My friends, I have a special steak recipe for you today.
This steak is the epitome of any and all special occasion dinners of my childhood. Birthdays. Mother’s Day. Father’s Day. Holidays. Everyone in the family would pick this steak as their meal of choice on “special” days. It became a default. And that’s not a bad thing.
The original recipe uses flank steak, which I adore, but I switch it up with a slightly more flavorful, tender cut: skirt steak.
I loooove me some skirt steak. If handled properly, it can have an almost buttery texture. The marinade that this sits in for a few hours imparts so much flavor (and tenderness)…it’s like magic. Magic marinade.
As soon as I begin mixing the ingredients, I begin salivating. I don’t know if it’s the rock-star flavor of this dish that brings it on, or if it’s childhood nostalgia, or both…. all I do know is that it makes me hungry and happy all at once. Good stuff.
Most times, my mom would serve the flank steak with a vegetable dish and the best humble-but-amazing side dish out there: mashed potatoes. A totally awesome way to go. I’m switching up the idea a bit and serving it over a salad. One consisting of some of my most favorite salad ingredients.
The marinade imparts a salty, rich, “umami” flavor. Pairing it with lighter ingredients works wonderfully. Peppery arugula. Sweet fruit. Sharp cheese. It’s perfect. Side note: I’ve also served this steak thinly sliced on top of a pizza and garnished with gorgonzola crumbles. Yeah. Amazeballs.
In the summer, I use peaches and fresh cherries for the fruit…but to make this a more seasonally appropriate dish, I swapped in apples and grapes. Totally delish. I also think the addition of a sharp cheese is totally necessary here. I opted for feta, but bleu or sharp cheddar would also be fantastic.
Sigh. I’m salivating again.
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Marinated Skirt Steak Salad with Grapes, Apples, & Feta
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Marinated Skirt Steak Salad with Grapes, Apples, & Feta is loaded with flavor and interesting textures – a must for a good salad. Tender, juicy steak is thinly sliced and served with greens, sweet apples, juicy grapes, a mustard vinaigrette, and feta cheese crumbles. A mix of sweet and savory! It’s like an entree and side salad in one! SO GOOD!
Ingredients
For the Steak:
- 1 lb skirt steak (or flank steak)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Hefty pinch of salt and pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Dash of hot sauce
For the Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Salad:
- 6–8 cups baby arugula
- 1 large apple, sliced
- 1 cup red grapes
- ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (bleu or sharp cheddar would also be great)
Instructions
For the Steak:
- Mix together marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl or baking dish. Place steak in the dish and submerge in marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 8 hours, flipping steak halfway through. Bring steak to room temperature before cooking it.
- When the steak has finished marinating, preheat your grill or broiler. Place steak on grill and grill for about 3-4 minutes per side (if broiling, use the “high” setting and broil for 1-2 minutes per side). Set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into strips.
For the Dressing:
Whisk together the ingredients in a bowl, slowly streaming in the olive oil last. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
For the Salad:
- Combine the arugula, apples, grapes, cucumber, and red onion in a large serving bowl.
- Toss with a little bit of the dressing and then top with the sliced steak and crumbled cheese. Drizzle with more dressing and serve.
- Prep Time: 4 hours (inactive marinating time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: salads
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
awesome pictures!! oh and this salad. that looks pretty awesome, too 🙂
This steak marinade is so good. I’ve used it several times now and it makes the meat really tender and imparts so much flavor. This salad was a great way to eat the steak – as you say, the combination of ingredients is really good.
It’s one of our faves! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback!