A healthy low-carb dinner that’s perfect for the spring/summer season – steak salad with gorgonzola! Slices of juicy New York strip steak served over a bed of corn, tomatoes, and crumbles of salty Italian blue cheese. Drizzled over top is a simple balsamic vinaigrette!

An oval white plate with steak over a bed of salad. Arranged around the salad are fresh basil leaves and a jar of salad dressing.

If you’re looking for a 30-minute dinner that’s low in carbs and high in protein, look no further than this delicious steak salad! It’s fresh, flavorful, and best of all made with the simplest of ingredients.

Each bite is filled with juicy slices of steak, vibrant veggies, salty Italian blue cheese, and fresh summer basil. To finish it off the salad is dressed with a simple balsamic vinaigrette that brings all the flavors together harmoniously.

Key Ingredients

This salad has three main components to prepare – the steak, the salad, and a homemade dressing! Below you’ll the ingredients you need to make it all happen.

Ingredients for steak salad arranged in different sized bowls that are arranged on a wooden background.

For the full list of ingredients & measurements see the recipe card below.

Steak: I like to use a New York strip steak for this salad. If you want to know other cuts of steak you can use, see our tips below!
Dressing: this recipe calls for a homemade balsamic dressing made of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, maple syrup, and salt & pepper.
Gorgonzola: an Italian blue cheese that adds a buttery, salty flavor that pairs so beautifully with the steak! You can buy this in a small block or pre-crumbled.
Greens: we like to use greens that have a crunch to them.
Cherry tomatoes: for a burst of sweetness! I like to use cherry tomatoes for their size and taste rather than larger tomatoes.
Corn: if fresh corn is in season, I highly recommend using it in the salad grilled or steamed. When photographing this recipe fresh corn wasn’t in season so I used thawed frozen fire-roasted corn.
Red onion: for a zing of flavor!
Avocado: for some healthy fats and creamy texture!
Fresh basil: this herb adds the perfect touch of freshness that instantly elevates the flavors of this salad.

How to Make Steak Salad

1

Prepare the salad. In a large salad plate or bowl, prepare the vegetables for salad so you can have it ready to serve when the steak is cooked.
2

Make the dressing. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients.
3

Cook the steak. Preheat the oven to 425F with your cast iron skillet in the oven. Brush or rub both sides of the steak with oil or butter, then season the steak generously with salt & black pepper on both sides. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and place it on a burner on medium heat, place the steak in the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Then place the steak in the oven until the internal temp is between 125-130F. Remove the pan from the oven and place the steak on a cutting board and cover with foil. Let it rest for several minutes, the internal temp will continue to rise as it sits. For medium rare, slice the steak when it reaches 135-140F.

4

Serve the steak with the salad. Slice the steak and place is over the bed of salad, then drizzle with balsamic dressing and serve!

Tips for Success

Best steak for salad – my favorite cut of steak for salad is a New York strip! This cut is usually very tender and has a little bit of fat that creates the perfect flavor. If you’d prefer to use a different cut, you can also use sirloin, flank, and flat iron.

Remove the steak from the oven before it’s fully cooked – the trick with steak is you have to remove it from the oven/heat source before it reaches the desired internal temperature. This is because the steak will continue to cook while it rests before slicing and serving.

Make sure the steak is at room temperature before cooking – before making this salad, I like to remove the steak from my fridge about 30 minutes ahead of time and let it come to room temperature. This allows for an even cook all the way through. If you cook a cold steak, it can tense up once it hits the heat which can result in a tough steak.

Keep a close watch on your steak temperature – Steak cooks fast, especially if it’s a thinner cut. And the last thing we want is overcooked/tough steak. While the steak is cooking, keep a close watch on the internal temperature by using a reliable meat thermometer.

Use frozen or fresh corn – I used frozen thawed fire-roasted corn for this recipe, but if you’d like to use fresh corn you can steam or grill it, then add it to the salad!

Additional vegetables & fruit you can add – you can also top your salad with diced bell peppers or roasted red peppers, and marinated artichokes. For fruit, you could add peach slices, strawberries, or even blueberries!

Different Ways to Cook Steak

There are a few different ways you can cook a steak! Choosing the right cooking method will depend on the equipment you have available and how thick the cut of steak is.

Stovetop + oven: this is my preferred method. The stovetop/oven method is perfect for thicker cuts of steak. The reason is thicker steak takes longer and if it’s seared too long in a hot pan it can burn more easily. This method uses the stovetop for a quick sear on both sides of the steak, and then the steak finishes cooking in a hot oven. The method is fast, and fool-proof, and you’re less likely to have a burnt crust and even cooked steak all the way through!

Stovetop: If you have a thinner steak (such as a skirt steak) the stovetop might be your best method! Because the steak is thinner it won’t need long to cook, so you can just keep it in a hot pan on the stovetop. Make sure the pan is hot, but not too hot to avoid a burnt steak.

Grilled: If you have a grill, this is a great way to add more flavor! Keep the heat high enough to cook the steak (between 350F-400F). Make sure the grill is hot before adding the steak!

Internal Temperatures for Steak

Everyone likes their steak cooked differently! Below we have an internal temperature guide you can reference for cooking your steak – whether you like it rare, medium rare, or well done.

Important note: All these temperatures are for when the steak has rested and is ready to serve, keep in mind if you would like to achieve these temperatures you will need to remove the steak from the heat source about 5-(ish) degrees before they reach the desired internal temperature. If the steaks are removed from the heat source when they reach the desired internal temperature they will overcook while they rest.

Internal temperature for rare steak: Rare steak means quite a bit of red when you cut into it. The internal temperature for rare steak will be between 125-130F when it’s ready to serve.

Internal temperature for medium steak: If you like a little bit of pink but not too rare, medium is a perfect balance and my personal favorite! The internal temperature will be between 135-145F.

Internal temperature for well-done steak: If you like little to almost no pink at all and an almost completely cooked steak, well-done steak temperature will be between 145-155F.

A white plate with steak over a bed of salad with fresh basil leaves around the plate of salad.

More Salads to Try

If you like this salad, you might also be a fan of our grilled corn and tomato salad, summer farro salad, or this Greek chickpea salad!