Enjoy a delicious hearty salad with this juicy steak salad recipe to fully enjoy the best of the summer grill season. If you’re a fan of balsamic dressing, you’re going to love it!
Origin of Balsamic Vinegar
The word “balsamic” comes from the Latin word “balsamum,” meaning “healing power.” Balsamic vinegar is a popular ingredient in many dishes, and has been used since the Middle Ages.
Balsamic vinegar was originally made only in Modena, Italy. The process of making balsamic vinegar has remained unchanged for centuries. Balsamic vinegar is made by crushing grapes and aging the juice in wooden barrels. The barrels are made of different types of wood, such as chestnut, cherry, juniper, or oak. This aging process allows the vinegar to develop a complex flavor.
Today, balsamic vinegar is used in many different dishes, both savory and sweet. It can be used as a dressing for salads or grilled vegetables. It can also be used to deglaze a pan after cooking meat or fish. Balsamic vinegar can also be used in desserts, such as fruit salad or ice cream.
If you’re looking for a unique flavor, you may be surprised at how much you enjoy the complex flavor of this vinegar.
Ingredients + Variations
Steak & Marinade Ingredients:
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 lb. sirloin steak
Salad & Dressing Ingredients:
4 cups baby spinach
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (multi-colored recommended for visual appeal)
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Substitutions
- Sirloin not available? Try New York strip steak or skirt steak instead. Just make sure it’s a cut of tender meat so it’s easy to chew with the rest of the salad.
- No fresh basil? Dried basil will work pretty well with plenty of time to infuse its flavor into the steak while marinading.
- No fresh garlic? Try a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove of garlic. (I’ll be honest, as a garlic fan I double the garlic cloves but some people feel that’s way too much.)
- Use your favorite homemade balsamic vinaigrette as the marinade.
Equipment
Gas grill (for best temperature control) or cast iron skillet for indoor cooking
Large shallow dish
Large bowl
Whisk
Tongs
Large platter or cutting board
Knife
Instructions
- Make the balsamic marinade by combining mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and basil in a small bowl. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine.
- Season steak with black pepper, place in the shallow dish and pour marinade over the steak. Turn steak with tongs a few times to ensure steak is evenly coated with the marinade.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 10 hours in the refrigerator.
- Heat an outdoor grill to medium heat or grill-pan on the stovetop top on medium-high.
- Remove steak from marinade allowing excess marinade to drip off. Lightly season steak with salt and black pepper on the first side. Grill steak on medium 4-5 minutes. Turn steak, season with salt and black pepper to taste on 2nd side and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until steak reaches desired level of doneness.
- Place steaks on a platter and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, add baby spinach, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and pepper. Gentle toss then add lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt, and black pepper to taste and toss again.
- Transfer the salad to serving plates and put the sliced steak on top of the salad then the crumbled feta. Enjoy!
Cooking Tips
- Always use fresh vegetables for salads.
- Please note that actual cook time will vary depending on a number of factors, including the internal temperature of the steak when you start grilling it, thickness, and the desired final cooking temperature.
- For best results, remove steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking and use an instant read meat thermometer.
- As a general rule of thumb, remove steaks from grill when they are 5-10°F below desired final temperature as they will continue to cook while resting.
- Slice the steak against the grain of the meat.
Serving
Garnish with the feta or blue cheese chunks, or try adding some grilled corn kernels for color.
Pairs with
- Red wine, especially a cabernet savignon.
- Beer, particularly a brown ale.
Goes well with
- New potatoes
- Bell pepper
Storage Instructions
It’s best to store leftover steak and the leftover salad ingredients separately, in airtight containers or a resealable plastic bag up to three days in the refrigerator.
Bragging Rights
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Grilled Balsamic Marinated Steak Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup Balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- 3 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb. Sirloin steak
- 4 cups Baby spinach
- 1 Medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups Cherry tomatoes, halved (multi-colored recommended for visual appeal)
- 1 Medium red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 oz. feta, crumbled
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Notes
Plain olive oil has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil. Therefore, plain olive oil is recommended over extra virgin olive oil for the steak due to the grilling temperature in this recipe. A nice extra virgin olive oil is called for in the salad for maximum flavor.
*Please note that actual cook time will vary depending on a number of factors, including the internal starting temperature of the steak, thickness, and the desired final cooking temperature.
For best results, remove steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking and use an instant read thermometer to determine level of doneness while cooking.
As a general rule of thumb, remove steaks from grill when they are 5-10°F below desired final temperature as they will continue to cook while resting.