Summer Steak Salad
Summer steak salad with grilled corn, charred zucchini, tomatoes, and blue cheese, all tossed together with a quick balsamic vinaigrette.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds tri tip steak
- 4 tablespoons montreal steak seasoning
- 1 tablespoon tallow or avocado oil divided
- 2 ears corn husked
- 1 medium zucchini sliced into rounds
- 1 head green leaf lettuce torn or coarsley chopped
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado sliced
- ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Slice the 1 medium zucchini and lightly season with salt to draw out moisture. Set aside for 15 minutes. Then, pat dry with paper towels.
- Pat the 2 ½ pounds tri tip steak dry with a paper towel and rub with 4 tablespoons montreal steak seasoning. Let it sit at room temp for 20 to 30 minutes while you prep everything else.
- Rub 2 ears corn lightly with oil if grilling on an outdoor grill. But I prefer to grill directly on the grates of an indoor gas stove over medium heat, turning every couple minutes so you get char on multiple sides. It should take about 8-10 minutes for the corn to get completely cooked through. Set aside to cool, then slice the kernels off the cob.
- In a medium stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon tallow or avocado oil. Lay the zucchini rounds in a single layer and don't crowd the pan. Sear on both sides until they've got color and are just tender, not mushy. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil.
- For an outdoor grill, preheat to medium-high and oil the grates. Grill the steak, depending on thickness, with the lid down between flips. Use a meat thermometer if you have one and pull it at 130 to 135℉ for medium-rare, per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness.
- Move the steak to a cutting board and let it rest at least 10 minutes before slicing it against the grain.
- While the steak rests, spread the 1 head green leaf lettuce, torn across a large platter or divide between plates. Layer on the ½ red onion, thinly sliced, 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved, and 1 avocado, sliced.
- Add cooked and sliced steak strips, grilled corn and zucchini. Drizzle with ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette and top with ½ cup blue cheese crumbles. Serve immediately.
Notes
Note: This recipe makes more steak than you'll need for one meal of salad, and that's intentional. A 2.5 pound tri tip gives you enough for the salad plus a good amount left over for lunch the next day, tacos, or another quick meal later in the week. Keep the extra steak whole if you can, and slice it fresh when you're ready to use it, since pre-sliced steak dries out faster in the fridge.
Storage: Keep the components separate if you're not eating it all right away. Undressed salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion) holds in the fridge for about 2 days in an airtight container. Sliced steak keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated, well wrapped.
Helpful Tips:
- Browned zucchini: Dry the zucchini well and give it room in the pan. A wet, crowded pan steams instead of sears, and you'll end up with soft rounds instead of a real crust
- Charring corn: Char the corn in short bursts, turning every 30 to 45 seconds. Leaving it too long in one spot burns the sugars before the kernel underneath is actually cooked
- Slicing steak: Slice the steak against the grain. Tri-tip shifts grain direction partway through the cut, so check the angle again once you're halfway across
- Don't overcook steak: Pull the steak at 125 to 130 degrees F. It carries over a few more degrees with residual heat, so pulling early is what gets you an actual medium-rare.
Nutrition
Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 1186mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4952IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 5mg