Steak Salad With Dried Cherries & Mustard Vinaigrette
This salad is anything but boring! The delicious sweet touch of dried cherries paired with creamy goat cheese is delicious!
Hearty Steak Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette
I'm not a huge fan of having a salad as a meal BUT I love a delicious and refreshing steak salad. My favorite things to combine with it are a creamy type of cheese like feta, goat or bleu and a hint of something sweet like a little bit of dried fruit. I've been eating this type of salad for years and it never gets old. When it comes to the type of steak you want to use, feel free to use your favorite. Obviously, I am always going to recommend you go with a leaner type of beef. Flank works beautifully but if we are trying to keep the fat content down you can go with a sirloin or top round. The problem with these cuts is they can be tough so you want to make sure you don't overcook it. Of course, you can always go with a beautiful tenderloin but I'm not sure I can recommend wasting a tenderloin for a salad!!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Lean Steak I used sirloin or top round
- Steak Seasoning I love McCormick Montreal Steak Rub
- 11 oz Leafy Greens I used a mixture of arugula and romaine
- 1/2 Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
- 4 oz Feta, Goat or Bleu Cheese
- 1/3 cup Dried Cherries or Craisins
- 1/3 cup Pecan Halves
- Cilantro, garnish
Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 cup Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Grainy Mustard
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
Steaks
- Pat your steaks dry with a paper towel. Season both sides using your favorite steak seasoning generously. Some of it will fall off during cooking.
- Methods to cook your steak depend on the steak you are using. For top round or sirloin I suggest one of the following:-Grill: Grill for 6 minutes per side -Broil: Broil on low for 8 minutes per side (or according to your desired level of doneness)-Stovetop/Oven Combo: Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil over a cast iron grill pan on medium high heat. Let it get really hot. Add your steak and let it sear for 2 minutes. Flip and sear for another 2 minutes. Transfer entire pan to the oven and cook for about 4 minutes for medium.
- Once your steak is done, let it sit for a few minutes. Cut them into thin strips.
Dressing
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all your dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined.
Salad
- Finally, lets build our salad! On a large platter, add your lettuce, onion, tomatoes, dried cherries, cheese and pecan halves. Add your steak on top.
- Drizzle your salad dressing over the platter. Garnish with cilantro.