Spring is always a happy sight around the Midwest as winter is long and dreary. But I may be partial to spring because it means summer is coming! In summertime there are long sunny days, school is out and plenty of fresh produce in the garden to make salads. And you are going to love this summer flank steak salad!
Summer Flank Steak with Black Beans, Corn and Tomato Salad
Summer salads are great to have in your kitchen recipe arsenal for those blistering hot humid days when everyone is ready for something cool for supper. And if there is anything we know how to do in the Midwest, it’s make humidity!! But as my husband has typically been working physically hard at one of his jobs, I can’t simply serve a wimpy side salad and call dinner done. That is where the steak salad comes in.
Summer Salad with Flank Steak
This summer steak salad uses flank steak which is typically a cheaper cut of steak. Flank steak is a great cut of meat for a weekday meal. And as it is more moderately priced, I don’t worry as much about messing it up. On my husband’s side, many of the guys grill. And they consider themselves grill masters. So I shy away from trying to compete when it comes to grilling steaks…and then possibly committing steak faux paux by burning them.
But with flank steak you have a reasonably priced cut of beef. And flank steak is thinner so you can feel more confident when you throw it on the grill! Several minutes on each side and your flank steak will be done and perfect for your salad. If you can’t find flank steak, you can also use sirloin tip steak.
We received some sirloin tip steak by accident when our last order came back from the butcher. And after several experiments with sirloin tip steak, I discovered how much I love these reasonably priced cuts of beef! I feel like a steak aficionado, or close enough;).
When using flank steak it is best to marinade it for a few hours beforehand. Flank steak comes from the chest muscles and can tend to be tough if not handled correctly. But I find it perfect with a few hours in a marinade. I share a simple marinade below that is adapted from Pioneer Woman’s Chipotle Steak Salad recipe. You’ll love how the simple ingredients bring out your flank steak’s flavor!
And I also added some black beans and corn to the salad. When I was living in France during a summer in college, our host family always had salads with corn. So anytime I see a salad with corn, I feel like I’m back on the Mediterranean Sea in Nice, France!
Lastly, summer flank steak with black beans, corn and tomatoes salad has a simple dressing that has a Southwestern flair. If you have ever wanted to try to make a homemade salad dressing but hesitated, it’s time to try. You will love how the simple dressing starts with a store bough dressing base but kicks it up a notch when you add some cumin and chili powder!
Alright! You are all set! Comment below and let me know if you have have tried flank steak?
Summer Flank Steak with Black Beans, Corn and Tomato Salad
Equipment
- grill
Ingredients
- 1 flank or sirloin tip steak (around a 1lb)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can chipotles in adobe sauce only using a small portion
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 each Iceberg and Romaine lettuce shredded
- 1 15 oz can black beans
- 1 cup corn, canned or frozen (thawed)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- 1-2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
Dressing
- 1 cup Caesar Dressing
- 4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Add together the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, 1 chipotle pepper and 1 tbls of adobe sauce in a zip lock bag. Add flank steak in marinade and place in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Go ahead and dice up tomatoes and cucumbers for later. Rinse black beans and place everything in fridge. 1/2 hour before grilling, take flank steak out of fridge and place on counter so flank steak isn't overly cold when placing on grill. Turn on grill. Place flank steak on hot grill. Grill on both sides for 3-4 minutes for medium/ medium well. If you want flank steak medium rare then cook for only 2-3 minutes per side. Take flank steak off grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. While flank steak is resting, chop up lettuce and rinse. Add together all of the dressing ingredients. You can half dressing recipe if you have light dressing eaters:)Place lettuce on plate. Slice flank steak thinly. Place on lettuce. Top salad with black beans, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and garnish with cheese. Pour on dressing. Enjoy!
