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My favorite grilled steak salad recipe with tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese, and a classic balsamic dressing. I love how healthy and fresh it is!
Love protein-packed salad recipes? Try my avocado chicken salad, shrimp salad, chicken salad with grapes, or Caesar salad with chicken.
Summer is here, at least in the Northern half of the world, and it’s time to light up those grills! And if you enjoy the grilling season like me, my classic steak salad has to make your menu. The addition of protein over the greens makes it that much more satisfying, and I make sure to add some fun additions to make this seriously crave-worthy!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Customizable. Like any good salad, you can make it as I have or adapt it using your favorite veggies and dressing.
- Make ahead. Marinate your steaks ahead of time and keep your greens ready for an easy, breezy meal.
- So much flavor. I’ll be honest- I sometimes skip the dressing completely because it’s so flavorful.
- Fast. From prep to plate, this salad comes together in under 15 minutes.
Ingredients Needed
- Steak. I prefer grilled sirloin streaks, as they’re lean, cook quickly, and don’t need much marinating time. You can also use flank steak or skirt steak.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To season.
- Homemade marinade. My special combo of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard.
- Mixed greens. I like to use romaine lettuce, but any greens work.
- Salad vegetables. I’m using cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and sliced radishes, but you can use whichever vegetables you like!
- Blue cheese. Crumbled. Only a little is needed to add a punch of flavor throughout.
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar. For the steak salad dressing.
How to make a grilled steak salad
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep the marinade. Whisk the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and balsamic vineger then pour over the seasoned steaks.
Step 2- Grill the streaks on high heat for 5-6 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 140-145F.
Step 3- Rest the steaks for 5 minutes for the juices to redistribute. Slice against the grain.
Step 4- assemble the salad. Toss together tomatoes, radishes, red onions, and greens in a large shallow bowl, and arrange sliced steak on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and serve.
No grill? No problem!
I like to use a grill because it’s fast and hands-off, but you can use any cooking method you prefer. For the stovetop, I suggest my pan-seared steak or, if you want another speedy method, my air fryer steak is always a hit.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Always use a meat thermometer. It’s my #1 tip for perfectly cooked steaks. I like to remove my steaks from the grill once they reach 140-145F, which is medium-rare and best for a steak salad. If you’d like it cooked longer, aim for 150F for medium and 165F for well done. Remember, the steak continues to cook as it rests.
- Make this your own. Don’t like the veggies I use in mine? That’s fine. Add some corn, black beans, cucumber, or bell peppers. Want another cheese? This salad is SO good with feta cheese or finely grated parmesan cheese.
- Use another dressing. I purposely use balsamic vinegar because it really lets the steak shine, and also, we’ve got some crumbled blue cheese, which packs in flavor. You can use any oil-based dressing you like, or even omit it altogether. As said earlier, it’s good without it.
- Enjoy this cold. Cold steak IS delicious, so feel free to use leftover steak instead of making it fresh.
Storage instructions
To store. I don’t recommend storing the assembled salad as it will wilt, BUT you can store steak leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To make ahead. Keep the greens and vegetables washed and separated. You can also marinate the steak up to 24 hours in advance. Bring the steak to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling then assemble the salad as it cooks.
Steak Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 sirloin steaks 4-6 ounces each, See notes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Djion mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
For the salad
- 2 cups Mixed greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 small red onion sliced
- 1 radish finely sliced
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard.
- Season the steaks with salt and pepper, then drizzle the marinade over each one. Let the steaks marinate for 5 minutes.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat or alternatively, add oil to a large skillet. Once hot, cook the steaks for 5-7 minutes on each side until they reach an internal temperature of 140-150F.
- Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
- Assemble the salad by tossing together the mixed greens, tomatoes, red onion, and radishes.
- Add the sliced steak on top of the salad, sprinkle some blue cheese, and dress with olive oil and balsamic.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published June 2023, updated and republished May 2024
Steak as a salad? Wow very creativs. Really sounds tasty.
I make this steak salad all the time during the warmer months- it’s SO good!
How good is it!
This is my absolute favorite steak salad recipe EVER. it’s so juicy and tender.
thanks, Miranda!