Description
A vibrant and hearty chopped steak salad featuring tender NY strip steak, fresh vegetables, creamy avocado, and a zesty hot honey lemon dressing. Perfect for a nutritious and flavorful meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Steak
- 1 to 1.5 pounds NY strip steak (or similar)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Olive oil (for cooking)
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup diced cucumbers
- 1 cup corn kernels (charred on a skillet)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, small-diced (preferably packed in oil)
- 2 tablespoons red onions, finely diced
- ⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped (packed)
- 6 leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup crumbled queso fresco (or feta)
- 1 large avocado, ripe (diced)
Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon (plus more for serving)
- 1 medium clove garlic, grated (using a microplane zester)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon hot honey (plus more to taste)
Instructions
- Season steak: Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then season generously with sea salt, ground black pepper, and garlic powder. For best results, allow the steak to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes prior to cooking, which promotes even cooking.
- Cook steak: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the steak for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or 4-5 minutes per side for medium, adjusting for thickness. Alternatively, the steak can be cooked on an outdoor grill. Use a meat thermometer to check for desired doneness (130-135°F for medium-rare).
- Rest and dice steak: Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes to redistribute juices. Then, dice the steak into bite-sized cubes.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, and hot honey. Shake or whisk until the dressing is emulsified and evenly combined.
- Assemble salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the diced steak, diced cucumbers, charred corn kernels, halved cherry tomatoes, diced sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced red onions, chopped parsley, sliced basil, crumbled queso fresco, and diced avocado.
- Toss and serve: Drizzle the prepared hot honey lemon dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Serve immediately with an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top for added brightness. Enjoy your flavorful chopped steak salad!
Notes
- For the charred corn, cook fresh or thawed kernels in a hot skillet without oil until lightly browned and slightly charred.
- Queso fresco may be substituted with feta cheese if unavailable.
- The steak can be grilled outdoors as an alternative to skillet cooking.
- Adjust the amount of hot honey in the dressing according to your preferred spice level.
- Letting steak rest after cooking is crucial to keep it juicy.
