Tacos, allow me to introduce you to the classic Argentinean combination of skirt steak and chimichurri.
This isn’t, however, the traditional chimichurri made with parsley that you might be thinking of. This one’s made with arugula and basil – and it’s pretty divine.
Also – we’ve gone ahead and added grilled summer squash to these beauties, up-ing the health factor, and an easy goat cheese crema – which is really just a fancy term for goat cheese mixed with Greek yogurt.
This is one of my favorite meals I’ve made in a while, and it’s so super-simple – and perfect for summer! Cranking up my good ol’ Griddler to its highest heat got me the grill marks I was looking for, and I didn’t have any pots and pans to dirty up in the process since I used it for the meat, the squash, and even the tortillas.
In true Food Matters philosophy, this is all about adding a generous serving of vegetables to a meal that would typically be made mostly of meat. You can, of course, play with the meat to veggie ratio however you see fit. And why not add more vegetables, or switch it up based on what’s in your fridge or at the market? I think grilled red onions would rock it, no matter which way you go.
For the original recipe, head over to Lexi’s Kitchen – and check out what the rest of the members did with this one here!
- 2 cups arugula and basil, packed {see note}
- 4 – 5 cloves garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1½ to 1¾ pounds summer squash, ends removed and thickly sliced lengthwise
- 1 to 1¼ pounds skirt steak
- 4 ounces goat cheese, softened
- ½ cup fat-free Greek yogurt or light sour cream
- 8 corn/whole wheat tortillas {see note}
- Snipped chives, for garnish (optional)
- Preheat indoor grill {I have a Griddler} to high heat.
- To make the arugula-basil chimichurri, combine arugula, basil, and garlic in food processor. Add a generous pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, and ¼ cup olive oil; process for 10 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add vinegar and red pepper. Process for another 10 or 15 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary; set aside.
- Brush sliced squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill squash for about 20 minutes, turning once, until tender and browned. Transfer the squash to a platter. Brush steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill steaks for 3 – 5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, for medium-rare.
- Meanwhile, combine goat cheese and yogurt in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- When steaks finish cooking, set them on a plate or cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes or so. Throw the tortillas on the hot grill, and cook until slightly browned, about 30 seconds on each side.
- Slice the steaks against the grain and transfer to platter with the squash. Serve with arugula-basil chimichurri, goat cheese crema, and tortillas. Garnish platter with chives if desired.
arugula chimichurri sounds dreamy. this looks like my kind of meal! love it!
cassie (bake your day) recently posted..Cinnamon Roll Granola
If you’ve got breakfast with that granola, I’ve got dinner.
i adore arugula and i’m so jealous that you thought to use it in place of parsley or cilantro, i be that peppery note added such a lovely dimension to your tacos!
Lan | angry asian recently posted..chimichurri
Love that peppery note! I use arugula for pesto all the time, too – if you haven’t tried it, you should!
These sound so delicious and full of flavour, love that they use skirt steak too, it’s such an underrated cut.
Kathryn recently posted..strawberry and crème fraiche cake
Thank you! Skirt steak is Daniel’s favorite.
I love it, too. Definitely underrated.
I love the Griddler! It almost makes me feel less sad about my lack of a grill. These tacos look awesome – perfect summer meal!
Maggie @ A Bitchin’ Kitchen recently posted..Strawberry Milkshakes (and a giveaway!!!)
Exactly! I need to bust this baby out more often. xxSAS
Oh Sarah, yum…..now that I raided most of my parsley for my sauce it’s time to raid the arugula. It sounds great!
YES! I bet you’ve got some growing in that fabulous garden, don’t you?
Just last week my arugula started growing like crazy. I think it liked a few days of June gloom here on the coast.
Lexi recently posted..VEGETABLE AND BEEF KABOBS WITH CHIMICHURRI
Ummm, drool! I’ll have to try your arugula, basil version of chimichurri very, very soon. Looks fantastic!
Erin recently posted..Grilled Vegetables with Chimichurri Sauce – The Food Matters Project
Thank you, Erin! Love your veggies, so bright and colorful!
This is definitley a recipe to make. I love the idea of the arugula–it’s one of my favorites. And steak–any kind of steak–is always good.
Love it, Darina. Any kind of steak, indeed.
That sounds great. I bet the peppery flavor in the arugula perfectly complemented the steak!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) recently posted..Collard Slaw
This..looks…so…good!!
Looks amazing, Sarah!
Mmmmmm! Basil and Arugula! Two perfect summer flavors.
Aura Caplett recently posted..Summer Vegetable Mixed Grill with Chimichurri