Steak Salad

Published on May 29, 2023 Grilled Steak Salad with sweet corn, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, and a creamy cilantro lime dressing. You will love this fresh and simple summer salad! We grill the steak for maximum flavor and so we don’t have to turn on the oven. A win-win! The salad is great for lunch or dinner and perfect for entertaining because it is GORGEOUS and simple to make!

Salad Ingredients

This is such a nutritious, colorful, and fresh salad! I just love this combination of flavors:

Steak– we like flank steak for this salad. We add a simple spice rub with a little lime to flavor and tenderize the steak. Salad greens– use your favorite greens, any will work! Corn– fresh sweet corn is best! You don’t need to cook the corn, you can slice it off the cob and add the raw corn to the salad. If you want a boost of flavor, you can grill or char the corn. Tomatoes– grape or cherry tomatoes are our favorite! Avocado– use a ripe avocado and slice! Red onion– adds color and flavor! Pepitas– optional, but the crunch is nice! Almonds, sunflower seeds, or pecans also work! Queso fresco– finish the salad with a little cheese. We like queso fresco, but feta, goat cheese, or crumbled blue cheese are good too! Dressing– my creamy cilantro lime dressing is amazing with this salad! You can also my use basil vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette. You can make the dressing in advance and keep in the refrigerator.

Grilling the Steak

The steak for this salad is rubbed in spices and marinated for anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. This infuses it with full, spiced flavor that’s out of this world!

In a small bowl combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and coriander. Use your hands to rub the spices into the steak, turning it to coat the meat evenly and thoroughly. Cover the steak in plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. If you want to prep ahead of time it can refrigerate for up to 4 hours! When it’s about dinner time, preheat a clean, oiled grill to medium high heat and grill the steak for 4-5 minutes on each side. Medium-rare steak is 130-135°F and a medium steak is 145°F. Move the grilled teak to a cutting board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. This helps seal all the juices and flavor inside! Cut the steak against the grain into thin slices.

How to Make Steak Salad

Now, it’s time to assemble the salad! I love seeing all of the colors and flavors come together!

Place the mixed greens on a large platter or in a large bowl. Add the steak, corn, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, pepitas, and queso fresco. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and serve immediately.

How to Store

If you’re going to make this salad and eat it later, I’d recommend storing ingredients separately and then combining them right before you eat. This prevents things from getting soggy. And to prevent the avocado from browning, slice it when you are ready to serve the salad.