This grilled steak salad is just brimming with flavor from the grilled corn, seasoned steak and lime vinaigrette making it the perfect summer weeknight meal. Say goodbye to boring salads!

Overhead shot of salad with grilled steak, avocado slices and grape tomatoes

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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 in 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.

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 have done with it I know he'd approve!

Ingredient Notes

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. I recommend buying a block of it and crumbling it yourself, though a pre-crumbled version will do in a pinch!

Tips for Making Steak Salad

Pick your steak. I used a tri-tip steak because 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 the local grocery store for advice. They can usually give you lots of options and recommendations!
Make the wet rub. 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.
Cook the farro & grill the corn. Get these two things take a little while so you want to start them early so they are ready when the steak is done.

Stripping Corn

Getting corn off the cob can be a little tricky. Let the corn cool enough so you can handle, as you'll need to hold the cob by one end. While a sharp chef's knife works for this process, I actually prefer to use this nifty little corn stripper tool.

I'm normally not a huge fan of kitchen gadgets that only have one purpose but I make a lot of corn-based recipes so I think it's worth the just under $20 price tag. This one 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.

How long do you grill a steak?

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 ½ to 2" thick.

Grilling it for 6 minutes is going to give you a pretty rare steak and 10 minutes 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. This means 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.

Salad with grilled steak, tomatoes, blue cheese and avocado on a white plate

Make Ahead Tips

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.

Want more summer salad recipes?

This Tortellini Pasta Salad and this Quinoa Grilled Chicken Salad are two of my favorite summer make-ahead salads.

Close up of a grilled steak salad topped with grilled corn

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Grilled Chipotle Lime Steak Salad

Author: Kathryn Rudey

This steak salad is just brimming with flavor from the grilled corn, seasoned steak and lime vinaigrette making it the perfect summer meal!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 15

Total Time 55

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Servings salads

Ingredients

For the steak:

½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ teaspoon lime zest
2 teaspoons olive oil
juice from half a lime
1 pound tri-tip or other lightly marbled steak

For the salad:

½ cup farro, uncooked
2 ears of corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
¼ cup diced red onion
8 cups chopped lettuce
¼ crumbled blue cheese
half an avocado, sliced
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

For the vinaigrette:

juice of 1 ½ limes
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ 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 ½ 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 : summer dinner, weeknight dinner

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This post was originally published in June 2016. It was updated with additional information in June 2020.