This steak salad is topped with a chimichurri dressing and is a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table on busy weeknights. The only cooking involved for this delicious dinner is grilling or pan frying the steaks which doesn’t take long at all.
Sirloin steak is used here to turn a simple salad into a meal. Flank and skirt steaks go hand in hand with chimichurri, but sirloin steak is leaner, tender, and not as chewy making it perfect for the salad. Save the flank and skirt steaks for this churrasco with chimichurri recipe.
This salad is a great summer recipe especially if you are making the steak on the grill. For more grilling recipes try this chimichurri chicken, this easy shrimp foil packet, and the crowd-pleaser chicken satay with peanut sauce.
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Ingredients
- Steak – Use a thick piece of top sirloin or sirloin tip because it is a tender cut that can be grilled or pan-fried and is reasonably priced.
- Pantry – From the pantry you will need extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, croutons (use your favorite brand and variety, we used seasoned croutons).
- Produce – For the chimichurri dressing you will need garlic and fresh parsley. We usually use flat leaf parsley to make chimichurri, but curly parsley will also work. For the salad purchase a bagged salad mix or make your own. We used a mix of iceberg lettuce, carrots, radishes, and red cabbage. For the tomatoes we used grape, but most types will work great.
- Herbs and spices – Salt, black pepper, dried oregano and crushed red pepper simply season this dish.
- Garnish – Parmesan cheese to top the salad, optional.
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them sit out to take the chill out prior to cooking.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic, dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to a small jar, or a container with a tight fitting lid. Cover and shake vigorously to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use, shake well right before using.
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Season both sides with the salt. Cook the steaks on the grill or pan fry.
Grill the steaks – Preheat the grill for 15-20 minutes. Cook the steaks on moderate to moderate-low heat (300°F-375°F) for 8-10 minutes on each side (for medium doneness on a 1 inch thick steak) or until the desired doneness is reached.
Pan fry the steaks – Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the steaks. Arrange them so they are not overlapping. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until seared. There should be a brown crust on the entire surface of the steak.
Turn and cook another 3-4 minutes until seared on both sides. Then, continue to cook the steaks, turning occasionally until they reach the desired doneness.
Let the sirloins rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Top tip
The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the steak and how well you like it cooked. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the steak is up to temperature. Here is a basic guide. Note that it is the USDA recommendation that beef be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145°F.
- Rare: 120-125° F – The entire center of the steak will be completely red with only the outside edges cooked
- Medium Rare: 125-135° F – The inside will go from red to pink with the outside edges cooked.
- Medium: 135-145° F – The center will be pink (not red) and will have a larger cooked outside edge
- Medium Well: 145-155° F – The center will have only a touch of pink
- Well Done: over 155° F – There will be no pink whatsoever
Build the salad
Divide the lettuce, tomatoes and croutons into 4 bowls or plates.
Slice the steak and divide it into four portions (about 5-6 ounces per serving). Top each salad with the sliced steak and garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve the steak salad with the chimichurri dressing and enjoy.
Frequently asked questions
Top sirloin or sirloin tip work well for the salad because they are tender and flavorful without breaking the bank.
Homemade garlic bread, garlic parsley potatoes and a baked potato will make fantastic sides for a hearty steak salad.
Chimichurri is a condiment that is popular throughout Latin America. It is typically a combination of parsley, olive oil, vinegar and spices. Here we use the basic components of chimichurri sauce to make an oil and vinegar based dressing.
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Chimichurri Steak Salad
Ingredients
Chimichurri Salad Dressing
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Finely Chopped Parsley use flat leaf or curly parsley
- 1 Garlic Clove grated or minced finely
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Salt (we use kosher salt)
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional
Steak and Salad
- 1¼ -1½ pound Sirloin Steak choose a thick cut of top sirloin or sirloin tip about 5-6 ounces per salad
- 1 teaspoon of Salt
- 12-16 ounces Salad Mix lettuce, carrots, radishes, etc. or use your favorite variety
- 12 ounces Cherry or Grape Tomatoes whole or cut in half/thirds or 2-3 medium tomatoes cut into bite sized pieces or wedges
- 4 ounces Croutons
- Shaved or Grated Parmesan Cheese for serving optional
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Add the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to a small jar, or a container with a tight fitting lid. Cover the container and shake vigorously.
- Refrigerate until ready to use, shake well before using.
Grill the steaks
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them sit out to take the chill out prior to cooking. Pat dry with paper towels. Season the steaks with the salt on each side.
- Preheat the grill for 15-20 minutes. Cook the steaks on the preheated grill over moderate to moderate-low heat (300°F-375°F) for 8-10 minutes on each side (for medium doneness on a 1 inch thick steak) or until the desired doneness is reached.
Pan fry the steaks
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the steaks. Arrange them so they are not overlapping. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until seared. There should be a brown crust on the entire surface of the steak.
- Turn and cook another 3-4 until seared on both sides. Then, continue to cook the steaks, turning occasionally until they reach the desired doneness.
- Weather grilling or pan frying allow the steaks to rest at least 10-15 minutes prior to slicing to allow the juices to redistribute. If you slice the steak right away, all the juices will run out. Build the salads while they rest.
Build the salad
- Divide the lettuce, tomatoes and croutons into 4 bowls or plates.
- Slice the steaks into strips and divide into four portions (about 5-6 ounces per serving). Top each salad with the sliced steak and garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve with the chimichurri dressing and enjoy.
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