California Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

Name: California Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.25lb flank steak; 1 tablespoon olive oil; salt & pepper to season; 8 oz. fresh arugula; 1 red onion, sliced into 1" rings (keep them together you're going to grill them); 1lb. asparagus, trimmed; 1 pint of assorted cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 avocado, sliced; 1 garlic clove; 1 cup fresh cilantro; 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; salt & pepper to taste

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A paleo California Steak Salad filled with grilled onions, arugula, avocado, asparagus, charred Steak and covered in zesty Chimichurri Dressing. Fresh, light, high in protein and freakin delicious! You need this!

I brought this dish to the table and immediately Cason said … “oh mom … we have chimichurri a lot.”

bahahahah… really child!?

I couldn’t help but laugh. He had this “oh my gosh” look on his face and was acting like the world ended. But as soon as he took a bite, all those drama faces went away and he started dipping his asparagus, steak, and avocado in the sauce and even poured more on his plate.

We usually have salad at our house for dinner at least once a week. It usually involves Steak, Chicken or Salmon and the grill. Cuz … duh we’re in the summer people! But I will say I have been known to go outside and grill in the middle of the winter because I’m that addicted.

To this day one of my husbands favorite salads is …. wait for it …

ANYTHING WITH STEAK IN IT!

Shocker right? Men and their steak! It’s meant to be. Even Cason has learned that at a young age.

The good news is … ladies if you want to get your men to their veggies give them a piece of steak and hid it in a big bed of lettuce. Wifey for the win!

Everything about this salad screams fresh, light, summer … AND in return screams California to me.

This salad is filled with creamy avocado, charred red onions, grilled aspagagus (cuz everything is better on the grill), and fresh multicolored cherry tomatoes to give this dish a pop of color. But the kicker is the grilled flank steak topped with zesty fresh chimichurri dressing.

I guarantee you’ll be inhaling this salad … it will disappear in minutes of being placed in front of yo face! And you know what? That’s perfect okay! This salad has a whopping 36 grams of protein a serving and is loaded with nutrients!

On a side note. Grilling onions can be pretty tricky. I have definitely lost my fair share of onion slices down the grill grate abyss. One of my tricks to keep the onions in tact while on the grill is to slice the onions in 1″ rings WITH THE SKIN ON. The skin acts as a rubberband to keep all those onions slices together so they grill perfectly instead of sliding down those grates. Another tip … stop moving those onions around. Put them on the grill and leave them alone! The more you move them the more they fall apart people. Let them cook a solid 4-5 minutes then flip them. I guarantee you’ll get the results you want!

Ok, enough of me preaching.

Now I’m just gonna tell you that you need to go out and make this salad! It’s perfect for the summer months, filled with bold fresh flavors and can easily be made during a busy work week or SCHOOL WEEK …. gahhh that is coming up soon guys!

Bon Appetit sweet friends! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

California Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Krista
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 4
Category: Gluten Free, Beef, Salad, Paleo

Ingredients

1.25lb flank steak
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper to season
8 oz. fresh arugula
1 red onion, sliced into 1″ rings (keep them together you’re going to grill them)
1lb. asparagus, trimmed
1 pint of assorted cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, sliced

Chimichurri Dressing:

1 garlic clove
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium high heat.
Season asparagus and onion rings with olive oil and salt.
Place asparagus and onion rings on grill. Grill the asparagus for 4-5 minutes and remove. Grill the onion rings for 4-5 minutes per side until char marks appear. Remove and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive to flank steak, rub into both side. Season both sides with salt & pepper.
Place flank steak on the grill. Grill each side for 3-5 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. (make sure you slice it against the grain)
While the steak is resting add the following to a small food processor: a garlic clove, fresh cilantro, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Blend until smooth and looks like a dressing.
Assemble the salad, add fresh arugula, grilled red onion slices, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, and sliced flank steak to a large serving platter. Serve with Chimichurri Dressing on the side! Garnish with a lime.