chicken breast and cook for the same amount of time.
• Steak Salad:  Serve the steak on a bed of romaine with all of your favorite taco toppings.
• Steak Burrito:  Roll steak, guac, peppers and onions, rice, sour cream, beans, and cheese into a giant burrito size tortilla and drizzle the chimichurri over top.  YUM!!!

If there were ever a dinner my entire family could agree on, it's taco night.  Throw out all the toppings, let everyone build their own – LIFE IS GOOD.

I hope you love this Steak Taco recipe as much as we do!  It's a top 10 favorite around here and I can't wait to hear what you think!

Enjoy!

MORE INSTANT POT TACO RECIPES

• Instant Pot Chili Lime Chicken Tacos
• Instant Pot Thai Pork Tacos
• Instant Pot Taco Meat
• Instant Pot Coconut Lime Fish Tacos

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT STEAK TACOS

• Instant Pot
• Blender or
• Food Processor

Instant Pot Steak Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

Print Recipe

Tender Instant Pot Steak served over guacamole then drizzled with a tangy Chimichurri Sauce.  Easy dinner for any night of the week!

• Author: Marci
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Marinade

• ½ cup cilantro
• ¼ cup lime juice, about 2 limes
• ¼ cup orange juice, about 1 orange
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeno (deveined and deseeded if desired for less heat)
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2–3 pounds flank steak, sliced against the grain into thin strips

For the Chimichurri Sauce

• 1 cup packed Italian parsley
• ½ cup packed cilantro
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ – 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt

Guacamole – store bought or my easy homemade version (see notes)

For Serving – Corn or flour tortillas, cilantro, crumbled cotija or queso fresco cheese, lime wedges

Instructions

1. Blend marinade ingredients until smooth.
2. Place the marinade ingredients and flank steak in a ziplock bag or storage container and lightly shake to combine all the seasonings.
3. Store in refrigerator overnight for the best flavor, making sure the steak is immersed in the marinade (see note about marinating).
4. After the meat has marinated, pour all of the bag’s contents into the pressure cooker pot.  Arrange the meat so it is in a flat layer on the bottom as much as possible.
5. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
6. While the meat is cooking, place Chimichurri Sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until combined.  I like to leave mine a bit on the chunky side.  Set aside.
7. When pressure cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 5 – 10 minutes then release any remaining pressure.
8. To serve, warm tortillas on a griddle or in the microwave.  Make a pile of guacamole down the center of the tortilla, top with a few slices of meat, then spoon chimichurri sauce over top.  Garnish with crumbled cheese and chopped cilantro.

Notes

• Always slice meat against the grain for a more tender chew.
• I use Litehouse Guacamole Herb and Spice Blend to make a really fast and flavorful guacamole.  The blend is a mix of freeze dried herbs, onion, and garlic.  It is commonly found in the produce section of the grocery store or online.  Simply mash 2 ripe avocados, juice of ½ lime, 2 tablespoons Litehouse Guacamole Herb and Spice Blend, and salt together.  It literally takes less than a minute and it tastes amazingly fresh.
• Regarding marinating – pressure cooking does a good at infusing meat with flavor so if you’re short on time, add the marinade ingredients and the steak to the pressure cooker pot and cook right away.

Keywords: Instant Pot Steak Tacos, Taco Tuesday, Steak Tacos

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