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Chile-Garlic Steak and Zucchini

Published Aug. 27, 2025

Chile-Garlic Steak and Zucchini
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(214)
Comments
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Umami-rich rich steak and mild yet hearty zucchini are paired with a simple sauce that works to enhance both. First the steak is sliced thin, then cooked hot and fast. One side is cooked a little longer to brown and caramelize, while the other has just brief contact with the skillet to keep the steak medium-rare. The zucchini is cooked similarly, steaming in its own moisture until tender yet still somewhat firm. A bright, slightly spicy, tangy sauce is drizzled over, with a handful of refreshing mint to finish. Serve as is, or pair with chunks of baguette, roasted potatoes or a lightly dressed green salad.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • 1teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
  • Salt and black pepper  
  • 2teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1¼ pounds hanger or skirt steak
  • 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 
  • 4medium zucchini (about 1¼ pounds), cut on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick slices  
  • 1big handful mint leaves (about ½ cup)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

460 calories; 36 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 31 grams protein; 738 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To a small bowl, add the garlic, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, then stir in the vinegar and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Cut the steak against the grain into ½-inch-thick slices and season with salt, black pepper and the remaining ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a large skillet (preferably not non-stick) over high. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil shimmers and easily glides to coat the bottom of the skillet when tilted, use tongs to add enough steak slices to form a single layer, without overcrowding the pan. If all the steak slices fit comfortably in a single layer, cook as instructed. If they don’t, cook the steak in batches, adding a little more oil as needed. Sear the steak slices, undisturbed, until they are deeply browned on the bottom but still rare on top, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook to medium-rare doneness, 20 to 30 seconds more. Transfer to a serving platter. Adjust heat down to medium.

  4. Step 4

    Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan and arrange the zucchini evenly across the surface. Cook until some of the pieces start to become golden on the bottom in spots, then sauté, gently tossing the zucchini and shaking the pan, until just softened throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat, season with salt, toss again and then transfer to the platter with the steak.

  5. Step 5

    Stir the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil into the bowl with the garlic vinegar and spoon it over the seared steak and zucchini. Garnish with mint and serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
214 user ratings
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Comments

We really liked this. Pressed the garlic, put the oil in with the sauce at the beginning instead of waiting til the end (why would you do that?) The zucchini was great after being cooked in the pan with the skirt steak juices and after we put salt pepper and red pepper on the up-side of the zucchini while it was cooking on the down side. . We made rice to go with it. Will definitely cook again. My husband said "we could cook this for strangers!" (which is high praise coming from him)

Very delicious! Definitely make sure to salt the beef well before pan frying. It took multiple batches for cooking both the beef and the zucchini in a cast iron and that was only using 3 zucchini so it’s a little time intensive but delicious! If mint isn’t your thing, we did fresh dill and parsley, which was great.

We used boneless lamb leg instead of beef, and crispy pita quarters to scoop everything. Delicious, and the mint went well with the lamb.

Delicious! I used big fistfuls of arugula instead of the sprinkle of mint. Cut the zucchini into 1/2 inch fries instead of rounds, you can cram more of them into the pan and cook them just until tender. When I did zucchini rounds they overcooked.

This was delicious. Rare dish where my family liked the veggies more than the meat. Don’t skip the mint!

I disagree with the order of operations in this. If cooked the way laid out in the recipe, the steak isn't very flavorful/doesn't get much of the flavoring that is offered by the garlic vinegar. I would recommend adding the steak back in with the zucchini after it is done and spooning the sauce over everything when it is still in the pan. This recipe was a miss for me compared to other NYT, not on the same caliber

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