Grilled Steak with Zhoug Sauce

Perhaps one of the best ways to enjoy this delicious sauce that hails from Yemen is pairing it with perfectly cooked Steak. This delicious Grilled Steak with Zhoug Sauce recipe is reminiscent of the very popular Steak and Chimichurri that many of us are familiar with. The Zhoug Sauce adds a bright and vibrant zest to the richness of the Steak and is a wonderful accompaniment. In this recipe we’ll show you how to easily make a delicious Zhoug Sauce at home, and pair it with a perfectly cooked piece of Steak

Begin by making the Zhoug Sauce

Like most Steak dishes, it’ll be the last thing you prepare as you want it nice and warm on the plate. Therefore, the first step in making our Grilled Steak with Zhoug Sauce is making the Sauce. Good news is this is a super-simple sauce to make. No fancy saucier-type approaches needed, just a blender and some good quality ingredients

The vibrancy in the Sauce is due to the inclusion of fresh Parsley and Cilantro (which we use in equal portions) that are blended with Green Chili, Garlic, along with the acidity of Lemon Juice and Sherry Vinegar

A pinch of Salt is also added, and good quality Olive Oil is drizzled into the Sauce as it’s whizzing away in the blender to help emulsify and create that creamy viscosity which truly makes this sauce special. The Sauce will only need to be roughly blended, so once you’ve added the Olive Oil into the blender along with the remaining ingredients it’ll pretty much be done

No need for a super-smooth sauce, as a traditional Zhoug Sauce has some fun textures in it, which amplifies its humble heritage. Sure, if you want to go for a smooth consistency, you can run the sauce through a sieve, but personally I think it’s better without it

Zhoug Sauce can be prepared in advance and will last for a few days

With the Zhoug Sauce done you can simply pour it into a bowl or container and set it aside. If you’re preparing the Sauce in advance, you can simply place it into a sealable container and pop it in the refrigerator. It’ll keep for a few days and taste just as good

It’s a delicious Sauce that’s very versatile, pairing just as well with vegetables or a Salad as it does with Steak. So, if you feel like it, you can double or even triple the quantities in the recipe below and make a big batch

We love Zhoug Sauce and have written an entire article about it here. So, if you want to learn more about this delicious Sauce then we highly recommend checking out that article

Time to cook the Steak!

For our Grilled Steak with Zhoug Sauce recipe we’re using Beef Tenderloin / Filet, but you can use any cut of Steak you like. The hero of the dish is that wonderful Sauce, so we keep the Steak preparation simple with a classic seasoning of Salt and Pepper

Then, heat a bit of Neutral Oil in a frying pan over a relatively high heat until smoking then carefully place the Steak in there. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes on each side (so 6 – 8 minutes in total), depending on how thick the Steak is

For a sure-fire way to tell when the Steak is cooked perfectly, we recommend using a meat thermometer. For medium rare you want to aim for an internal temperature of around 115F. At this stage you can remove the Steak from the pan and set it aside to rest

Resting is critical when cooking Steak, as it allows the juices to redistribute inside the Steak and generally just produces a much more tender, tastier Steak. The resting process will also continue to cook the Steak, as you’ll find the internal temperature will probably increase by 5 – 10 degrees. This is why we take the Steak off at 115F, so it’ll rest up to medium rare, around 125F

While the Steak is resting, prepare a simple Side Salad and then serve

For our dish we’re making a very simple Arugula Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumber which works perfectly with the Sauce. Add a touch of Lemon Juice and Olive Oil to the Salad and then add a decent spoonful of the Zhoug Sauce

The Zhoug Sauce will coat the Salad beautifully, allowing that fresh vibrancy to bring the Salad to life! Once your Salad is done it’s simply a matter of slicing up the Steak and serving it on a plate. Spoon over a more-than-generous amount of Zhoug Sauce over each Steak and serve the remaining Sauce in a bowl on the side and enjoy

Grilled Steak with Zhoug Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

Zhoug Sauce Ingredients

• 1 Green Chili, roughly chopped
• ½ cup of Fresh Cilantro
• ½ cup of Fresh Parsley
• 2 Garlic Cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp. Sherry Vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Water
• A pinch of Salt
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Juice of ½ a Lemon
  
  

Steak Ingredients

• 2 6 – 8 oz. Filet Steaks
• 1 tbsp. Neutral Oil (eg: Vegetable Oil)
• 1 tsp. Salt
• ½ tsp. Ground Black Peppercorns
  
  

Side Salad Ingredients

• 2 cups of Arugula
• 3 Tomatoes, diced
• 1 Cucumber, diced
• Juice of ½ a Lemon
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
  
  

Instructions

1. Prepare the Zhoug Sauce by placing the Green Chili, Parsley, Cilantro, Garlic, Sherry Vinegar, Water, and Salt in a blender and begin to blend over a medium speed
2. Begin to slowly drizzle in the Olive Oil as the Sauce continues to blend, then add the Lemon Juice. Taste for seasoning and pour the Sauce into a separate bowl then set aside
3. Season your Steaks well with Salt and Pepper. Heat a large frying pan with Neutral Oil over a medium high heat until smoking hot, then add the Steaks
4. Press down on the Steak to ensure full contact with the pan, then fry for 3 – 4 minutes on each side (depending on the thickness of the Steak). Turn and repeat, cooking until the internal temperature is 110F
5. Remove Steak from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. This will settle the juices and increase the internal temperature to a medium rare. Once rested, slice
6. Combine the Salad ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add a spoonful of Zhoug Sauce and mix well, then serve with the Steak topped with more Sauce
   
   

Recipe Notes

• You can use any cut of Steak you like. We opted for Filet Steak as a simple and delicious option
• Red or White Wine Vinegar can be used as a substitute for Sherry Vinegar
• If you prefer your sauce to be a little milder in heat, simply remove the Chili Seeds before blending
  
  

This wonderful Grilled Steak with Zhoug Sauce is a vibrant and healthy dinner that’s perfect to enjoy all year round. Steak is a fantastic way to showcase this amazing Zhoug Sauce, as the whole dish comes together perfectly on the plate

For more healthy and tasty meals just like this one, we highly recommend you check out these delicious recipes:

• Grilled Chicken and Haloumi Salad with Lemon Dressing
• The Ultimate Poke Bowl
• Greek Meatball Salad (Keftedes)
• Grilled Chipotle Chicken Sandwich
  
  

Happy Cooking!