We presented a facile method to prepare Au NPs@MIP for the electrochemical determination of dimetridazole. •A novel Au nanoparticles@molecularly imprinted polymer (Au NPs@MIP) was designed.•Ionic liquid (IL) was grafted onto Au NP by self-assembling to form Au NPs@IL.•Au NPs@IL was used as a monomer to prepare Au NPs@MIP.•The sensor offered a linear response for dimetridazole from 0.002 to 3.0μmolL−1. Herein, we reported a facile method for preparing gold nanoparticles@molecularly imprinted polymer (Au NPs@MIP), which was coated on mesoporous carbon (CKM-3) and porous graphene (P-r-GO) modified glassy carbon electrode to construct an electrochemical sensor for the determination of dimetridazole. Firstly, Au NP was prepared by reducing HAuCl4 with sodium citrate. Then, an ionic liquid (IL, i.e. 3-propyl-1-vinylimidazolium bromide) was added into Au NP solution to achieve Au NPs@IL by self-assembling. In succession, the Au NPs@IL was used as monomer to synthesize Au NPs@MIP. After that, the resultant Au NPs@MIP was coated on CKM-3 and P-r-GO modified electrode. Experimental conditions were carefully optimized for this assay strategy. In this case, the electrochemical sensor presented good response for dimetridazole, and its linear ranges were 2.0×10−9 to 2.5×10−7molL−1 and 2.5×10−7 to 3.0×10−6molL−1, and its detection limit was 5.0×10−10molL−1. The electrochemical sensor was applied to determine dimetridazole in food samples with satisfactory results.