This Grilled Steak Salad is inspired by a restaurant favorite! We toss together perfectly grilled steak, lightly salted & grilled pita bread, baby spinach, crisp cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and salty feta cheese. We drizzle a show-stopping sweet lemon-honey vinaigrette on this salad as the perfect finishing touch!
Olive oil, fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
2white pita breads
6cups (130g)fresh baby spinach,large stems removed and coarsely chopped, if desired
1cup (155g)cherry tomatoes,halved
1-1/2cup (200g)English or Persian (salad) cucumbers,coined (about 3 Persian cucumbers or use 1 English cucumber)
1/2cup (60g)Kalamata olives,pitted and halved
1/3cup (40g)feta cheese,coarsely crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper and fine sea salt
Lemon Honey Vinaigrette:
1-2largelemons(1/2 zest and 4 tablespoons (55g) fresh juice)
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
1teaspoonDijon mustard
2tablespoonshoney
3/4cup (134g)extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Grill Steak & Pitas
Heat the grill to high heat (400-450 degrees F). Once the grill is hot, clean it with a wire brush. Roll up a few paper towels and drench them in canola oil. Using tongs, rub the paper towel wad along the grill grates generously. Remove the steaks from the fridge and drizzle with olive oil (about 1 tablespoon total) and then generously sprinkle with sea salt and pepper over the top, sides, and bottom (about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper).
Place the steaks on the grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, flip the steak over and continue to grill for 3-5 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature of 135 degrees F). (See Note 1.) Once the steaks are cooked to your preference, remove them to a plate or cutting board and tent loosely with foil for 5-10 minutes to give the juices chance to re-distribute. If not serving right away, chill until ready to eat. Cut steak crosswise (against the grain) into thin slices.
Drizzle pita breads on both sides with olive oil and lightly sprinkle on salt. Grill for 10 seconds per side. Remove, let slightly cool, and then cut into small triangles or squares.
Lemon Honey Vinaigrette:
Combine lemon zest and juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper), honey, and oil in a large jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake it well until the dressing becomes emulsified. Place in the fridge until ready to use, shaking again before dressing the salad.
You might not use all the dressing--it makes a lot! Add dressing to your preference and store leftovers, up to 1 week, in the fridge.
Salad
In a large bowl, combine the baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and half of the feta cheese. If enjoying immediately, toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to coat (don't dress anything you want leftover -- see "storage" note below). Taste and season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Add the steak slices on top of the salad along with pita triangles. Top with remaining cheese and drizzle on a bit more vinaigrette over the steak. Serve and enjoy immediately!
STORAGE: Once dressed, this salad needs to be eaten and enjoyed promptly. The dressing makes the lettuce wilt and pita bread soften. I’d recommend only dressing what you will enjoy the same day. Store the dressing and salad components separately for leftovers.
Notes
Note 1: The grilling time will vary greatly based on your actual grill, your actual steak (the thickness), and the actual temperature of your grill. For best results, use a meat thermometer and remove the meat when it is 5 degrees below your desired internal temperature. It will cook a bit more after being removed from the grill due to carryover heat. Below are the temperature ranges based on how well done you like your steak:
Rare: 120-125 degrees F
Medium-Rare: 135 degrees F (about 4-5 minutes on one side and another 3-5 minutes on the other side; high-heated grill)
Medium: 140 degrees F (about 5-7 minutes on one side and another 3-5 minutes on the other side; high-heated grill)
Medium-Well: 150 degrees F (about 8-10 minutes on one side and another 3-5 minutes on the other side)