Want an easy low carb meal that is bound to impress? Look no further than this pan-seared chili rubbed steak recipe. Topped with a creamy avocado sauce, it’s a wonderful keto meal. This post is sponsored by California Avocados.
You know those meals that stick with you long after you’ve had them? And by stick, I don’t mean the ones that put a little extra weight on your hips. I mean the ones you can’t get out of your head, that you hark back to for years to come, thinking how great they were. The ones that have you starting stories with “One of the best meals I’ve ever had was…”. And oftentimes, it’s not the expensive ones at the fancy restaurants that you feel are supposed to be memorable but really aren’t. I once went to a very expensive dinner at L’Espalier in Boston and for the life of me, I can’t remember what I ate. It was good but it wasn’t memorable. But I can remember in vivid detail the meal I ate after running the New York Half Marathon 5 years ago. It wasn’t fancy but it was perfect.
Of course, I can’t remember the name of the restaurant at all. I just know that the stars aligned and the circumstances were just right. I was still very much on a runner’s high after crushing my PR goals, and I was hungry. My friend and I went back to our hotel, showered and changed and giddy, and I could have eaten a horse. Instead, I chose steak and eggs served with a creamy guacamole. Nothing remarkable or flashy about it, just really good food that satisfied like nothing else.
Steak and avocado go together so well and I don’t pair them up nearly enough. With California Avocados coming into season, it was time I revisited that idea. I wanted something really flavorful that showcased the amazing creamy freshness of those gorgeous avocados. And I wanted something that’s easy enough to serve any day of the week, but still impressive enough to wow guests and make for a memorable meal. Just saying “avocado crema” sounds impressive, and it looks stunning drizzled over the sliced steak. You don’t need to tell people it took you all of about 5 seconds to make.
You can pan-sear these steaks or you can grill them. I love grilling steaks but this time I decided to sear them in a hot cast iron pan. Get that pan nice and hot, add the oil, and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to really lock in those juices. Then flip and sear another 2 minutes on the other side. So easy and so good, it may have you harking back to this meal for a long time to come.
Chili Rubbed Steak with Avocado Crema
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 421 Calories from fat 226 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 30.17g | 46% |
| Cholesterol 140mg | 47% |
| Carbohydrate 5.33g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.99 | 12% |
| Protein 36.17 | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
Ingredients
Avocado Crema
- 1 ripe California Avocado
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Chili Rubbed Steak
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional, for extra heat)
- 2 medium New York strip steaks (1 inch thick, 12 ounces each), room temperature
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
Avocado Crema:
- Add the avocado, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and chipotle powder to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the cream and blend again until well combined. Set aside.
- Steak:
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne.
- Pat the steaks dry and season both sides liberally with the spice mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat (cast iron is not a requirement but it does work best!). Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the steaks and do not touch for 2 minutes, until nicely browned.
- Flip the steaks and let cook undisturbed for another 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, flipping as necessary, until cooked to your liking. I found this to be another 2 minutes for medium rare (125F on an instant read thermometer).
- Remove the steaks to a platter and top with butter. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- Slice steak thinly against the grain. Top with the Avocado Cilantro Crema.
Recipe Notes
Serves 4. Each serving has 2.34g NET CARBS per serving.
Food energy: 421kcal Total fat: 30.17g Calories from fat: 226 Cholesterol: 140mg Carbohydrate: 5.33g Total dietary fiber: 2.99g Protein: 36.17g
Many thanks to California Avocados for partnering with me to bring you this recipe.
Definitely going to try this next time I buy steaks! Looks delicious!
Yassss. I will put this in the rotation for our Friday night date/watch Netflix/steak eatin’ night. Stole the idea from you and, happily, it is now our tradition. This will be tomorrow’s dinner. =))
Now that’s a steak! Love the chili rub (I don’t do that nearly often enough) and that avo crema takes it over the top!
Definitely gonna trey this! Thank you! Small quibble: searing does not seal in juices…
Chili rubbed steak with avocado crema? YUM!
This recipe is so interesting. I need to try it!
Mmmm. That avocado crema looks soooooooo good!
We cannot keep avocados in stock at my house. As much as we eat them, I’ve never thought about pairing them with steak. Such a great idea!
May I assume “by difference” means total carbohydrates minus fiber? Is there a reason you no longer use Total Carbs or Net Carbs? Love your recipes, mostly ingredients I have on hand. Thanks!
Nope, that’s just total carbs (not minus fiber). That’s how many systems calculate carbs…they factor in all other nutrients and then the leftovers are the carbs. I usually delete “by difference” because people find it confusing.
Avocado is a perfect match for steak! Thanks for sharing!
Made this last weekend. Our new favorite steak. The avocado crema sends it over-the-top. Seriously delicious. I’m thinking it would be delicious on omelettes, too. Or, just off the spoon….
Just tried this tonight and was blown away by how good it is! I will definitely be making this on a regular basis. I topped some Mexican cauli “rice” with the avocado crema too. And then just kept eating spoonfuls of it…hubby didn’t get much by the time dinner was served 😁
Carolyn you are a genius! This is delicious. One of my favs. Low carb or not!!
The rub reminds me of one of my all time favorites from my 20’s. Outback Steakhouse buffalo wings!! They have a ton of carbs, I think they must be breaded, but you nailed the most delicious part of the flavor. I need to try the rub on wings!
And my husband loves the avocado crema on his lc breakfast wraps!! Woohoo!!
Do you think you can freeze the crema??