Back when I worked the line, “healthy salad” meant a sad bowl of prewashed greens that turned to soup by the time I got to table. So I built this one to be the opposite: a chopped steak salad with zero lettuce, and it still looks crisp at hour three.
It’s my summer go-to right now. Diced grilled steak, baby cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and a zingy chimichurri dressing that carries the whole bowl. And because there’s no leafy part to wilt, it’s the kind of salad you can build ahead and actually eat the next day.
Why this works
Chimichurri is a bold, herby sauce that comes out of Argentina and other South American countries. Cut the steak into small pieces instead of thin slices, and the dressing clings to every bite instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. That’s what makes it hold up.
The good kind of simple: one pan or grill, one food processor, one bowl. 30 minutes, start to finish, including the chop.
What you need
- Steak — flank, sirloin, or strip steak, trimmed
- Fresh parsley — the base of the chimichurri
- Garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil
- Crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper
- Mini cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, one large avocado (about 6 oz, roughly 170 g)
Everything except the olive oil and the vegetables lives in the recipe card below.
How to make it
Step 1 — Take the steak out of the fridge and season both sides with salt and pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you get everything else ready. Cold steak from the fridge cooks unevenly; this one won’t.
Step 2 — Make the chimichurri. Put the parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a small food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil slowly. You want it mostly smooth but still a little textured.
Step 3 — Grill the steak. Get a grill, grill pan, or cast-iron skillet hot over medium-high heat, give it a spray of oil, and cook the steak 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare, or an extra minute or two per side for medium. An instant-read thermometer is your friend: the internal temperature will keep climbing about 5 degrees (about 3°C) while the steak rests.
Step 4 — Rest and chop. Let the steak rest 5 to 10 minutes, then cut it into cubes. Cutting against the grain makes the difference between tender and chewy — you’ll see the muscle fibers running in parallel, and you want to cut across them.
Step 5 — Build the salad. Toss the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and avocado with the salt and half of the chimichurri in a large bowl. Add the steak and the rest of the dressing, give it one more toss, and divide it over plates.
Swaps and variations
- No steak in the freezer? Grilled chicken or shrimp works the same way.
- No mini cucumbers? Use an English cucumber — if you’re working with a regular one, peel it and scoop out the seeds first.
- Herbs: half parsley and half cilantro is a fine trade.
- Want something sharper? Crumbled feta or cotija goes in nicely.
- Need more fiber? Toss in chickpeas or white beans.
- Miss lettuce? Add arugula or romaine. I don’t, but you do you.
Meal prep and storage
Building it ahead? Make it exactly as written but leave out the avocado — slice it right before eating so it doesn’t turn brown. This keeps for 2 days in the fridge. Straight out of the fridge works, or let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take the chill off. The vegetables will drop a little liquid as they sit, and that’s normal.
Trade-It Tip: No mini cucumbers? A peeled, seeded regular cucumber does the same job — same crunch, same job done.
If it doesn’t fit a Tuesday night, it doesn’t get published.