The best steak salad made with thinly sliced blackened steak, crunchy lettuce, bell peppers, and shredded cheese all tossed in a delicious creamy dressing. Trust me, you need this steak salad recipe in your life.
As is the case in many homes around the country, any night we make steak is a BIG hit in my house. It’s something we only eat occasionally, but everyone loves it. And this Blackened Steak is one of our favorites.
While I love steak and potatoes as much as anyone, I also really love a good steak salad. You know the kind? With tender steak, tons of crunchy vegetables, and a delicious dressing. Well, this Blackened Steak Salad is just that! It’s a little spicy, packed with tons of veggies, and tastes like a restaurant salad. It’s anything but boring.
Every time I make this recipe, I make sure to prepare enough for leftovers so that I can package up a few days’ worths to bring to work for healthy and easy lunches. As long as the dressing is packed separately, it works great!
This dish makes the perfect meal prep lunch or entree for any family dinner, backyard barbecue, or neighborhood potluck. It’s beyond easy to make, healthy, stores incredibly well, and is bursting with vibrant flavors. Serve it on its own or pair it with simple side dishes like rice or potatoes. Is your mouth watering or is that just me?
Key Ingredients and Easy Swaps
To bring this vibrant and flavorful salad to life, you will need the following key ingredients:
- Blackened steak: You will need lean beef tenderloin, butter, and blackening seasoning to blacken your steak to perfection. This cooking method seals in the steak’s natural juices, making for an incredibly juicy and tender interior. You could also swap in flank steak, top sirloin steak, or skirt steak. Grill it or cook it in a pan.
- Homemade dressing: The creamy and tangy dressing we coat this salad with is made from a base of Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, and salsa. It’s beyond flavorful and pairs brilliantly with the blackened steak! You could also make this salad with balsamic vinaigrette, blue cheese dressing, or this jalapeno ranch dressing.
- Romaine lettuce: Feel free to use any leafy greens you like. Personally, I prefer to use romaine lettuce for its mild flavor and ability to hold up well without getting wilty or soggy. This salad is also delicious with arugula or baby spinach.
- Veggies: We will be using a combination of bell peppers and red onion. Feel free to add any other fresh produce you like, like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded carrots, and avocado.
- Cheese: I love using shredded Mexican cheese in this dish, but you can use any type you like. Good options include cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. If you swap the dressing for something with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, try adding some feta cheese or goat cheese.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Here are some of my top tips and tricks to help you make this recipe:
- If you’re preparing this dish ahead of time for a party, store the salad separately from the dressing and steak to prevent it from getting soggy. While I recommend cooking the steak the same day for best results, you can prepare the salad and dressing a day or two beforehand as time allows.
- Don’t feel like making your own dressing from scratch? No worries. You can use a store-bought Southwest-style, ranch, or blue cheese dressing. You can also make a simple vinaigrette - just whisk together olive oil, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and some freshly minced garlic.
- If you aren’t a big fan of spicy food, feel free to swap out the serrano pepper in the dressing for a jalapeno pepper or leave out the pepper altogether.
- You can add any other toppings to this salad that you like. Some of my top choices include cherry tomatoes, avocado or guacamole, plantain chips, sliced jalapenos, and fresh cilantro.
- This salad can be served with the steak warm or at room temperature. Just make sure to let the steak fully rest before thinly slicing it against the grain. The streak can also be cooked to any temperature you like. Normally I like to cook the steak medium or medium-rare so it is nice and tender.
- Although the steak in this recipe is cooked in a cast iron skillet, you could also grill your steak or broil it in the oven.
What to Serve With Steak Taco Salad
While this dish is absolutely fantastic all on its own, you may want to pair it with a few sides for a big family dinner or a cookout with friends. Because this dish is so bold and flavorful, I like to keep my side dishes fairly simple. I typically pair this salad with sides like rice, quinoa, potatoes, or grilled veggies. If you can’t quite decide what to make, here are some of my favorite dishes to serve with steak salad:
- Cilantro Lime Quinoa
- Grilled Vegetable Skewers
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Grilled Red Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chipotle Tomato Soup
How to Store Steak Salad
Storage for this recipe is slightly tricky just because there are several components, each of which should be stored separately for the best results. However, don’t let that discourage you, because this recipe is well worth storing for later! The steak, dressing, and salad ingredients should each be stored in separate airtight containers or jars. See below for info on how long each item will stay fresh for:
- Blackened steak can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Salad (without dressing) can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Southwestern dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about homemade steak salad:
What goes with steak salad?
You can serve this salad with anything you like, but I typically opt for simple and healthy dishes like rice, quinoa, grilled veggies, and potatoes.
Can you store leftover salad?
Absolutely! The salad, dressing, and steak should each be stored separately in airtight containers for best results and to prevent anything from getting soggy. The salad ingredients can be stored for up to 5 days, the dressing can be stored for up to 2 weeks, and the steak can be stored for 3-4 days.
What is in steak taco salad?
This bold and flavorful salad is made with blackened steak, southwestern dressing, veggies, and Mexican cheese served over a bed of romaine lettuce.
More Salad Recipes
If you liked this recipe, then you’re going to love these:
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Mexican Chopped Salad
- Grilled Watermelon Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Spicy Grilled Chicken Salad