Cumin-Rubbed Tri-Tip Steak with Scallion Chimichurri and Spinach Couscous

This cumin-rubbed tri-tip steak pairs a deeply savory sear with a bright, simple sauce made from finely minced scallion greens, lemon and olive oil.

The steak is served over Israeli couscous tossed with spinach, red bell pepper, garlic, scallion whites and lemon zest for a fresh, hearty plate.

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Ingredients

12 ounce Tri-tip SteakView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Israeli CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Red Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 ounce SpinachView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon CuminView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Core, seed and thinly slice the red bell pepper. Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the scallion whites and very finely mince the scallion greens. Zest the lemon until you have about 1/2 teaspoon zest, then halve the lemon.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the scallion whites and garlic to the pan. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
5. Season the tri-tip steak on all sides with cumin, salt and pepper.
6. Heat another drizzle of olive oil in the same large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the steak until cooked to your desired doneness, 4 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
7. While the steak rests, add the Israeli couscous to the boiling water. Cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes, then drain well.
8. In a small bowl, stir together the finely minced scallion greens, a large drizzle of olive oil, half the lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Add the drained couscous to the bowl with the bell pepper mixture. Toss with the spinach, remaining lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Thinly slice the rested steak against the grain. Serve it over the spinach couscous and spoon the scallion chimichurri on top.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

How long should I cook the tri-tip steak?

Sear it over medium-high heat for 4 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness and your preferred doneness, then rest it for 5 minutes before slicing.

Do I cook Israeli couscous like rice or pasta?

For this recipe, cook the couscous in boiling salted water until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes, then drain it like pasta.

What part of the scallions goes into the chimichurri?

Use the finely minced scallion greens for the chimichurri. The scallion whites are cooked with the garlic and red bell pepper.