dinner lunch Recipes

Chimichurri Street Tacos: The Perfect Party Food

Game Day food is best eaten by hand, am I right? And it doesn’t get better (or easier) than these Chimichurri Street Tacos. They’re easy to prepare and will please meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans alike. 

Picture this: beef strips (or tofu!) smothered in a zesty chimichurri sauce, with bright sauteed peppers and onions, all wrapped in a fresh tortilla. Pair these with our high-protein nachos, and you’ve got a big game spread that’s sure to be a touchdown (yes, pun intended). 

The best part? Just set the fillings out and let your guests build their own taco. Party planning is done. 

Chimichurri Street Tacos

The Taco Part: 

Makes 8-12 tacos

You can prepare your beef on the grill then slice it or start with slices and bake it in the oven (shown in this recipe). 

  • 1 lb top sirloin (or cut of your choice), cut into thin slices
  • 4 oz extra firm Tofu, well-drained and diced
  • 4 oz shiitake or portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into slices
  • 1 medium red onion, cut into slices
  • 2 cups raw red cabbage, shredded 
  • 12 small corn or flour “street taco” shells
  • Plain non-fat Greek yogurt for topping (optional)

The Chimichurri Sauce:

Makes 2-3 cups 

Traditional chimichurri sauces use more oil, however, I scaled back on the oil and replaced it with water. This recipe uses avocado oil in place of traditional olive oil, but olive oil is a fine option. The amount of sauce you get will depend on how much water you add. 

  • 1 packed cup flat parsley
  • 1 shallot, cut into large chunks
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 cloves garlic 
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • Water 

How To Make Chimichurri Sauce:

In a food processor or blender, combine parsley, shallot, vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt. Pulse until the ingredients are combined. Add avocado oil and pulse until coarsely pureed. While the food processor is running, slowly add a small amount of water.

Stop the blade and check the consistency. If you want it thinner, add more water and run the food processor for another 5-10 seconds. 

Note: Don’t over processes the sauce or it will be too liquidy. Add a little water at a time and run the blade in 5-10 second increments. The texture should be slightly coarse, not silky smooth. 

How To Make The Tacos:

Place beef strips in a bowl. Top with ¼ cup of chimichurri sauce and toss to coat the beef. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

In a separate bowl, add tofu and ¼ cup of chimichurri sauce. Gently toss and coat the tofu. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Reserve the remaining chimichurri for a topping. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Remove the sirloin and tofu from the marinade. Discard used chimichurri. Place the tofu on one side of the baking sheet and the beef on the other side (or use two separate baking sheets). 

Bake until the beef is cooked through. Approximately 10-15 minutes. (Longer if you like your beef well done).

While the tofu and beef are baking, saute the mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion in a pan on medium heat until slightly tender. Note: To reduce calories use water instead of oil to saute your vegetables. 

Once your beef, tofu, and vegetables are cooked it is time to assemble your tacos. On a taco shell, layer up your vegetables, protein of choice, fresh red cabbage, additional chimichurri sauce, and yogurt. 

Enjoy!

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