Yes, you can make salad for dinner and hear no complaints when it involves STEAK! And this is no ordinary steak..... it is flank steak marinated in the most yummy ingredients that give it unbelievable flavor, and then grilled to perfection. Combine that with your favorite greens and a bunch of other deliciousness like candied nuts, homemade croutons, and blue cheese crumbles, then top it all with the most amazing homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Oh my! I could eat this every single day and never get tired of it. It's filling, but in a way that makes you feel healthy and happy!
Steak and Blue Cheese Salad
Serves 6
Marinated Flank Steak:
2 lbs. flank steak
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
A few grinds of fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Whisk together ingredients for marinade. Place flank steak in a large zip top bag or shallow container. Pour sauce over flank steak. Turn the steak until it has been completely covered in the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours but up to 24 hours. When ready to grill, remove from fridge and discard excess marinade. Grill steak over high heat, flip every 45 seconds for 7-8 minutes or until it reaches desired internal temperature. (We like medium/medium rare and go to 145° F in the center). Let rest for 15 minutes. Slice thinly.
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
In a saucepan, heat oil and garlic to bubbling and cook and stir until garlic is soft. Add balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then add brown sugar. Boil for 45 seconds. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Remaining Salad Ingredients:
2 heads romaine, roughly chopped
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 baby cucumbers, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 ripe avocado, sliced
Homemade croutons (see recipe here)
Candied nuts (see recipe here)
Prepare all salad ingredients and put in bowls to self-serve. Assemble salads according to tastes, top with sliced grilled flank steak, and drizzle all with balsamic vinaigrette.
Step-by-step tutorial:
Gather your ingredients for the marinated flank steak. You will need a 2 lb. flank steak, olive oil, red wine vinegar, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
For the marinade, combine all ingredients in a glass measuring cup and whisk to combine.
Place the flank steak in a large resealable bag and pour marinade over. Squeeze air out of bag and seal, being sure the entire steak is coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but up to 24 hours. The longer it marinates, the better the flavor!
Grill the flank steak over high heat, flipping often, until internal temperature comes to 145°F or desired doneness. Let rest, covered in foil for 15 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain. This steak has the best flavor and is so tender and delicious!
Prepare your remaining salad ingredients including the balsamic vinaigrette. We like to put everything in bowls and have a self-serve salad bar.
To assemble the salads, start with lettuce, then top with other veggies, nuts, croutons, and blue cheese. Top with sliced flank steak.
Last buy not least, drizzle all with the most amazing homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I am drooling just thinking about how amazing this is. Your family is going to have a new favorite dinner.....and it's actually a salad! Way to go!
Some of my kids like to top this salad with ranch dressing. I have the best recipe for this here. Any way you top it, this salad will have you dreaming about it night.
Recipe Source: Steak marinade adapted from a recipe on Fox and Briar. Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe from a dear friend, Cheri Glenn.