Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is a feast for the eyes and abdomen! This restaurant-quality salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.

Just lately a reader emailed to share they weren’t a lot of a griller and requested if I had any stovetop steak recipes. I did the finger interlace factor the place you flip your arms round and crack your knuckles then wiggled my fingers earlier than I started my reply.

That’s to say, YES, I do have a number of pan-seared and pan-roasted steak recipes, and my Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is likely one of the perfect. This restaurant-quality, hearty steak salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.

It’s an expensive feast that’s exploding with taste!

Stovetop Steak — No Grill Required

Being the great Midwesterner that I’m, steak is one in all my very favourite meals. Few issues rival a Good Grilled Steak however tromping by way of three ft of snow so as to grill a steak isn’t very interesting through the season that shall not be named. Or possibly you don’t have a grill, or simply don’t desire that methodology.

Downside solved with my straightforward stovetop methodology for cooking steak that ends in tender, juicy beef. Mixed with luscious toppings it creates a restaurant-worthy salad that’s excellent for entertaining, holidays (Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day are protruding in my thoughts), or a particular meal at residence with good firm.

Glass of purple wine elective, however extremely advisable!

Steak Salad Parts

Let’s define the very best steak salad elements actual fast so we all know what we’re diving into!

• Steak: I like to recommend strip steaks or ribeye steak for this hearty steak salad. Extra on this under.
• Candied Pecans: are made in 5 minutes in a pot on the range with only a few components. They add an irresistible, candy + salty crunch to the salad. Be at liberty to make use of store-bought if that’s simpler.
• Crispy Shallots: are one in all my secret weapons for including decadent taste to salads. In contrast to onion rings, they require no breading nor deep fats frying to change into crispy. If crispy shallots simply aren’t your factor, thinly sliced purple onion is a good swap!
• Dried Cherries: add a sweet-tart chew to every chew. Dried cranberries are an incredible substitute.
• Goat Cheese (chevre): provides tanginess and creaminess to the salad. I like experimenting with totally different flavors — honey, garlic-herb, and truffle goat cheese are all incredible on this salad. Montchevre has nice merchandise which are available at most grocery shops. If goat cheese isn’t your factor, crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese could be tasty too.
• Maple Balsamic Dressing: a handful of on a regular basis components creates essentially the most luuuuscious do-it-yourself steak salad dressing. So good you’ll wish to eat it with a spoon!
• Lettuce: I’m inserting this final as a result of it’s actually only a automobile for all these superior toppings. That mentioned, use what you like. I often go along with blended greens however hearty romaine lettuce, an arugula lettuce combine, or child spinach are all nice selections!

What Kind of Steak to Use

Filet Mignon is nice to pan-roast then eat with a knife and fork. It’s so tender and dear that I wish to pair it with mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable so as to actually let the steak shine. Skirt steak and flank steak additionally sear up properly in a skillet on the range however may be on the costly aspect.

That mentioned, for steak salads I sometimes select both strip steaks or ribeyes. Each are all-around stable steak selections that may be cooked rapidly and simply.

• Strip steaks: if you happen to think about a T-bone steak in your thoughts, the smaller aspect is the tenderloin, which may be reduce/trimmed into filet mignon, whereas the longer aspect is the strip steak. Generally known as a “New York Strip”, it’s an incredible on a regular basis steak.
• Ribeye steaks: come from the highest, front-end rib part of a cow and are one in all my very favourite cuts of beef. Ribeyes sometimes have nice marbling (ie a lot of taste and tenderness) and can be a bit dear so fill up if you happen to see them on sale. Whereas I like to serve a ribeye merely, equally to a filet, it slices up properly and provides tons of taste to salads.

No matter if you happen to select strip steaks or ribeyes to make use of on this salad, the cooking methodology is identical. The photographs you see listed here are strip steaks.

Ideas for Success

Hold these few suggestions in thoughts for making certain your stovetop steak for salad comes out excellent, each time!

1. Marbling: search for steaks which have good marbling, which is fats working by way of the meat. This provides taste and customarily signifies a extra tender reduce of beef. For those who can’t discover a steak with good marbling, remember to slice it thinly and towards the grain after cooking — you’ll nonetheless get nice outcomes.
2. Thickness: whether or not I’m cooking a strip steak or ribeye in a pan on the range or on the grill, I like them to be at the very least 1″ thick, and ideally 1-1/2″ thick.
3. Pan: pan-seared steak is finest cooked in an excellent scorching pan and forged iron is my #1 alternative for getting a scrumptious golden brown crust on the skin. Right here’s a incredible budget-friendly forged iron skillet, or enameled cast-iron skillet.
4. Relaxation: a very powerful factor to do after cooking steaks is to LET THEM REST. For those who slice them too quickly all of the juices will run out and also you’ll be left with dry, robust beef. Dislike! After cooking to your most well-liked stage of doneness, switch the steaks to a chopping board then allow them to sit undisturbed for at the very least 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing towards the grain.

Alright, let’s get you a few of this epic steak salad!

Attempt This Hearty Salad

The best way to Make this Steak Salad Recipe

Step 1: Make the Maple Balsamic Dressing

I’m telling you — this dressing is liquid gold. SO GOOD! To a jar with a decent becoming lid, or small bowl, add the next components then shake or whisk to mix:

• Further virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Pure maple syrup
• Minced shallots
• Dijon mustard
• Recent garlic
• Salt and pepper

Be at liberty to zap the dressing with an immersion blender if you happen to desire an especially easy dressing, in any other case it’s good to go.

• Tip: make the dressing as much as 5 days upfront. It will get higher and higher because it sits within the fridge.

Step 2: Make the Candied Pecans

Candied pecans are life and fortuitously they’re SO straightforward to make. Merely soften butter, brown sugar, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup in a pan on the range over medium warmth.

As soon as the combination begins effervescent add pecan halves the stir and cook dinner for 2-3 minutes or till the sugar combination begins to stick to the pecans. Watch out to not burn the nuts.

Scrape the candied pecans onto a bit of parchment paper or a silpat then sprinkle with salt and allow them to cool. Voila, candied pecans — really easy, proper?

• Tip: make the candied pecans as much as 3 days forward of time. After cooling utterly, retailer in an air-tight container on the counter.

Step 3: Make the Crispy Shallots

Crispy shallots are like mini onion rings besides higher since you don’t have to batter nor deep fats fry them.

Thinly slice a pair giant shallots then separate the slices into rings.

Subsequent warmth additional virgin olive oil in a big, forged iron pan over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is scorching, add half the shallots then pan fry them, stirring virtually always with tongs, till they’re golden brown — NOT darkish brown. Darkish brown shallots will style burnt.

• Tip: Add a shallot ring to the oil to check the temperature — if it sizzles, you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, maintain pre-heating the oil.

Switch the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to empty then sprinkle with salt. Pan fry the second batch of shallots then drain, sprinkle with salt, and put aside.

Shallots = carried out!

Step 4: Trim, Season, then Prepare dinner the Steak

Time for the primary occasion — the steak!

These are 10oz strip steaks (aka New York Strip Steak) which are ~1-1/4″ thick. I like to depart them out on the counter for 20 minutes or so to take away the coolness from the fridge.

If I’m grilling steak I sometimes depart any extra fats across the meat in place, however once I’m pan-searing them I wish to trim off the surplus fats. In any other case it spits whereas cooking and might make a large number.

Drizzle the trimmed steaks with a little bit of additional virgin olive oil on either side then season liberally on either side with salt and black pepper. Use just a little extra salt than you suppose you must. Belief me!

Drain out the surplus oil from pan-frying the shallots then flip the warmth below the skillet as much as a contact under excessive. As soon as the pan is extraordinarily scorching, place the seasoned steaks inside then sear for 3 minutes. No touching!

Flip the steaks then flip the warmth down barely and cook dinner for two minutes on the opposite aspect for uncommon steak, 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium doneness. For those who’re utilizing an instant-read digital thermometer, listed here are inner steak temperatures for doneness:

• Uncommon: 125 levels levels
• Medium-rare: 135 levels
• Medium: 145 levels
• Medium-well: 150 levels
• Properly carried out: 160 levels

Word: In case your steaks are thicker than 1-1/2″ AND/OR you need them cooked medium-well to well-done, place the complete skillet right into a 400 diploma oven for 4-8 minutes to complete cooking after flipping the primary time. Which means, sear for 3 minutes, then flip and place the complete pan within the oven for 4-8 minutes.

Step 5: Relaxation the Steaks.

Take away the steaks to a chopping board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing towards the grain, or chopping into bite-sized items. Slide the steak over two beds of lettuce then add a plethora of candy, savory, creamy, and crunchy toppings.

Translation: dried cherries or dried cranberries, do-it-yourself candied pecans, dollops of goat cheese, and the crispy shallots. Drizzle on the do-it-yourself dressing then dig in!

I hope you like each final chew of this entertaining-worthy, tremendous particular, completely scrumptious Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing dressing — take pleasure in!

Extra Entertaining-Worthy Salads

Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing

Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is a feast for the eyes and abdomen! This restaurant-quality salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Prepare dinner Time 30 minutes minutes

Whole Time 40 minutes minutes

Course Salad

Delicacies American

Servings 2

Energy 1413 kcal

• 1/4 cup additional virgin olive oil, plus an additional drizzle
• 2 giant shallots, thinly sliced then separated into rings
• 2 8-10oz strip steaks, trimmed of extra fats, see notes
• salt and pepper
• 5 oz blended greens
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

For the Candied Pecans:

• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/2 Tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• pinch of salt

For the Maple Balsamic French dressing:

• 1/4 cup additional virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons finely minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
• salt and pepper

For the Candied Pecans:

• Place a silpat or piece of parchment paper on the counter then put aside. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and butter to a small saucepan then flip the warmth to medium and stir till the combination is melted and bubbly. Add the pecans then cook dinner whereas stirring till the sugar begins to crystalize and cling to the pecans, 2-4 minutes. Scrape the pecans onto the parchment paper or silpat then unfold them out, sprinkle with salt, and funky utterly. May be made as much as 3 days forward of time — retailer in an hermetic container with a lid on the counter.

For the Maple-Balsamic French dressing:

For the Steaks:

• In case your steaks are thicker than 1-1/2”, and/otherwise you need them cooked medium-well to well-done, preheat the oven to 400 levels. In case your steaks are lower than 1-1/2” and/otherwise you need them cooked wherever from uncommon to medium, you’ll be able to skip this step.

For the Fried Shallots:

• In the meantime, line a plate with paper towels then put aside. Add 1/4 cup oil to a big (10-12”) oven-safe, ideally forged iron skillet then place it over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is scorching, add half the shallots then pan fry till golden brown (NOT darkish brown), 2-3 minutes, stirring typically with tongs. Switch the fried shallots to the ready plate then sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining shallots then drain out the surplus oil from the skillet and return it over warmth that is a contact under excessive.

For ~1-1/4″ steaks cooked from uncommon to medium:

• Place the seasoned steaks inside the recent skillet then sear for 3 minutes. Flip then decrease the warmth barely and sear for two minutes on the second aspect for uncommon, 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium (see temperature doneness information under). Take away the steaks to a chopping board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing towards the grain.

For steaks thicker than 1-1/2”, or steaks cooked from medium-well to well-done: 

• Place the seasoned steaks inside the recent skillet then sear for 3 minutes. Flip the steaks then place the complete skillet into the oven and roast for 4-8 minutes or till your required stage of doneness is reached. Take away the steaks to a chopping board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing towards the grain.

• Divide the lettuce between two plates then high with the sliced steak, candied pecans, fried shallots, dried cherries, and dollops of goat cheese. Drizzle with Maple Balsamic French dressing then serve.

• You should use ribeye steaks as an alternative of strip steaks if you happen to desire — cook dinner the identical method as strip steaks.
• Inner temperature doneness information:
  • Uncommon: 125 levels levels
  • Medium-rare: 135 levels
  • Medium: 145 levels
  • Medium-well: 150 levels
  • Properly carried out: 160 levels

Energy: 1413kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 57gFats: 115gSaturated Fats: 29gPolyunsaturated Fats: 13gMonounsaturated Fats: 66gTrans Fats: 0.1gLdl cholesterol: 201mgSodium: 304mgPotassium: 1092mgFiber: 5gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 1740IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 172mgIron: 6mg

Images by Ashley McLaughlin