Beef tenderloin, chimichurri, and crispy smashed potato stacks — need I say more? I first saw a similar dish at one of Francis Mallmann’s restaurants years ago and it stayed with me. When I got my griddle, recreating that idea was at the top of my list. The result is simple, textural, and full of flavor.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Beef Tenderloin Stacks
- How to Prepare
- 🔥Chef Nadia’s Tip🔥
- Substitutions and Variations
- The Perfect Pairings
- Beef Tenderloin Stacks: Questions Answered
- Beef Tenderloin Chimichurri Stacks Recipe
Why You’ll Love Beef Tenderloin Stacks
These stacks look like a showstopper and they taste even better. My chimichurri here is “adjacent” to the traditional version — I take liberties to balance brightness, heat, and a touch of umami. The combination of seared tenderloin, smashed potatoes crisped at the edges, and a vibrant herb sauce is irresistible.
How to Prepare
Tenderloin
- Slice the tenderloin into about 12 equal medallions, roughly 1 inch thick.
- Gently pound each medallion to even thickness so they cook uniformly.
- Salt both sides generously and place the medallions on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered to dry-brine for about an hour. Remove 30 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature.
- Preheat one side of your griddle to high. Add a bit of oil and sear the steaks 1–2 minutes per side for medium-rare. If you prefer more doneness, move the medallions to a cooler part of the griddle and finish cooking to taste.
Potatoes:
- Choose 16 small potatoes of similar size so they cook evenly.
- Boil in salted water until easily pierced with a fork, about 20–30 minutes depending on size.
- Drain in a strainer and let them steam-dry for 20–30 minutes — this is important for crisping.
- Gently smash each potato with the bottom of a measuring cup or similar tool. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt.
- Preheat the griddle to medium for 5 minutes, add the potatoes and sear until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes total, flipping halfway through.
Chimichurri:
- Strip leaves from parsley and cilantro stems. Roughly chop the herbs, scallions, and chilies.
- Add the herbs, scallions, chilies, grated garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil to a food processor and pulse a few times until combined but not puréed.
- Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste, add a pinch of cumin if you like, and stir in freshly grated Parmesan if desired. Add more olive oil to loosen the texture.
Assemble the Stacks:
- Make four stacks per recipe. Layer: steak, smashed potato, chimichurri, steak, potato, chimichurri, and finish with a final steak and extra chimichurri on top. Serve one stack per person.
🫶 And that is it — enjoy!
🔥Chef Nadia’s Tip🔥
Don’t skip letting the potatoes sit in the strainer for 20–30 minutes. Drying them first is the key to crispy edges and avoiding a soggy center.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitutions
- Beef tenderloin → Substitute with flank, hanger, strip steak, or any cut you prefer — adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Gold potatoes → Use small red, fingerlings, or purple potatoes of similar size for uniform cooking.
- Fresno chiles → Swap for jalapeños, serranos, or milder chiles depending on your heat preference.
- Variations
- If you don’t love chimichurri, try salsa verde, peppercorn sauce, or béarnaise instead.
- For a lighter presentation, make single-layer portions rather than stacked towers.
The Perfect Pairings
A spicy margarita pairs wonderfully with these stacks. For a starter, shrimp tostadas work well, a bright arugula-fennel salad is a nice side, and grilled or caramelized peaches make a light finish.
Cocktails
The BEST Spicy Margarita
Mains
Shrimp Wonton Tostadas
Sides
Arugula Fennel Salad
Desserts
Amaretto Peaches
Beef Tenderloin Stacks: Questions Answered
Yes. Chimichurri can be made up to a week ahead and kept refrigerated. Potatoes can be boiled and smashed the day before — store in a single layer and bring to room temperature before crisping. The steaks can be dry-brined in advance, but cook them just before serving for best texture.
A stovetop griddle, a heavy skillet, or two pans will work fine. The goal is high, even heat for searing and a flat surface for crisping the potatoes.
Yes. The core ingredients are gluten-free. When buying packaged items like vinegar or Parmesan, check labels if you need strict gluten-free assurance.
A heavy, flat griddle works best for even searing and crisping. Any similar tool that provides consistent heat will do the job.
|
4 servings
Equipment
-
cutting board
-
knife
-
meat mallet
-
wire rack and baking sheet
-
Large Pot
-
food processor
-
small bowl
-
measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef tenderloin, or meat of choice
- 16 small gold potatoes, it’s more about uniform size and less about weight
- salt, to taste
- olive oil, for coating potatoes
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 bunch parsley, small
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 1-2 fresno chiles
- 3 scallions, white and green part
- ½ garlic clove, freshly grated
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil, + more for topping
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pinch cumin, optional
- ⅓ cup parm, freshly grated
Instructions
-
Slice the tenderloin into about 12 filets, each roughly 1 inch thick (4–8 oz).
-
Gently pound each filet to even thickness so they match in size.
-
Place filets on a wire rack over a baking sheet, salt both sides generously, and refrigerate uncovered for an hour. Remove 30 minutes before cooking.
-
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until easily pierced, 20–30 minutes. Drain and let them sit in a strainer for 20–30 minutes to dry.
-
While the potatoes rest, prepare the chimichurri (instructions below).
-
Gently smash each potato with the bottom of a measuring cup, brush both sides with olive oil, and season with salt.
-
Preheat your griddle on medium for 5 minutes, add oil and the potatoes, and press gently with a spatula. Cook until crispy on both sides, about 10 minutes total.
-
Increase heat to high on the other side of the griddle, add oil and sear the steaks 1–2 minutes per side for a hard sear and medium-rare. For more doneness, move them to a cooler area of the griddle to finish cooking.
-
Assemble four stacks: steak, potato, chimichurri, steak, potato, chimichurri, steak. Top with extra chimichurri and serve.
-
Chimichurri Sauce: Remove parsley and cilantro leaves from stems and roughly chop them along with fresno chiles and scallions.
-
Combine the chopped herbs, chiles, scallions, grated garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Optionally add a pinch of cumin.
-
Transfer to a bowl, stir in grated Parmesan if using, and add extra olive oil to reach your preferred consistency.
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.