This balsamic steak salad is what filling, refreshing salad dreams are made of. Marinated and perfectly grilled sliced steak sits on a bed of romaine, alongside roasted (or grilled) corn, pickled onions, cucumber slices, tomatoes, gorgonzola cheese, and sunflower seeds. A tangy balsamic and dijon dressing goes on top, and there you have it: the salad you’re going to be craving all season long!
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Salads have the unique ability to either leave you feeling hungry and completely unsatisfied, OR, on the opposite side of the spectrum, full, satisfied, and completely refreshed. I’m good with skipping any lackluster salad, but give me a delicious, loaded one, and I’m happy!
This balsamic steak salad falls into the latter category: loaded, satisfying, and unbelievably delicious. Imagine a bed of romaine topped with A BUNCH of really tasty toppings (corn, pickled onions, chives, cucumbers, tomatoes, and grilled, sliced steak) and then drizzled with a zesty, homemade balsamic dijon dressing. Salads truly do not get better than this!
Looking for more satisfying salad recipes? We’ve got you. This Asian-inspired chopped chicken salad is so good, this BBQ chicken cobb salad is topped with the tastiest homemade jalapeno ranch dressing, and this Mediterranean chickpea salad is perfect for a week’s worth of meal prep lunches!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s satisfying – gone are the days of lettuce + protein + dressing salads. We’re loading this one up with tons of toppings so that you’re left full and satisfied when you’re done!
- It’s easy – you’ll need to grill the steak, of course, and then either roast or grill the corn, but otherwise, this recipe is a simple throw-together situation.
Balsamic Steak Salad Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need a few marinade/dressing ingredients, the steak, and then a handful of toppings. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Flank steak – flank or skirt steak will work here – use what you have/what you can find.
- Gorgonzola cheese – not a fan of gorgonzola? No worries. Feta or goat cheese would both be tasty swaps!
- Pickled onions – make your own pickled red onions or buy a jar at the store!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Use a different protein – the steak is really delicious here, but if you prefer chicken, feel free to swap for chicken thighs. You’ll marinate and cook them the same way!
- Make it dairy-free – to make this salad dairy-free, simply just omit the gorgonzola cheese.
How to Make Balsamic Steak Salad
This recipe is incredibly easy to make – you’ll start by marinating the steak, then grilling it, and preparing the rest of your toppings! Follow along below.
Step 1: Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Pour about ⅓ of the dressing over the flank steak, and reserve the rest for the salad dressing. Let the steak marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet over medium/high heat. Once hot, add the steak, and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side. Flip the steak and cook for 3-4 minutes on the other side, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F.
Step 3: Cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. To slice the steak, cut it against the grain in ½-inch-thick pieces.
Step 4: Rub the corn with the last tablespoon of olive oil, place it on a baking sheet, and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. If you want some color on your corn, broil for 5-6 minutes, rotating every 2 minutes.
Step 5: To assemble the salad, plate the lettuce followed by the corn, tomatoes, cucumber, pickled purple onions, cheese, steak, sunflower seeds, chives, and dressing. Add additional salt and pepper as you like.
How to Cook Flank Steak on the Grill
If you’d prefer to grill your steak, go for it! To do this, simply clean your grill grates and spray them with oil (I prefer avocado oil). Grill the flank steak for 4-5 minutes on each side at 400°F, or until grill marks form. Flip the steak over and grill for an additional 4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F when a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest portion of the steak (it will continue to rise as it rests). Cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. To slice the steak, cut it against the grain in ½-inch-thick pieces.
To grill the corn, rub a tablespoon of olive oil over it, then grill on 2-3 sides for about 4-5 minutes each, or until grill marks form.
Recipe Tips
Don’t overcook your steak – grab a meat thermometer if you don’t have one already (we love this thermometer that can be used WHILE you cook vs. having to manually check the temperature every so often). Using a thermometer will ensure that your steak is perfectly cooked and not tough or dry.
How to Serve
Serve your steak loaded to the nines with all of the toppings for an easy, refreshing dinner or meal prep a batch for lunches for the week!
How to Store
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’re meal prepping these salads for lunch for the week, you can go one of two routes when it comes to storing:
- Assemble right away – assemble the salads and store them in separate food storage containers in the fridge. This allows you to QUICKLY grab a lunch and head out the door.
- Assemble the day of – if you choose to go this route, simply marinate and cook the meat, slice it, and store it in its own large container. Wash all of the fresh veggies (if needed), prep them, and store each in a separate container. Then, each day that you plan on enjoying a balsamic steak salad, you can simply assemble and dig in.
Frequently Asked Questions
We chose flank steak for this recipe, but you can absolutely grab skirt steak or sirloin steak instead.
This recipe is a perfect one to grill or to cook on the stovetop. If you’re planning on cooking on the stovetop, a heavy griddle pan or cast iron skillet is ideal to really get a nice char on the outside of the steak.
More Favorite Salad Recipes
If you tried this Balsamic Steak Salad or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Balsamic Steak Salad
Ingredients
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound flank steak
- 2 ears corn
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 small cucumbers, cut into discs
- ½ cup pickled red onions, homemade pickled onions or store-bought
- ½ cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles
- ¼ cup fresh chives, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. Pour about ⅓ of the dressing over the flank steak, and reserve the rest for the salad dressing. Let the steak marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet over medium/high heat. Once hot, add the steak, and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side. Flip the steak and cook for 3-4 minutes on the other side, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F.
- Cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. To slice the steak, cut it against the grain in ½-inch-thick pieces.
- Rub the corn with the last tablespoon of olive oil, place it on a baking sheet, and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. If you want some color on your corn, broil for 5-6 minutes, rotating every 2 minutes.
- To assemble the salad, plate the lettuce followed by the corn, tomatoes, cucumber, pickled purple onions, cheese, steak, sunflower seeds, chives, and dressing. Add additional salt and pepper as you like.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
