A crisp, cool, and delicious answer to “what’s for dinner” is a steak salad with blue cheese. Perfectly grilled steak, balsamic roasted red onion, and crumbled blue cheese top crunchy greens for a meal that packs a flavor punch. The hearty and delicious salad is for any steak lover.
Dinner time can be hectic. I'm a huge fan of make ahead recipes that don't taste like make ahead recipes. Many dishes can be lackluster in flavor and lose their fresh taste when cooked in advance. Some favorites include this easy Lemon Chicken and my Baked Marinara Meatballs.
This steak salad recipe with blue cheese and a homemade balsamic dressing is an ideal make-ahead meal. All the components of the dish can be prepped in advance. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. At meal time just assemble the fresh salad and enjoy.
To help your family serve themselves when dinner time rolls around leave a note of how to compose the salad. I've left a note and with a diagram to make assembling the salad super simple.
in the article
why you'll love this recipe
A few reasons make this dinner salad recipe standout as a winner.
- Triple duty homemade balsamic herb vinaigrette ~ It's a robust sauce to roast along with the red onions, a hearty marinade for the skirt steak, and a slightly sweet and tangy dressing for the salad.
- Flavor packed skirt steak ~ This beefy thin steak adds rich and intense flavor to the salad. Grill it for even more smoky flavor.
- Make in advance ~ All of the components of the hearty entree salad can be prepped up to 3 days in advance. It's the ideal meal for busy days and nights. It doesn't skimp on flavor.
ingredients & substitutions
Gather the ingredients for this delicious steak salad recipe. If substitutions can be made they're listed. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantitates of the ingredients.
- Red onion ~ These purple hued onions roast to a smoky sweet flavor. Yellow or Vidalia onions are alternatives.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Garlic cloves ~ In a pinch substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh garlic.
- Light brown sugar ~ Dark brown sugar can also be used in the recipe.
- Dijon mustard ~ Stone ground mustard or yellow mustard are alternatives.
- Reduced sodium soy sauce ~ I find regular soy sauce too salty. The lower salt version is my go to for cooking and eating. If you use regular soy sauce in this recipe, adjust the amount of salt you add.
- Dried oregano
- Dried thyme
- Dried basil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil ~ Use the best quality oil as it's almost half of the ingredients in the marinade/vinaigrette.
- Skirt steak ~ This thin steak cooks ultra fast and has unbeatable beefy and buttery flavor. Also try sirloin steak, New York strip steak, flank steak, and ribeye steak.
- Blue cheese ~ This robust cheese is salty, tangy and earthy in taste. Substitutes include Gorgonzola, goat or feta cheese.
- Romaine lettuce ~ This lettuce has a nice balance of crisp, crunchy and mellow green leaves. Try other leafy greens like iceberg lettuce or baby spinach in the recipe.
Hint: An Italian seasoning blend can be used in place of the dried oregano, thyme and basil. It's available in the spice/baking aisle of most grocery stores.
recipe details
This is one of the salad recipes that I make over and over. It's got tons of flavor and perfect for dinner any night of the week. This is a brief overview of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for full instructions.
1. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, oregano, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper in a mason jar. Screw on the lid and give the marinade/vinaigrette a good shake.
2. Place the sliced onions in a bowl. Toss with 1/3 cup of the marinade/vinaigrette. Spread the onions on the preheated baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Transfer the steak to a large resealable bag. Add 1/2 cup of the marinade/vinaigrette. Seal the bag and marinate the steak for 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the steak from the marinade. Grill the steak for about 3 minutes per side. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes.
5. Cut the steak against the grain into thin slices.
6. Plate the salads. For each salad top lettuce with steak, roasted onions, blue cheese crumbles and drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette.
expert tip
Marinate the steak in a resealable bag. It prevents and spills or messes. Also you can easily squish the steak and marinade so it's completely coated.
how to cook skirt steak
The best way to cook a skirt steak is quickly over high heat. It's a thin and lean cut of beef so it easily becomes tough when over cooked. To get the char and crust, remove as much of the marinade as possible before cooking. The 3 best ways to cook skirt steak are the following.
- Grill ~ Use either an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill. Preheat the pan or grill to high heat. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F for medium rare.
- Sear ~ Use a cast iron skillet or heavy sauté pan. Heat the pan over medium high heat. Sear the skirt steak for 3-4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F for medium rare.
- Broil ~ Heat the broiler. Place the steak on a foil lined pan. Broil for 3 minutes. Flip the steak over and broil for 3-4 minutes or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F for medium rare.
the right way to slice skirt steak
Rest the cooked steak on a cutting board for 5 minutes tented loosely under foil. The grains of steak run crosswise or the short way of the steak. To slice, cut the steak in 4 inch sections with the grain of the meat. Then slice each piece against the grain into one-quarter inch strips for the most tender and juicy steak.
how to prep steak salad in advance
This steak salad recipe is great to prep in advance. The readied ingredients will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Shake up a batch of balsamic vinaigrette. Store in a mason jar.
- Roast the balsamic drizzled red onions. Store in an airtight container.
- Marinate, grill and slice the skirt steak. Store in an airtight container.
- Chop the lettuce. Roll it in a paper towel and place in a large resealable bag.
- Crumble the blue cheese. Store in an airtight container.
When it's dinnertime, top of the romaine lettuce with the sliced steak, roasted red onions, a sprinkling of crumbled blue cheese and a drizzle of the balsamic herb vinaigrette.
frequently asked questions
This is a matter of personal preference. I enjoy the contrast of the warm steak and the cool lettuce. But the steak salad is also delicious when all the ingredients are chilled.
Using a microwave on a low power setting is an easy way to reheat steak for a salad. For each serving, place the sliced steak on a microwave safe dish. Heat on 60 percent power at 30 second intervals until the steak is heated to your liking.
more salad recipes
If you make my steak salad recipe, be sure to give it a rating and/or comment. Thank you!
Printrecipe
Balsamic Herb Steak Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This steak salad with roasted red onions and blue cheese is a delicious entree salad.A homemade balsamic vinaigrette does triple duty as it roasts along with the red onions, marinades the steak and is a vinaigrette for the salad.
Ingredients
Balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup olive oil
Steak salad
- 2 large red onions cut in 1/4 inch slices, about 4 cups
- 1 skirt steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 8 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven.
- Make the marinade/vinaigrette: In a mason jar, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, oregano, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Screw on a tight fitting lid and give the marinade/vinaigrette a good shake.
- Roast the onions: Place onions in a large bowl. Pour about 1/3 cup of the balsamic mixture over the onions and toss to coat. Spread onions on the preheated baking sheet. Roast onions in oven for 25-30 minutes or until the onions are soft and slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Marinate the steak: While the onions are roasting, place the steak in a resealable bag and add 1/2 cup of the marinade/vinaigrette. Seal bag and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat.
- Grill the steak: Remove the steak from the bag and discard the marinade. Place on the hot grill and cook without moving for 3 minutes for medium rare and 4 minutes for medium. Flip the steak over and grill for an additional 3-4 minutes. The internal temperature of the steak should be about 120 to 125 degrees F. Remove steak from grill and cover with loosely foil for 5 minutes.
- Slice the steak: After the steak rests, slice it into 4 inch sections with the grain of the meat. Slice each section against the grain into 1/4 inch slices. This insures that the meat will be tender.
- Assemble the salads: Place about 2 cups of the romaine on each of 4 large plates. Top with the sliced steak, roasted red onions, blue cheese and a drizzle of remaining balsamic herb vinaigrette.
Notes
Ways to cook skirt steak
Grill ~ Use either an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill. Preheat the pan or grill to high heat. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F for medium rare.
Sear ~ Use a cast iron skillet or heavy sauté pan. Heat the pan over medium high heat. Sear the skirt steak for 3-4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F for medium rare.
Broil ~ Heat the broiler. Place the steak on a foil lined pan. Broil for 3 minutes. Flip the steak over and broil for 3-4 minutes or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F for medium rare.
Nutritional information is an estimate and based on the ingredients and cooking methods used in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: grill
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 632
- Sugar: 9.1 g
- Sodium: 1303 mg
- Fat: 39.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 12.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.2 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 51.1 g
- Cholesterol: 113 mg
This recipe was originally posted in May 2014. The updates include new photos, shopping links and nutritional information.
Margaret MacKenzie
This salad recipe is truly trans-seasonal. Perfect for balmy summer patio dining with the steak hot off the grill, or as a pleasant reminder of warmer temps on a rainy winter eve. Steak and blue cheese are a natural pairing, and Amy’s marinade adds a new dimension to that classic combo. Roasted petite potatoes, toasted walnuts and/or garlic croutons are tasty add-ons.
Amy Casey
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe Margaret. Steak and blue cheese are a winning combination.