Grilled Steak Salad With An Avocado Ranch Dressing is the the salad of the summer! Juicy grilled steak, beautiful colors and textures from an awesome mix of veggies, and a wonderfully creamy and flavorful ranch dressing come together to make a meal easy enough for a quick lunch, but elegant enough for a dinner party.
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If you're in the mood for mare great salads just like this, you've come to the right place! Try my Thai Steak Salad, Grilled Shrimp Salad, or my Greek Chicken Salad! They're all loaded with delicious proteins and a phenomenal salad dressing!
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This Grilled Steak Salad is the fresh, simple summer salad of your dreams. It packs a great punch of protein with the steak, is chock full of wonderful crunchy veggies, and let's not forget that dressing. My avocado ranch dressing is creamy and tangy and so full of flavor, you'll want to drink it.
When the weather is warmer, we all gather outside around the grill. I think it's just an unspoken rule around here. Why not crank up your grill and make this salad. It's simple and beyond delicious. It's easy enough for lunch, but so visually stunning you could serve it for a dinner party.
Cuts of Steaks: What You Could Use
I am a ribeye girl through and through. I love the tenderness and the marbleing. However, you use your favorite and what you have. Some other ideas would be:
- Filets - Super tender, but a bit pricey. It's a great option because it's a lean cut.
- Flank Steak or Skirt Steaks - Very popular cuts for steak salads. Super lean. They both need to be cooked and sliced properly to ensure tenderness. They can both be tough.
- Sirloin or New York strips are also fanastic options. I would say these are an in between of the flank/skirt option and the ribeye.
This is also a great recipe to use any leftover steak from the night before! I love grilling a little extra for this exact purpose. Use what you have and what you love!
What You'll Need
- Steak - I love and used a ribeye. Use your preferred cut.
- All-Purpose Seasoning - To season the steak.
- Mixed Greens, Pickled Onions, Tomatoes, Cucumber - The salad ingredients. Use what you love.
- Queso Fresco and Pepitas - For added flavor and texture. I love both of these in a salad sooo much!
- Avocado, Sour Cream, Mayonnaise - The base for the ranch dressing.
- Buttermilk and Lime Juice - For added tang.
- Granulated Garlic, Granulated Onion, Dried Dill Weed - Classic ranch seasonings
Steak Salad 101: How To Make It
A steak salad is super simple. You don't need any overly explained instructions. I'll give you the quick rundown of the festivities here, but the specifics will live in the recipe card below.
Simply:
- Prep and grill the steaks.
- Make the dressing
- Assemble the salad.
- Serve and enjoy!
I always serve a little extra avocado ranch on the side. It's just soooo good!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe gluten and/or dairy-free?
This recipe is 100% gluten-free. No need to worry about that.
To make this recipe dairy-free, sub the Queso Fresco for your favorite dairy-free crumbly cheese. The sour cream can also be subbed with your favorite dairy-free version or leave it out completely.
Do I eat this steak salad warm or cold?
Either! I love the warm steak along with the coolness of the salad. But, I also love having it all cold. Just depends on my mood at the time!
Tips and Tricks
Grilling a steak can be a daunting task, but I promise you it's very simple if you follow just a few steps.
- Do not grill the steak straight from the fridge. Let the steak sit out at room temperature 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Season well. Use a marinade or your favorite all-purpose seasoning. A healthy sprinkle of kosher salt is also a great option!
- Cook your steak over high heat to ensure good searing and pretty grill marks.
- Use a meat thermometer to help cook your steak to perfection and get that exact temp.
- Once you've reached your desired temp, let the steak rest for 10 minutes. If you cut into it straight off of the grill, the lovely juices will runneth amuck and your steak will be sad. We don't want that.
- Slice the steak against the grain. You should be able to see the lines of the meat. Carefully cut the steak perpendicular to those lines to ensure the most tender bites.
Follow these tips and tricks and your Steak Salad will be absolutely amazing!
Substitutions and Variations
- Use any kind of steak you prefer. Flank steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, sirloin steak, or flat iron steak would all work well.
- You can also grill chicken or shrimp for this recipe. A pork tenderloin would also be fantastic!
- I love the crunch of the pepitas, but pistachios would be a fantastic swap.
- This steak salad is also reallllly good in a wrap. Assemble the amount you want and roll it up in a tortilla or your favorite wrap situation. Serve it with a side of extra ranch for dipping!
Steak Temperature Chart
- Rare: 120–125°F
- Medium Rare: 130–135°F
- Medium: 140–145°F
- Medium Well: 150–155°F - ehhhhhhhhhh.
- Well Done: 160–165°F - please don't.
I personally don't recommend cooking steak over medium. You might as well eat jerky. I said it. Let's move on.
You can also read what the FDA says about it and more food safety tips here.
Storage Instructions
- I suggest only preparing the amount of salad you are going to eat in one sitting. Store the salad components separately in the fridge to prevent it from becoming soggy.
- The leftover components, if stored separately, will stay good in the fridge for up to 2 days. This is not a recipe that will stay good long.
- Gently rewarm steak in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. The trick is to do this slowly so the steak doesn't become overcooked and rubbery.
- Leftover steak can be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Steak Salad Recipe
Ingredients
The Steak
- 1-1¼ lb steak I used ribeye
- all-purpose seasoning enough to season steak to your liking
The Avocado Ranch Dressing
- 1 avocado, cut into chunks
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayo
- ¼-½ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- juice of 1 lime
- 2-3 tablespoon fresh parsley, dill, and chives optional
The Salad
- 4-6 cups mixed lettuce greens
- ½ cup tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup cucumbers, diced
- ½ cup pickled onions
- ½ cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
- ¼ pepitas or pumpkin seeds
Instructions
The Steak
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Season according to your preference. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes - 1 hour.
- Heat the grill (or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Pat any excess moisture away with a paper towel. For medium-rare, grill the steak 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on its thickness. I like to pull my steaks at 120°. They will continue to cook while resting. After the steak rests, slice and set aside.
The Avocado Ranch Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Check for salt and pepper. Add some if needed.
The Salad
- Assemble the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add steak slices and top with as much avocado ranch dressing as your heart desires.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you guys make this Grilled Steak Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Grilled Steak Salad recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or star rating below. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
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Even More Fantastic Salad Recipes
These salad recipes are super basic and could be the base for grilled steak as well!
Simple Green Salad - Our favorite weekly meal prep salad with a tangy vinaigrette. A little grilled steak on top would be chef's kiss!
Wedge Salad - Steak and blue cheese wedge salads are a classic for a reason. You've got to try my version!
Grilled Caesar Salad - If you're outside grilling the steaks, why not grill the salad, too!? With a fantastically creamy caesar dressing, you cannot go wrong!
Paul says
We love this recipe! It’s so easy and the dressing is amazing!