This salad is grilled flank steak sliced thin and laid over peppery arugula, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and red onion, all tied together with a bright, garlicky chimichurri that doubles as both marinade and dressing. The whole thing comes together in 45 minutes, which makes it a realistic weeknight dinner rather than a weekend project. The chimichurri does most of the flavor work, so the ingredient list stays short and the result punches well above its effort.
Before you start
Two things determine whether this salad succeeds or just tastes like steak on lettuce. First, slice the steak against the grain โ flank steak has long, visible muscle fibers, and cutting across them shortens those fibers so each bite is tender instead of chewy. Second, make the chimichurri first and let it sit while you grill. Even 20 minutes of resting time lets the garlic mellow and the parsley fully absorb the oil and vinegar, giving you a sauce with real depth rather than a sharp, raw bite. Both steps cost you nothing extra in time if you sequence them right: mix the chimichurri, then fire up the grill.
Common problems and fixes
- Steak is tough and stringy: You sliced with the grain instead of across it. Look at the surface of the rested steak โ the fibers run in one direction. Turn your knife perpendicular to those lines before you cut.
- Chimichurri tastes flat or too sharp: It needs salt. Taste it before you dress anything. A small pinch more salt and an extra few minutes of resting usually fixes both problems at once.
- Avocado turns brown before you serve: Slice it last, right before plating. If youโre assembling bowls for a group, keep the avocado separate and add it per bowl as you plate.
- Arugula wilts under the warm steak: Let the steak rest its full 5 minutes and then slice it โ donโt rush it onto the greens while itโs still steaming. The brief rest also finishes the carryover cooking, so youโre not losing that medium-rare center.
- Dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl: Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast. Spoon chimichurri over individual plates rather than tossing the whole batch ahead of time.
Keeping leftovers crisp
Store the components separately if you have any foresight about leftovers. Cooked steak keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days โ reheat it briefly in a dry skillet or eat it cold, sliced thin over fresh greens. Chimichurri holds in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days; the olive oil may solidify slightly when cold, so pull it out 10 minutes before you need it and give it a stir. Do not store dressed arugula โ it turns to mush within an hour. If youโve already assembled the salad, the greens are a write-off by the next day, but the steak and chimichurri are worth saving and rebuilding on fresh arugula.
Argentine Chimichurri Steak Salad
Ingredients
Steak and Salad
- 500 grams flank steak Preferably grass-fed for better flavor
- 1 bunch arugula leaves fresh and washed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small avocado sliced
- ยผ cup red onion thinly sliced
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ยผ cup fresh oregano finely chopped
- ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ยฝ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ยฝ teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- Chimichurri Sauce: In a bowl, combine 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar until well integrated. Let it sit to marry the flavors.
- Prepare the Steak: Preheat your grill to high heat. Season the 500 grams of flank steak generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side until medium-rare or until desired doneness. Remove from grill and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine 1 bunch of arugula leaves, 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes, 1 sliced avocado, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion. Drizzle some chimichurri over the salad ingredients and toss gently.
- Plate the salad on individual dishes, top with slices of steak, and spoon a generous amount of chimichurri sauce over the steak. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use skirt steak instead of flank steak?
Yes โ skirt steak works well here and is often easier to find. Itโs thinner than flank, so reduce your grill time to about 2โ3 minutes per side and watch it closely, since it goes from medium-rare to overcooked quickly.
Can I make the chimichurri ahead of time?
Yes, and it actually improves with time. Make it up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed jar. The flavors knit together overnight better than they do in 20 minutes, so this is one of the best parts of this recipe to prep the day before.
My grill isnโt an option โ can I cook the steak indoors?
A cast-iron skillet over high heat works well. Get the pan very hot before the steak goes in, and use the same timing โ 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare on a 500g flank steak. You wonโt get grill marks, but the crust and flavor are comparable.