Dairy Free | Gluten Free | Mains | Salads
Steak Caesar Salad
Add steak caesar salad to your next dinner menu immediately. The added protein from the steak takes it from a side dish to the main course. It has the other classic caesar salad contenders like crunchy romaine lettuce, dairy free caesar dressing, and seasoned homemade croutons.
Ingredient Notes
- Steak – this can be top sirloin, skirt steak, NY strip, etc. I used a NY strip steak.
- Romaine lettuce – or any crisp, crunchy lettuce. I used a mix that also had a bit of radicchio in it.
- Caesar dressing – I used my 5 minute dairy free caesar dressing.
- Stale or day old bread – this can be a baguette, sourdough bread, white bread, etc. Croutons work best with bread that’s dried out and isn’t super fresh.
- Crouton seasoning – nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and freshly ground black pepper.
How To Make: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
- Season steak. Take the steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cook it and place it on a plate or cutting board. Season each steak generously on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Make & bake croutons. Toss the cubed bread on a bare baking sheet with olive oil and the seasonings until evenly distributed then arrange them into a single layer and bake until golden brown.
- Cook beef. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear the steak for 1 minute on each side until a crust forms. Turn down the heat down to medium and cook for a few more minutes, turning the steak occasionally until it’s reached your preferred doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for a few minutes before cutting it into thin slices.
- Combine & plate. In a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce, some dressing, and croutons until evenly distributed. Top with sliced steak.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Make it gluten-free – use your favorite gluten free bread or crispy chickpea croutons like in my salmon caesar salad.
- Make it plant based – my caramelized marinated portobello mushrooms would be delicious in place of the steak. For a protein rich option, use seasoned and seared slabs of firm tofu.
- Add-ins – sliced bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced jicama, sugar snap peas, or another crunchy vegetable.
Helpful Tips
- The cooking time will vary, depending on how thick your steaks are as well as preferred doneness.
- Slice the beef against the grain for the most tender slices.
- Keep the croutons, lettuce, and dressing separate until ready to serve. This ensures the croutons retain their crisp texture and the lettuce doesn’t get weighed down by the dressing.
- Store separately in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Consume by the following day.
More Caesar Salad Recipes
- Dairy Free Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Roasted Broccoli Caesar Salad
- Salmon Caesar Salad With Crispy Chickpea Croutons
Did you try this caesar salad with steak? If so, please leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Steak Caesar Salad
Add steak caesar salad to your next dinner menu immediately. The added protein from the steak takes it from a side dish to the main course. It has the other typical caesar salad contenders like crunchy romaine lettuce, dairy free caesar dressing, and seasoned homemade croutons.
Ingredients
Steak
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1.25 – 1.5 pounds steak NY strip, top sirloin, etc.
- 1 tablespoon dairy free butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Homemade Croutons
- 3 cups cubed bread any kind: sourdough, baguette, white bread, etc.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt reduce to ¼ teaspoon if using any other kind
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce or another crunchy variety
- dairy free caesar dressing
Instructions
- Season steak. Take the steak out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes before you plan to cook it and place it on a plate or cutting board. This ensures you're not adding a cold steak to a hot pan. Season each steak generously on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- Make croutons. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Toss the cubed bread on a bare baking sheet with olive oil and the seasonings until evenly distributed then arrange them into a single layer.
- Bake. Bake the croutons for 8-10 minutes, checking after the 8 minute mark so they don't burn.
- Cook beef. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat with olive oil and dairy free butter. Sear the steak for 1 minute on each side until a crust forms. Turn down the heat down to medium and cook for a few more minutes, turning the steak occasionally, spooning the butter & oil mixture over the top until it's reached your preferred doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for a few minutes before cutting it into thin slices.
- Combine. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce you plan on eating right away with some dressing (add one tablespoon at a time) until evenly dressed. Add some of the croutons, a little more dressing and toss again.
- Plate. Add the dressed lettuce and croutons to each bowl and top with sliced steak and another drizzle of dressing if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
See the blog post for helpful tips, storage, and a make it your way section with substitutions, variations, and add-ins.