Last updated on October 12th, 2021 at 03:17 pm
I know, I just posted shrimp kabobs so this is two kabob recipes in a row. But it is just starting to be grilling season here and I just can’t help myself. And this recipe is a family favorite meal. The bright and fresh flavors of the chimichurri help bring out the best of these marinated steak kabobs.
My sister-in-law and her family lived close when we were in Texas. So we would get together fairly regularly. And get-togethers for me really center around food. Family is good too, but food! That goes doubly true for holidays where food can become part of the tradition.
These marinated steak kabobs became part of our Easter tradition in Texas. I think it originally started because our first Easter getting together there was going to be a beautiful weekend, so we knew grilling would be perfect. Then it took a little searching around to decide what to make.
I found a grilled steak kabob recipe from the Cozy Apron that seemed like a good starting point. For one who makes a lot of recipes, I don’t strictly follow recipes well. So I ended up with some changes and differences in how I made the kabobs. But they were a hit at our first Easter gathering, so they became our traditional meal.
Preparing the Marinade
The kabobs are delicious, but it is really the chimichurri that makes this dish unique. A chimichurri is a simple sauce originating in Argentina that is based largely on finely chopped parsley. Mix the parsley with oil, oregano, garlic, and red wine vinegar then sprinkle in some salt and red pepper flakes to finish it off. It makes a loose sauce that is typically drizzled over grilled meats.
But the sauce is so good that it can be used for a whole lot more. One of the changes I made when approaching this recipe was using some of that chimichurri in the marinade for the steak kabobs. I want that bright flavor throughout the whole dish. You could even try making some extra chimichurri and using a basting brush while grilling to add more flavor to everything.
Mix some of the chimichurri with the other marinade ingredients in a large bowl with the cubed steak. Then let it sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours. That’s when the marinade can do its magic and release its flavor into the meat. It will help accentuate the meat in a simple, yet profound way.
Make the Marinated Steak Kabobs Your Own
My recipe below will have a set list of ingredients. But this is a kabob. It is easy to make it your own. Thread whatever you want onto the skewers along with the marinated steak. Just consider what flavors will pair well with each other and get along together with the bright flavors of the chimichurri.
I typically go with a mix of potatoes (baby blue, gold, and red ones), cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion. With the steak, of course. Adding mushrooms, eggplant, pineapple, carrots, or hot peppers to the mix would all be delicious substitutions. Anything that sounds good with grilled steak, really.
When choosing what should go along with the meat in your marinated steak kabobs, make sure to consider how much it would need to cook. I use potatoes because they are delicious. But they would still be crunchy and uncooked if I put them onto the grill raw with the rest of the skewers. So instead I cut them up into skewer-size pieces, toss them in a bowl with a little water, butter, and salt, and then microwave them for a few minutes until they are basically cooked through.
So bust out the skewers and see if these marinated steak kabobs slathered in chimichurri sauce should become a part of your family traditions or gatherings.
Marinated Steak Kabobs with Chimichurri
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Intermediate8
servings30
minutes10
minutes30
minutes1
hour10
minutesA bright and flavorful chimichurri sauce rounds out these marinated steak kabobs that are grilled to perfection with loads of veggies
Ingredients
- Chimichurri
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups parsley, finely chopped (about 2 bunches)
1/3 cup oregano, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 and 1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
- Meat, Marinade, and Kabobs
4 pounds sirloin steak
1/2 cup prepared chimichurri (from above)
1/2 olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
3 pounds potatoes – petite blue/gold/red preferred
2 large bell peppers (any colors)
1 large red onion
1 small zucchini squash
1 small yellow squash
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces cherry tomatoes
Directions
- Chimichurri
- Chop and mince the garlic, parsley, and oregano
- Combine the garlic, parsley, oregano, red pepper, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt into a medium bowl and stir together until well mixed
- Marinade and Kabobs
- Cut the steak into 1 to 2-inch cubes
- Add the steak to a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the prepared chimichurri, olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, and paprika
- Put the bowl in the fridge, covered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours
- While the steak is marinating, chop the potatoes, bell peppers, red onion, zucchini, and yellow squash into bite-sized 1 to 2-inch pieces
- Put the cut potatoes into a microwave-safe bowl with the water, butter, and salt
- Microwave it on high for 5 minutes, stir, and microwave again for 3 minutes
- Check with a fork to see if the potatoes are done, and continue cooking in 2 minute increments until the fork easily pierces them
- Just before you are ready to assemble the kabobs, light and preheat the grill to high heat
- Assemble the kabobs by threading on steak and vegetables in alternating patterns until all the ingredients are used
- Place the kabobs on the grill, cooking them for about 5 minutes on each side until the steak is done
- Serve the kabobs with the remaining chimichurri sauce on top
