Steak and Arugula Salad with Lemon Dressing
If you need some inspo for dinner this week, look no further. This spring-inspired steak and arugula salad is studded with tangy pickled radishes, crispy onions and topped with perfectly medium-rare petite sirloin. It is light, quick to throw together and bursting with nutrition.
As we transition from winter to spring, I’m craving ALL the salads. Not that I don’t like salads all year long but, man, warmer weather just screams for a steak on the grill and a light, refreshing salad, amirite or amirite??
This post is sponsored by the Washington State Beef Commission. All thoughts and opinions are my own, thank you for supporting the organizations that help me continue to create content!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
INGREDIENTS
Arugula: I’m a big fan of this curly, peppery, nutrient-dense green and it pairs oh so perfectly with steak.
Butter lettuce: you could also use romaine or leafy lettuce, this adds more crunch and texture to the salad
Petite sirloin: the star of the show, lean beef provides high quality protein and a 3oz portion serves up 14% daily value for iron, 53% daily value for zinc and 101% daily value of vitamin B12.
Microgreens: optional, but if you can find them, they’re a fabulous add for more visual interest and a mega antioxidant boost
Herbs: mint and green onions add freshness and vibrance to this salad
Snap peas: these add the best sweet CRONCH!
Radishes: tossing these with a splash of white wine vinegar, honey and salt gives the salad a punchy tanginess that is irresistible
Crispy fried onions: ya know, like the kind you put on green bean casserole? Trust me.
Goat cheese: can you really have an arugula salad without a generous crumble of creamy goat cheese!?
Lemon vinaigrette: lemon, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper come together for a simple, wildly flavorful dressing.
EQUIPMENT
Cutting Board: for chopping the veggies and thinly slicing the steak
Grill: any grill will work and I actually used by cast iron grill pan because it’s just not quite warm enough to cook outside yet
Salad shaker or mason jar: I love this one for quickly shaking together the salad dressing
As many of you know, I am anti- salads that suck. Ya know, the sad iceberg lettuce with a lonely tomato and dollop of Hidden Valley? When I create a salad I want one that’s going to be filling, flavorful and fun to eat.
WHY I LOVE THIS STEAK AND ARUGULA SALAD:
- It is filling: 3oz of beef provides 25g protein which promotes satiety as well as muscle growth and recovery. I recommend aiming for 30g protein per meal and this salad fits the bill perfectly.
- It is packed with nutrients: heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from the beef, minerals like potassium and phosphorous from the microgreens, cancer-fighting polyphenols in the leafy greens and filling fiber from the snap peas and radishes.
- It is flavorful: we’ve got a lot of flavor boosters going on here- marinating the steak, pickling the radishes and dressing the salad with lemon and olive oil are all incredibly wholesome ways to bump up the flavah.
HOW TO MAKE:
First, start my marinating the steak and popping that in the fridge while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Pickle the radishes by warming the vinegar and water for about 30 seconds in the microwave (or on the stovetop) and whisking in the honey and salt until completely dissolved. Pour over thinly sliced radishes. I like to use my mandolin for this.
Grill the steak. If you’re using thin-cut petite sirloin, it only takes 1-2 minutes per side on a hot grill for perfect medium rare! Let rest for 15 minutes and then thinly slice.
Assemble the salad by layering arugula, butter lettuce, microgreens, mint, snap peas and pickled radishes. Top with thinly sliced steak, crispy onions and goat cheese. Drizzle with dressing and toss!
FAQ
You can make this recipe with filet mignon, ribeye, New York strip, top sirloin, center cut sirloin or flank steak. You will need to adjust the cooking time based on the cut of meat you are using.
For a regular cut petite sirloin, cook 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare, adding 1 minute if you prefer more medium/medium well.
Hearty grains like farro, quinoa, wild rice or pearl couscous pair beautifully with the peppery arugula.
Prep steps you can do ahead of time are marinate the steak, make the dressing and keep in an airtight container in the fridge, pickle the radishes and keep in a jar or container in the fridge and chop/wash your veggies/greens. Wait until ready to serve to cook the steak and toss everything together.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ARUGULA & STEAK SALAD:
Make it a soup and salad meal and serve with veggie-loaded tortellini soup
Make it part of a delicious brunch spread by serving with deviled eggs and chocolate zucchini muffins
Pair it with a hunk of perfect four-ingredient no-knead bread.
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE YOU’LL LOVE:
Arugula Salad with beets and citrus
Watermelon, feta and mint arugula salad
Sweet and spicy roasted root vegetable salad
Prefer to watch? See how simply this beautiful salad comes together!
Steak and Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This peppery arugula and steak salad features marinated and thinly sliced sirloin, crispy onions, pickled radishes and snap peas. It is tied together with a lemon dressing and will have you digging in for bite after bite!
Ingredients
STEAK
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sayce
- 2 green onions, white parts only
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1lb petite sirloin, thin cut
RADISHES
- 1 bunch radishes, washed and trimmed
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
DRESSING
- juice of a whole lemon
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- salt and pepper
SALAD
- 3oz fresh arugula
- 1/2 head butter lettuce, chopped
- microgreens
- 4oz snap peas, chopped into 1 inch pieces
- fresh mint
- 2 green onions, the green parts, chopped
- 1/2 cup crispy fried onions
- 4oz goat cheese
Instructions
STEAK
Whisk together all ingredients. Place steak in a shallow dish, pat dry, season with salt and pepper and pour over marinade. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours in the fridge. Let steak come to room temp before cooking. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat and brush with avocado oil. Sear the steak for 1-2 minutes per side for medium rare. For medium to medium well add another minute of cook time per side. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain.
RADISHES
While the steak is marinating make the radishes. Warm the vinegar in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Whisk in the salt, honey and water until the salt and honey are completely dissolved. Thinly slice the radishes. I like to use my mandolin for this but you can also use a sharp knife. Place the radishes in a jar and pour the pickling liquid on top. Set aside for 15-20 minutes, then they’re ready!
DRESSING
Shake together lemon, olive oil and honey in a salad shaker or jar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
SALAD
Assemble the salad by layering together arugula, butter lettuce and microgreens. Top with mint, green onions, radishes, snap peas, steak, goat cheese and crispy onions. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. DIG IN!
Notes
To make this dairy free omit the goat cheese.
To make this gluten free make sure to use coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce and buy a gluten-free variety of crispy onions. This brand is made with buckwheat and is gluten-free.
Refer to FAQ for additional answers to questions!
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad
- Calories: 459
- Sugar: 16.2 g
- Sodium: 714.1 mg
- Fat: 27.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.1 g
- Protein: 33.8 g
- Cholesterol: 91.3 mg
This was a wonderful filling salad. It was super tasty .. we really liked the addition of the snap peas.
So glad you liked it Elizabeth!
Fantastic flavors and textures! I have made it with both the marinated steak shown here and with leftover grilled steak seasoned with just salt, pepper, and garlic powder. It’s delicious either way!
Love it! THanks for sharing Amanda, this is an amazing way to use leftover grilled steak!
The salad dressing with this was so very perfect! Loved the crunch of the snap peas, the creaminess of the goat cheese, the punch of crispy fried onions! I served the steak on the side (or the salad on the side 🤔) but it was all so very good.
I made this salad for dinner earlier this week and was blown away by the flavorful combination! I’ve now eaten it two more times sans steak, and it is so incredible. I want to eat it every day!
We rarely eat steak but this salad was a hit. We grilled some steak sans marinade for my 6 month old so she could “share” the meal with us. She loved it!