Steak Salad

5 from 7 votes

This irresistible Steak Salad layers Romaine with grilled steak, cherry tomatoes, dried cherries, almonds, roasted red pepper, green onions, and feta, all drizzled in a bright cilantro-lemon vinaigrette.

Prep Time25

Cook Time10

Total Time35

Course: Dinner, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: steak salad

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $13.62

Equipment

Ingredients

Canola oil for greasing grill grates

Steak or Chicken

1 pound steak such as New York or Rib-eye
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Salad

8 cups chopped romaine lettuce 2 heads
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
5 thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup dried tart cherries or dried cranberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup feta cheese

Dressing

1 large lemon
1 to 2 large limes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro 1 bunch
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup olive oil

US - Metric

Instructions

Steak

Heat grill to high (400–450°F). Once heated, clean and liberally oil the grill. I do this by drenching a paper towel in canola oil and, holding tongs, rubbing the paper towel over the grill. Remove steaks from the fridge and drizzle with olive oil (about 1 tablespoon total), then generously sprinkle with salt and pepper over all sides (about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper total).
Place steaks on the grill and cook about 4–5 minutes. Using tongs, flip the steak over and continue to grill 3–5 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature of 135°F; see note 1). Once steaks are cooked to your desired doneness, remove them and tent loosely with foil 5–10 minutes to give the juices a chance to redistribute. Cut steak against the grain into thin slices.

Dressing

Using a zester, zest lemon to get 2 teaspoons zest. Squeeze to get 3 tablespoons juice. Squeeze the lime to get 2 and 1/2 tablespoons lime juice.
For the cilantro, chop off the large stems (no need to remove all the tiny stems) and lightly pack into measuring cup to get 1 cup.
Combine all dressing ingredients except the olive oil in a small blender. Add salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon each). Blend until cilantro is broken down. Add olive oil and pulse until emulsified. Do not overblend with the oil or it can make the dressing taste metallic. Taste and adjust dressing to personal preference (more honey, more salt/pepper, etc.). Place in the fridge until ready to use.

Salad

Wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce. Chop lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the roasted red pepper, and thinly slice the green onions.
When ready to serve, toss the lettuce, green onions, and tomatoes with half the dressing. Stir in the dried cherries, sliced and toasted almonds, and feta cheese. Add thinly sliced steak on top and drizzle with the remaining dressing (add dressing to desired preference; I like all the dressing on this salad, but you may like less).

Notes

Note 1: The grilling time will vary depending on your grill, the thickness of the steak, and the temperature. 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.)

Desired doneness temperature guide:

Rare: 120–125°F
Medium-Rare: 135°F (about 4–5 minutes on one side and another 3–5 minutes on the other)
Medium: 140°F (about 5–7 minutes on one side and another 3–5 minutes on the other)
Medium-Well: 150°F (about 8–10 minutes on one side and another 3–5 minutes on the other)
Well-Done: 160–175°F.

Storage: All ingredients are best when combined right before eating. The salad doesn’t sit or store well. If you don’t plan on eating it all or are making in advance, toss small amounts of the salad with the dressing and store separately.

Nutrition