21 Flavor-Packed Skirt Steak Recipes

Skirt Steaks with Carrot Puree and Braised Cabbage
Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Skirt steak is all about flavor; it's widely regarded as one of the tastiest beef cuts. Because it contains a lot of connective tissue, it's an excellent candidate for the tenderizing touch of marinades. Cooked briefly over high heat, the seasonings mingle with the meat, creating juicy, savory dishes like grilled balsamic-soy marinated skirt steak and tantalizing kebabs. Scroll through for these and other mouth-watering skirt steak dinner ideas.

01 of 21

Sourdough Tortillas with Charred Steak and Scallion Salsa

Sourdough Tortillas with Charred Steak and Scallion Salsa
Bobby Fisher

2017 F&W Best New Chef Val M. Cantu, of San Francisco's Californios, makes a lot of tortillas, but these sourdough ones embody his goal at the restaurant of marrying the cuisines of San Francisco and Mexico. You'll need to source a sourdough starter for these, but once you have that, it's yours for life, as long as you tend to it regularly.

02 of 21

Steak, Potato, and Chorizo Kebabs with Red Pepper Mayo

Steak, Potato, and Chorizo Kebabs with Red Pepper Mayo
Caitlin Bensel

"Almost nothing pairs better with potatoes than steak, so here I thread strips of skirt steak onto skewers with baby Dutch yellow potatoes," writes cookbook author Ann Taylor Pittman. "The intense beefiness of skirt steak is most welcome, and this cut is surprisingly well-suited to kebabs. Slices of robust Spanish chorizo crisp up on the grill and offer bursts of intense flavor as you eat the kebabs. Coating everything with smoked paprika amplifies the effect of the grilling."

03 of 21

Skirt Steak and Asparagus with Salsa de Semillas

Skirt Steak and Asparagus with Salsa de Samillas Recipe
Victor Protasio

Loaded with pumpkin seed kernels, cashews, and sesame seeds, salsa de semillas is a lesser-known but beloved Mexican nut-based salsa.

04 of 21

Skirt Steak with Roasted Tomato Chimichurri and Potatoes

Skirt Steak with Roasted Tomato Chimichurri and Potatoes
© Con Poulos

Chef Jose Enrique often pumps up a classic chimichurri by adding sweet roasted tomatoes. The condiment is great with steak, as well as grilled fish or poultry.

05 of 21

Balsamic and Soy Marinated Skirt Steaks with Charred Peppers

food-wine-september-2019-balsamic-skirt-steak-with-marinated-pepper
Victor Protasio

This simple grilled dinner is all about fresh summer produce. Herbs and smashed garlic quickly infuse charred sweet peppers, capturing their heat straight from the grill.

06 of 21

Grilled Skirt Steak with Shishitos and Charred Lemon

Grilled Skirt Steak with Shishitos and Charred Lemon
© Con Poulos

The tender beef, spicy shishito peppers, pungent blue cheese, and smoky lemon-dressed salad are incredible together. Chef Dave Beran tailor-made the dish to go with peppery Malbec from Argentina.

07 of 21

Lemongrass Skirt Steak Skewers

Lemongrass Skirt Steak Skewers Recipe
Cedric Angeles

Using flat skewers helps the meat char and cook evenly by curbing any rolling around the grill. Be sure to preheat the grill; high, even heat will help guarantee strong grill marks and caramelizes the sugars in the marinade.

08 of 21

Pepper-Crusted Skirt Steak with Charred Leeks

Pepper-Crusted Skirt Steak with Charred Leaks
© John Kernick

Star chef Alex Guarnaschelli cooks juicy skirt steak with spices until a crust forms, then spreads a mix of mustard and vinegar on the meat for a delicious tang.

09 of 21

Mark Bittman's Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Mark Bittman's Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
© Tina Rupp

The New York Times columnist Mark Bittman uses this tangy, salsa-esque Argentinean sauce as a complement to rich skirt steak.

10 of 21

Grilled Skirt Steak and Peaches

Grilled Skirt Steak and Peaches
© Tina Rupp

Chef David Burke marinates skirt steak for 20 minutes before grilling it alongside luscious fresh peach slices tossed in a mixture of honey, cinnamon, and ginger. He sets aside some of the steak marinade, mixes it with mustard, and serves it as a delicious, speedy steak sauce.

11 of 21

Grilled Korean-Style Skirt Steak

Grilled Korean-Style Skirt Steak
© Jim Franco

This recipe is a twist on a traditional Korean short-rib dish called kalbi kui. Expert griller Steven Raichlen prefers using skirt steak because it's much easier than butterflying short ribs. Serve the steak with lettuce leaves and chile paste and let diners wrap their own beef rolls. 

12 of 21

Pan-Seared Skirt Steak with Anchovies and Lime

Pan Seared Skirt Streak with Anchovies and Lime.
© Lucy Schaeffer

Chef Jacques Pépin's mother-in-law, who was from Puerto Rico, seasoned her steaks liberally with lime juice before and after cooking, then served them with a sauce that included anchovies and garlic. This is Pépin's sped-up version.

13 of 21

Skirt Steak with Paprika Butter

Skirt Steak with Paprika Butter
© John Kernick

"I love skirt steak because it's just fatty enough, and it cooks quickly, which is great for dinner parties," says 2009 F&W Best New Chef Vinny Dotolo. He serves the steak thinly sliced, with a lightly smoky, tangy paprika butter.

14 of 21

Grilled Skirt Steak with Green Bean Salad and Citrus Vinaigrette

Grilled Skirt Steak with Green Bean Salad and Citrus Vinaigrette
© John Kernick

Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quinonez Denton, both 2014 F&W Best New Chefs, serve their onion-marinated skirt steak with a vibrant green bean salad in a spicy citrus dressing.

15 of 21

Chile-Spiced Skirt Steak Tacos

Chile-Spiced Skirt Steak Tacos
© Con Poulos

In 2006, three brothers — Jesse, Brian, and David Vendley — started hawking homemade tacos from a cart on the streets of Soho in Manhattan. In 2009, the trio opened Calexico in Brooklyn. The secret to their success: super-fresh fillings like the pico de gallo in these carne asada tacos.

16 of 21

Skirt Steak with Pinto Beans and Pasilla Chile Vinaigrette

Skirt Steak with Pinto Beans and Pasilla Chile Vinaigrette
© Christina Holmes

Instead of serving juicy skirt steak with a traditional steak sauce, chef Hugh Acheson makes a flavorful vinaigrette with pasilla chile and adds it to pinto beans as a very tasty, hearty accompaniment to the meat.

17 of 21

Grilled Skirt Steak with Panzanella

Grilled Skirt Steak with Panzanella
© Line Klein

Like many restaurant chefs, Michael White "shocks" fresh vegetables to make them super crisp by submerging them briefly in an ice-water bath. For the panzanella here, don't bother shocking the fennel. Simply toss it with tomatoes, peppers, and pieces of grilled ciabatta bread just before you're ready to serve the steak.

18 of 21

Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano-Corn Sauce and Salsa

Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano-Corn Sauce and Salsa

© Con Poulos

In this ingenious three-ingredient recipe, grilled fresh corn and poblano chile are used in two ways: Half of the mixture gets pureed into a sauce that's served under seared skirt steak and the rest becomes a chunky salsa that's spooned on top.

19 of 21

Grilled Skirt Steak with Fruit and Green Tomato Salsa

Grilled Skirt Steak with Fruit-and-Green-Tomato Salsa
© John Kernick

To garnish her grilled steak, chef Stephanie Izard prepares a summery salsa of sweet cherries and plum, with chopped green tomatoes for tartness and crunch.

20 of 21

Pan-Seared Skirt Steaks with Carrot Puree and Braised Cabbage

Skirt Steaks with Carrot Puree and Braised Cabbage
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Velvety carrot puree, tender pan-seared steaks, and braised cabbage come together in a beautifully composed dish topped with a fresh, punchy cilantro gremolata from 2019 F&W Best New Chef Paxx Caraballo Moll. "I love the flavor explosions and textures you get from this dish," says Moll. "Transforming a humble cut of meat, making it delicious, and seeing people's faces and all the great feedback make me proud of this dish. The sweetness of the carrots makes a great contrast with our gremolata, and every bite feels refreshing."

21 of 21

Skirt Steak with Shiso-Shallot Butter

Skirt Steak with Shiso-Shallot Butter
© Maura McEvoy

Chef Tyler Florence makes a Korean-inspired marinade for skirt steak with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. With what he calls a "king-of-the-grill mentality," he boldly adds even more layers of flavor by topping the steak with a butter he's blended with caramelized shallots and shiso.

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