Grilled Steak with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce (AIP, Paleo)

A confession:  I haven’t been very focused on creating recipes lately. 🙁  Life has been chaotic, my health has been a rollercoaster, and my creativity in the kitchen has been zapped.  I’ve been relying on simple, no-fuss dishes to get me through the weeks.  And often, simple is best.

In fact, the recipe I have for you today is quite simple.  It’s steak + sauce.  That’s it!  I wasn’t even going to write this one down when I threw it together before my whirlwind of a summer hit.  But I’m so glad I did, especially since the sauce is so versatile and could be eaten in many ways.

Sometimes a sauce can make or break a dish.  You could have a perfectly grilled piece of meat or fish, but if the sauce is lousy or flavorless, it totally ruins everything.  On the contrary, a rather mediocre cut of meat can be given new life with a brilliant sauce.  (Which is the case for today’s new main course meal.)   In this Grilled Steak with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce recipe, the sauce not only makes this dish, it knocks it out of the park!  So for those of you looking for a simple AIP and Paleo recipe to rely on when the going gets tough, this one’s for you!

I’ll be the first to admit that grilling has never been my strong suit.  Fortunately, my husband makes up for my lack of grilling skills.  So, when it comes to grilling meat, I always defer to Mark to help me execute.  In this case, he did all of the grilling while I did all of the photographing!  🙂  But not to worry if you’re like me and don’t have a lot of experience grilling steak.  This recipe can easily be adapted for chicken, fish, or even vegetables, because the Creamy Chimichurri Sauce could be eaten with just about ANYTHING!

Perhaps I should explain what chimichurri IS before I go any further.  I was first introduced to this amazing herbaceous sauce at an Argentinian restaurant here in Pittsburgh called Gaucho.  (If you ever get the chance to eat there, DO IT.  It’s not AIP, but it is very Paleo and gluten-free friendly!)  The menu at Gaucho featured grilled meats of all kinds topped with a delicious green sauce.

After I spent some time reading up on this magical sauce, I found out that chimichurri is typically made using olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and lots of fresh parsley and cilantro.  The traditional sauce also contains red pepper flakes or chilies for a kick of spice, but I omitted them in this AIP version.  I also took some liberties to make it my own with the addition of avocado, since I’m mildly obsessed with them.  And, wow. This sauce.  SO GOOD.

For my Grilled Steak with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce recipe, we used strip steak because I found grass-fed strip steaks on sale at Aldi!  You could totally use flank steak or other cuts of meat, but just keep in mind that the grilling times will vary.  I also would recommend a 24-hour marinade for tougher cuts of meat prior to grilling.  (Something like a mixture of avocado or olive oil, coconut aminos, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and garlic would do the trick!)

While Mark was grilling our steaks for me, I whipped up the easy Creamy Chimichurri Sauce in my Ninja Blender.  (It’s a less expensive alternative to the VitaMix or Blendtec blenders and I love it!  You could also use a food processor.)  After blending, the result is a super flavorful, creamy green sauce that is like a mix between chimichurri and guacamole!  It makes a perfect pairing to a juicy grilled strip steak!

The combination of the rich, juicy steak with the light, refreshing, zesty sauce is incredible!  So, even if you can’t try original chimichurri at an Argentinian steakhouse, I hope that my Grilled Steak with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce gives you a good taste of it this summer!  (Keep this recipe in mind for your Labor Day menu, too!  It won’t disappoint!)

Grilled Steak with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce (AIP, Paleo)

 

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Created by: Joanna Smith

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For the Steaks:

• 2 lbs grass-fed strip steak
• ½ teaspoon smoked salt (or sea salt)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• drizzle of avocado or olive oil

For the Creamy Chimichurri Sauce:

• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 ripe avocado
• ½ cup olive or avocado oil
• ¼ cup chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Allow steaks to come to room temperature, then season with a sprinkle of smoked salt and garlic powder. Drizzle steaks with avocado or olive oil, so that they're lightly coated.
2. Grill steaks at medium/high heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Add extra oil or lime juice if the sauce is thicker than you'd like.
4. Serve steak with Creamy Chimichurri Sauce.

Notes

~Leftover sauce makes an awesome salad dressing or dip for veggies and chips! You can also easily use this sauce with ANY meat, poultry, fish, or cooked veggies.

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