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 make and eat a lot of salads during the summertime and this Steak Salad is Josh’s all-time favorite! Adding a protein, like steak, is a great way to get a refreshing summer meal on the table in one dish that will keep everyone full and satisfied.
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.
Assembling the 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.
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.
More Salad Recipes
For the steak:
- 1 1/2 lbs flank steak
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
For the salad:
- 6 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 ear sweet corn, sliced off the cob (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pepitas, optional
- 1/2 cup queso fresco
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
Place the steak in a large baking sheet and squeeze lime juice over the steak.
In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and coriander.
Add the spice rub to the steak, turning to coat the meat thoroughly with the rub and pressing with your fingers to help the rub stick to the meat. If you have time, cover the steak with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can let it marinate for up to 4 hours.
When ready to grill, preheat a clean, oiled grill to medium-high heat.
Place the steak on the hot grill and grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on your preference. The steak should be 130-135°F for medium rare, and 145°F for medium.
Transfer the steak to a large cutting board and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes. Cut the steak against the grain into thin slices.
To assemble the salad, place the mixed greens on a large platter. Add the steak, corn, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, pepitas, and queso fresco. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Steak Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 281 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 75mg25%
Sodium 740mg31%
Potassium 791mg23%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 1180IU24%
Vitamin C 20mg24%
Calcium 96mg10%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Photos by Molly
Thanks for Sharing!
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment below! You can also share a picture on Instagram! Tag @twopeasandpod and use the hashtag #twopeasandtheirpod.
