Pioneer Woman Chile Lime Steak Salad

Pioneer Woman chile lime steak salad turns flank steak, crisp romaine and fresh herbs into a tangy, crunchy dinner salad in 45 minutes. Save this easy weeknight steak salad for Father's Day, summer cookouts or date night, because it's all quick grill pan cooking with no oven needed.

Slice the rested flank steak very thinly against the grain, because that is what makes every bite tender instead of chewy. Cut it with the grain and even a nicely cooked steak turns tough.

Tossing the sliced steak and its juices in the leftover dressing, right in the salad bowl, soaks every slice in sweet, salty, spicy lime flavor. Dressing the greens with only half keeps them crisp, so the salad never turns soggy.

Pioneer Woman Chile Lime Steak Salad

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: SaladCuisine: American, SouthwesternDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

35

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

562

kcal

Thin slices of marinated flank steak sit on crunchy romaine, cucumber and cool herbs under a sharp lime dressing. The salty fish sauce, sweet brown sugar and fresh chile keep it bright and a little spicy from the first bite to the last.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
  

• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
  

• 2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
  

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  

• 1 flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  

• 1/4 c. fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
  

• 3 tbsp. fish sauce
  

• 3 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
  

• 1 red Thai chile pepper, thinly sliced
  

• 1 garlic clove, minced
  

• 6 cocktail tomatoes, quartered
  

• 2 small romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
  

• 1 English cucumber, sliced into half moons
  

• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  

• 1 c. fresh cilantro
  

• 1 c. fresh mint
  

• 1/2 c. roasted peanuts, crushed
  

Directions

• Marinate the steak: Whisk 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Prick the steak all over with a fork, then seal it in a resealable bag with the marinade and massage it in for a few minutes.
• Let it marinate: Let the steak sit in the bag for 15 minutes. That gives the marinade time to season the meat while you make the dressing.
• Make the dressing: Whisk 1/4 cup lime juice, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 sliced red Thai chile and 1 minced garlic clove in a small bowl. Keep whisking until the sugar dissolves, so the dressing tastes balanced.
• Grill the steak: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat, then pull the steak from the marinade and drizzle both sides with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Grill 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare, once the pan is hot.
• Rest and slice: Move the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices stay in the meat. Then slice it very thinly against the grain.
• Build the salad: Combine 6 quartered cocktail tomatoes, 2 chopped romaine hearts, 1 sliced English cucumber, 1 thinly sliced red onion, 1 cup cilantro, 1 cup mint and 1/2 cup crushed peanuts in a large bowl. Toss it with half of the dressing, then mound it on a platter or individual plates.
• Top and serve: Toss the sliced steak and its juices with the remaining dressing in the same bowl. Pile the steak on top of the salad and pour over any dressing left in the bowl.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.5-inch square cast iron grill pan, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, John Boos maple cutting board, 18 x 12. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different cut of steak for this salad?

Skirt steak or flat iron both work, since they take well to a fast marinade and a hot pan. Just slice thinly against the grain either way, because that matters more than the cut.

What can I use instead of fish sauce?

Soy sauce is the easiest swap, though the dressing will taste less funky and a bit less deep. Use a little less than the fish sauce amount, because soy sauce is saltier by volume.

Can I make this chile lime steak salad ahead of time?

You can whisk the dressing and slice the vegetables a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Grill the steak and toss everything together right before serving so the greens stay crisp.

How do I make the dressing less spicy?

Remove the seeds from the Thai chile before slicing, or use only half of it. Most of the heat lives in the seeds and the white ribs, so that tames it without losing the flavor.

I don't have a grill pan, what else can I use?

A heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat works well, and so does an outdoor grill. You will lose the grill marks with a skillet, but you still get a good sear.