This steak salad is just brimming with flavor from the grilled corn, seasoned steak and lime vinaigrette making it the perfect summer meal. Say goodbye to boring salads!
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My earliest memories of cooking with my dad involve a Weber kettle grill – that’s a charcoal grill! It was out on the patio in our front yard – I know that sounds weird, but we lived in California and the house I grew up had an area in front kind of like a courtyard. Houses in California often have different and unique types of architecture.
Anyway, my dad was always grilling, no matter what time of year. I’d bet we had something grilled at least twice a week.
I always loved grilling but unfortunately, I personally didn’t get to do a lot the grilling when I was married, so now I grill all summer long, and sometimes in the winter too. It always makes me think of my dad and watching him grill when I was little. While turning this yummy grilled steak into a salad might not be exactly what he would do with it I know he’ll approve!
Tips for Grilling Steak
I used a tri-tip steak from Whole Foods – I wanted something with a little bit of marbling to give it more flavor but not too fatty. I often ask the guys at the meat counter at Whole Foods for advice, so if you have one near you definitely do the same. They can usually give you lots of options and recommendations!
You’re going to start by making a wet rub for steak – that’s just a bunch of spices mixed with some olive oil to sure it sticks to the steak. I let it marinate for about 30 minutes while I’m prepping the rest of the ingredients.
How long do you grill a steak?
Then onto the grill it goes. The exact grill time will vary depending on how thick the steak is and how you like your meat cooked. A general rule of thumb is 5-10 minutes per side – this assumes a steak about 1 1/2 to 2″ thick.
Grilling it for 6 minutes is going to give you a pretty rare steak and 10 is going to give you medium-well. I always use a meat thermometer to check the temperature to make sure I’ve got it the way I want it. Then you don’t have to cut into the steak to check it. Temperatures are listed below:
- Rare – 120 to 125°
- Medium Rare – 130 to 135°
- Medium – 140-145°
- Medium well+ – 150° or above
After the steak hits the desired temperature remove it from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes or so before slicing.
Additional notes from the kitchen
The easiest parts of this recipe to make in advance are the marinade and the dressing. You can also cook the farro in advance and then either serve it cold on the salad or if you prefer it warmer, heat it up in the microwave for a few minutes.
A note about the ingredients
- Lettuce: In the summer I prefer to get my lettuce from the local farmer’s market whenever possible. It just tastes so much better. To store lettuce, wash and dry when you get home then cut up into bite-sized pieces. Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Corn: Find the freshest corn on the cob you can. The farmer’s market is also a good place to find corn in the summer.
- Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes are in their peak season during the summer months so if you happen to be growing them you should definitely use the ones in your garden!
- Blue Cheese: Since there are so many varieties of blue cheese use your favorite for this salad.
Want more summer salad recipes?
things you may want for this recipe
Williams Sonoma BBQ Fork Thermometer – This comes in super handy when grilling, though I use it when cooking meat in the oven too. It easily lets you see the temperature without having to remove the meat from the grill. It also doubles as a fork for lifting the meat from the grill when it’s done.
OXO Corn Peeler – There are lots of different options for this kitchen tool and I’ve tried quite a few. This is my favorite because it’s easy to use, clean and store. It also removes the corn from the cob really well. If you like grilled corn salads and salsas I’d say this is a must-have kitchen tool.
Happy Father’s Day!!
This post was originally published in June 2016. It has been updated with additional information in June 2020.
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Grilled Chipotle Lime Steak Salad
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 salads 1x
- Category: Salads
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Description
This steak salad is just brimming with flavor from the grilled corn, seasoned steak and lime vinaigrette making it the perfect summer meal!
Ingredients
For the steak:
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- juice from half a lime
- 1 pound tri-tip or other lightly marbled steak
For the salad:
- 1/2 cup farro, uncooked
- 2 ears of corn
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 8 cups chopped lettuce
- 1/4 crumbled blue cheese
- half an avocado, sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
For the vinaigrette:
- juice of 1 1/2 limes
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the grill. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl mix the pepper, chipotle, onion powder, garlic salt, allspice, paprika and lime zest. Add olive oil and lime juice; stir until incorporated.
- Prepare the steak. Spread the chipotle rub on both sides of the steak and let the steak come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook the farro. Add the farro and 1 1/2 cups water to a small sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Grill the corn. Brush the corn on all sides with olive oil. Place on the grill and cook for 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Remove the corn from the grill and let cool slightly. Remove the kernels from the ears using a sharp knife or corn peeler.
- Grill the steak. Place the steak on the grill while the corn is cooking. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side for a medium steak (see post for grill times for other temperatures). Check the internal temperature with a thermometer and remove it from the grill when the desired temperature is reached. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. After resting, cut into thin slices.
- Make the vinaigrette. While the corn is cooling, make the vinaigrette by mixing the lime juice, zest, garlic, honey, vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until blended.
- Assemble the salad. To assemble the salad divide the lettuce between 4 plates. Add the steak and top with farro, corn, tomatoes, red onion, blue cheese and avocado. Top with dressing and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Keywords: weeknight dinner, summer dinner
I’m jealous that your dad has the weather to grill all year long! And the toppings on this salad all sound amazing.. Yum!
MMMM, that grilled corn!! I love farro in my salads too. It’s such a great hearty addition. And that dressing! Amazing!!
This sounds delicious, I’m on a major grilling frenzy at the moment, maybe 4-5 times a week and always over charcoal 😀
Thanks Brian! Love that you are grilling over charcoal!
I remember having an old weber grill and my dad always grilling over charcoal… it’s the best way to do it. this looks fabulous,
I am all about tex-mex salads this summer. I love the flavour of Mexican food – isn’t chipotle just the best thing ever? – and this is right up my street, thanks for sharing. Only thing I’d change is I’d have my steak rare 🙂
★★★★★
Love this, just perfect for Father’s day! We use a Webber grill with charcoal but living here in the UK we really only grill during the Summer and that’s only if we’re lucky enough to get some good weather 😉
★★★★★
I love this idea! Sometimes I’m iffy about steak salads but this totally works! Love the flavors in here!
This seriously looks so amazingly delicious! I’m definitely trying this next week when I get home from camping in the mountains!
★★★★★