Bright, tangy chimichurri sauce is a fantastic flavor booster that you can use across a variety of meals. This time we're deploying it as a dressing for a hearty entree salad. Smarts: Thinning chimichurri with some mayonnaise gives it a slightly creamy texture and helps it cling to salad greens. Feel free to use some additional oil instead or skip this step if you prefer.
Bell peppers, from a jar of roasted red peppers
- 1 cup
, drained and sliced
(look for pre-sliced to save time)
Steak, sirloin or flank
- 1 lb
Tomatoes, cherry or grape
- 1 cup
, halved
Potatoes, fingerling
- 1 lb
(sub baby potatoes)
Oil, cooking
- 1 Tbsp
Baby kale
- 8 oz
(sub any salad greens)
Prep
Make chimichurri - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating before continuing with prep.) Combine cilantro, parsley, garlic, shallots, capers, vinegar, lime juice, salt, and oil (portion for chimichurri) in a blender or a food processor. Add more oil if it’s too thick. Season to taste with more salt or lime juice. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Roasted red peppers - Slice peppers if not already sliced. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Season steak - Season steak generously on all sides with some salt and pepper. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Toss potatoes with cooking oil (portion for salad) and some salt and pepper. Spread potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Roast potatoes until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking.
While potatoes roast, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with some cooking oil and add steak. Sear steak on both sides. Continue cooking until it reaches your desired level of doneness, medium-rare: 130F / 54C degrees (~3 minutes); medium: 140F / 60C degrees (~6 minutes); well-done: 160F / 71C degrees (~10 minutes).
Transfer steak to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Allow steak to rest for 5 to 10 minutes while you finish preparing the salad.
If chimichurri was made ahead of time, give it a stir. Optional: if you’d like a slightly creamy dressing, whisk the mayonnaise into the chimichurri.
Place kale, roasted peppers, and tomatoes in a large serving or mixing bowl. Toss salad with half of the dressing.
Slice the steak.
Divide salad among serving plates and arrange steak slices and potatoes on top. Drizzle with remaining dressing until salads are dressed to your liking. Enjoy!