Steak Chimichurri Salad with Charred Corn
Steak Chimichurri Salad with Charred Corn - seared flank steak, seared corn off the cob, lots of veggies, & a delicious chimichurri dressing. Everything in this salad is so fresh - from the chopped cucumbers, to the diced red onion, the charred corn, the grape tomatoes, the avocado, and the fresh herby chimichurri vinaigrette - you will want to make this salad on repeat every week! It's bursting with flavor and freshness but so filling you'll feel satisfied and healthy after eating it. .
Servings 6
Ingredients
Chimichurri Dressing
- 3/4 cup cilantro, finely minced
- 3/4 cup parsley, finely minced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (can add more to taste)
Flank Steak & Marinade
- 1.5-2 lbs. flank steak
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- oil, for cooking
Veggies for Salad
- 1 container (10 oz.) grape tomatoes, halved (about 1.75 cups)
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 red onion, diced finely
- 3-4 ears corn on the cob, seared on a pan until slightly charred
- 2 avocadoes, chopped
Instructions
Flank Steak
- Begin by marinating the steak. This can be done up to a day ahead of time but should be done at least an hour before cooking the steak.
- To an airtight container (or large ziploc bag), add the soy sauce and garlic salt. Add in the flank steak and flip the steak a couple of times to coat it. (Can add more soy sauce if needed to cover the steak).
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours, before cooking the steak.
- This steak can be seared on the stovetop or grilled, or cooked in a smoker. (If smoking the meat, you'll need to prepare extra time to cook it - we love this in the smoker but it takes a bit longer.)
- To sear on the stovetop, set a large pan to medium-high heat for about 2 minutes for it to get hot. Add in 1-2 tablespoons of a flavorless oil, then using tongs, remove the steak from the marinade and sear on each side.The amount of searing time on each side will depend on how thick your flank steak is, and how well done you like your steak. Typically it will be a couple minutes per side.
- Once cooked, remove from heat onto a large cutting board and cover with tinfoil for 5-10 minutes to let the steak rest. Then chop the steak.
- You can add the chopped steak warm to the salad, and you can also chill it and add it cold. Either way is delicious.
Chimichurri Dressing
- Next, make your chimichurri, so it can chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before serving. (You can also make this a day ahead of time - or several hours ahead, and chill until ready to dress the salad.)
- Add the cilantro, parsley, diced red onion, garlic, and dried red chili flakes to a medium bowl.
- Pour the olive oil, honey, and red wine vinegar over the top. Mix everything together and finish with the salt.
- Chill the chimichurri dressing for at least 20 minutes, up to 2 days in the fridge (in an airtight container), before serving.
Charred Corn
- If you haven't done so yet, sear the corn on the cob in a large skillet pan. Heat the pan to medium-high heat, add a tiny bit of oil, and once it's hot, use tongs to place each ear of corn into the hot pan. Sear on each side for a minute or two until slightly charred.
- Remove from the heat. Once cooled, cut the corn off each cob. Set aside.
Building the Salad
- Build the salad by placing the diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, diced red onion, and charred corn in a large bowl.
- Add the steak, the red onion, and the avocado. (If planning to save the salad leftovers for a couple days, you can alternately add the avocado to each individual plate served, and not to the whole salad, so it won't get mushy.)
- Next, top with the chimichurri dressing and mix well.
- Serve and enjoy!
- (This salad works great as a main dish or as a side dish. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.)