I’ve recently become a salad lover, and one of my new favorite weeknight dinners is a hearty salad. This steak salad is super quick to make and both filling and nutritious. The best part of this salad is that it is flexible! You can throw in whatever else you have on hand, and whether it’s some roasted veggies, crumbled feta, or a handful of nuts, you really can’t go wrong with this one. I kept my salad simple and topped it with cherry tomatoes, pepperoncinis, fried onions, and avocado.
This meal is great to make after a weekend trip or a long Monday when you don’t feel like cooking a huge dinner, but still want something that feels like a real meal. Just sear up a piece of steak, slice it thin, and layer it over whatever greens and other toppings you have on hand. A delicious and easy summer salad!
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Salad
- 1-2 Steaks (I used sirloin since I prefer a leaner cut in my salads, but you can use any kind you want)
- Salad mix of choice (I used spring mix)
- Handful of cherry tomatoes
- 2-4 pepperoncinis
- 1 avocado
- 1 small yellow onion (I made my own fried onions, but to save time you can use store-bought french fried onions!)
- 4 tbsp flour, seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Salad Dressing
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 garlic clove, grated
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
Start by mixing all the ingredients of the marinade together, and pour over your steaks. Let the steak marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
Next, if you are making your own fried onions, thinly slice the onion using a mandoline. Preheat a shallow pan with a hight heat oil and toss the onions in the seasoned flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour and fry in the oil util golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and lightly salt while still hot.
When your steak is done marinating, preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. While the pan preheats, begin prepping your salad ingredients. Slice the tomatoes, pepperoncinis, avocado, and any other toppings you are adding.
Cook your steak until the internal temperature reaches 125°F, 2-4 minutes per side depending on thickness, for medium rare. If using a grill pan, rotate your steak 90° midway through on each side to get good grill marks.
When the steak reaches 125°F internal temperature, remove your steak from the pan, top with butter and cover with foil. Let the steak rest for a few minutes while you make the salad dressing.
In a bowl or mason jar, combine all the ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette and stir/shake to combine. You can also use store-bought dressing for an even easier meal, but I prefer to make my own. Toss your salad mix with the vinaigrette, tomatoes, and pepperoncinis. Then, slice your steak and begin plating. Add the salad to a plate, put the sliced steak in the middle, then top with avocado slices and fried onions. Enjoy!
This salad recipe is super simple and entirely customizable! I like how quickly it comes together, and how filling it is for a relatively healthy dinner after a long day’s work. Let me know in the comments what else you decide to add to your salad!
Come in, stay a while.
The Sunday Spoon 
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