Description
This Chimichurri Steak Salad combines juicy grilled steak, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and creamy avocado for an easy summer dinner. The homemade chimichurri works as both a steak marinade and a fresh salad dressing, giving every bite a bright and flavorful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chimichurri Marinade and Dressing
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Steak
- 1½ pounds flank steak, skirt steak, or top sirloin
- Dry spices for steak of your choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for grilling
For the Salad
- 6 cups mixed baby greens, romaine, or arugula
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
Prepare the Chimichurri
- Add parsley, cilantro, garlic, and oregano to a food processor.
- Pulse several times until the herbs are finely chopped. Keep some texture and avoid blending into a smooth paste.
- Transfer the herbs to a bowl.
- Add red wine vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir until combined.
- Divide the chimichurri into two portions. Use one portion as the steak marinade and reserve the other portion for the salad dressing.
Marinate the Steak
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels.
- Place the steak in a shallow dish and coat both sides with theory spices.
- Cover and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Grill the Steak
- Preheat your grill or grill pan over high heat.
- Lightly oil the grill grates or pan.
- Remove the steak from the marinade and allow excess marinade to drip off.
- Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the steak.
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain.
Assemble the Salad
- Add greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion to a large bowl.
- Arrange sliced steak and avocado over the salad.
- Drizzle the reserved chimichurri dressing over the top.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Resting the steak before slicing keeps the meat tender and juicy.
- Always slice steak against the grain for the best texture.
- Prepare the chimichurri up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator.
- Add avocado right before serving to keep it fresh.
- Store leftover salad ingredients separately for the best results.