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Meat, Americas

Grilled asado with chimichurri and salada criolla

Grilled asado with chimichurri is an Argentine dish of grilled beef served with salada criolla and potatoes, for 4 people, in 50 minutes, at an easy level, for €4.60 per person. The key is the chimichurri made ahead by hand, and the meat seared then rested before slicing.

Tonight it's Argentine style Sunday barbecue, grilled beef, chimichurri, and a bright salada criolla.

Grilled asado with chimichurri and salada criolla
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer

Asado is the grilled beef that rules Argentine Sundays, ribeye or hanger steak seared hot and pink inside. Chimichurri wakes everything up, parsley, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes steeped in vinegar and oil, a bright sauce that cuts through the richness of the meat. Alongside, the salada criolla brings crunch and acidity, tomatoes and red onion lightly dressed.

This is a dish for when you have people around the table and a grill or griddle heating up, more of a summer Sunday than a rushed weeknight. The baby potatoes, lightly crushed then browned, round out the meal without any complicated shopping list. Simple to pull off, Mon Chou suggests making the chimichurri before guests arrive, everything else comes together fast.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ribeye or hanger steak 900 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Flat leaf parsley 1 sprigs
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Red onion 1
  • Baby potatoes 800 g

Pantry

  • Dried oreganooften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Red pepper flakesoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Red wine vinegaroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 12 tbsp
  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Finely chop the parsley and garlic, mix with the oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and 8 tablespoons of oil.

    Don't use a food processor, chopping by hand keeps the texture and freshness.

  2. Dice the tomatoes and thinly slice the red onion, season with a tablespoon of vinegar, a drizzle of oil, and salt for the salada criolla. 5 min

    Rinse the raw onion under cold water, it turns milder.

  3. Cook the potatoes whole in salted water, then brown them in a pan with a tablespoon of oil. 20 min

    Crush them lightly with a fork before browning, they crisp up more.

  4. Salt the meat with coarse salt and grill it on a hot griddle or barbecue, a few minutes on each side. 12 min

    Let it rest five minutes under foil before slicing.

  5. Slice the meat, spoon chimichurri over it, and serve with the salad and potatoes.

    Keep some chimichurri on the side so everyone can add more.

Our tips to get it right

  • Let the meat come to room temperature before grilling, it cooks more evenly than a cold piece straight from the fridge.
  • Salt the meat only right before grilling, salting too early draws out moisture and keeps you from getting a good crust.
  • Make sure your griddle or pan is screaming hot before the meat hits it, a lukewarm surface gives you gray meat instead of a sear.

The variations

  • Swap the ribeye for sirloin or flank steak, both handle a quick hot sear well.
  • For a vegetarian version, grill thick slices of eggplant or portobello mushrooms and top them with the same chimichurri.
  • To save time, cut the meat into thin strips before grilling, it only takes two minutes per side.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the chimichurri
  • Cold lemonade
  • A simple green salad on the side

Storage

Grilled meat and chimichurri keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, store them separately from the salada criolla, which loses its crunch. Chimichurri on its own keeps up to 4 days and freezes well. Reheat the meat gently in a pan so it doesn't toughen.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the chimichurri ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually better that way. Made an hour ahead, the vinegar softens the garlic and the herbs melt into the oil, but you can also make it the day before.

What meat works if you don't have ribeye or hanger steak?

Sirloin, flank steak, or rump steak all work well for an asado. Pick a fairly thin cut or slice it thin for a quick, hot sear.

How do you tone down the raw red onion in the salada criolla?

Rinse the sliced onion under cold water right after cutting it. This simple step softens the bite without losing the crunch.

Can you cook the meat without a barbecue?

Yes, a hot griddle or cast iron pan gets you close to the same result. The key is getting the surface very hot before the meat goes on.

How long does it take to make a grilled asado with chimichurri, salada criolla, and potatoes?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a grilled asado with chimichurri, salada criolla, and potatoes?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a grilled asado with chimichurri, salada criolla, and potatoes cost?

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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