If you need proof the Whole 30 diet isn’t about deprivation, take a look at this plate. Hearty chunks of meat, skewered alongside chunks of bell peppers, onion and zucchini, combine to make a dinner that’s truly filling. Don’t have a grill? You can broil or use a grill plate to make this dish, too. Don’t skip the marinade — it adds a flavor to the meat that’s worth the extra time.
Chimichurri Beef Kabobs Recipe
Serves 2
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Marinate Time: 1 to 8 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes plus marinating
Ingredients
1 pound lean steak (sirloin, strip, flank), cut into 1-inch dice
1 1/2 cups Chimichurri (below)
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares
1 onion, cut into 6 wedges
1 zucchini, cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds
Preparation
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour to prevent them from burning.
- Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag or nonreactive bowl with a lid. Cover the steak with enough chimichurri (about 1 cup) to coat thoroughly. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and marinate the steak in the refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours; more is better, especially for tougher cuts. (Feel free to leave your steak marinating overnight, or start your dinner prep in the morning before work.)
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the grill to high heat (500°F).
- Remove the steak from the marinade; discard the marinade. Prepare the kabobs by threading the steak, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini onto soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers, alternating meat and vegetables. You should be able to make about 6 skewers.
- Grill the kabobs directly over high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium (or move the kabobs to indirect heat) and brush with the remaining 1/2 cup chimichurri. Grill to desired doneness, 12 to 15 minutes. (The easiest way to check is to remove one of the kebabs from the heat and cut into the meat, checking for color.)
If you don’t have a grill, you have two other options for the kabobs. First, buy a grill plate for your stove and follow the same directions—it’s just like a barbecue, minus the mosquitoes. Or, you can broil, and then bake the skewers: Preheat the oven to Broil (or 500°F) and place the skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the kabobs for 3 minutes, then flip the skewers and broil for another 3 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and brush the skewers with the remaining chimichurri. Bake to desired doneness, 12 to 15 minutes.
Pro Tips: Marinating
Don’t marinate in a bowl made of copper, cast iron, aluminum, or easily stained plastic. When you add high-acid foods like citrus juice or tomato sauce to these kinds of bowls, they can react with the metal and impart a metallic taste to your foods. Instead, use a nonreactive bowl like glass or stainless steel. Always marinate in the fridge to avoid bacteria growth, and make sure to discard any remaining marinade, since it’s been in contact with raw meat.
Chimichurri Recipe
Makes 2 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
- Combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and shallot in a food processor and mix on low speed.
- Drizzle in the olive oil while mixing; the dressing will begin to emulsify.
- Add the cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper and continue to mix on low until the dressing is uniform in texture and the herb pieces are chopped quite small.
Chimichurri will last 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. If making ahead, bring it to room temperature before serving. If the dressing has separated, gently whisk to reblend.
Versatile chimichurri is a great topping for steak, lamb chops, chicken, and eggs, and is fantastic drizzled over grilled vegetables. You can also use it to marinate meat (like a flat-iron or skirt steak) before grilling.
Pro Tip: Storing Chimichurri
If you make a big batch of chimichurri, you can freeze portions in ice cube trays. That makes it easy to pop out just what you need for your next meal or recipe. Spoon your chimichurri into your trays (don’t over-fill), then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap. When your sauce is frozen, remove the plastic wrap, pop out the cubes, and transfer them to a resealable plastic bag. These will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer, and each cube is about 1 ounce of pesto.
Recipes and Photo from THE WHOLE30 by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig. Copyright © 2015 by Whole9Life, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.