Flank Steak Salad

This flank steak salad will become a favorite glucose-friendly meal that's perfect for barbecue season. Flank steak is a lean, flavorful, and affordable cut of meat that's ideal for grilling.

Whether you're planning your next barbecue or, like me, adding to your arsenal of go-to camping meals, this will be a recipe you'll turn to again and again for its versatility and satisfying goodness. And guess what, it's also perfect for meal prep!

Also, check out Jen's section on why this recipe is dietitian-approved for anyone wanting to reduce insulin resistance or better manage their prediabetes or diabetes.

Overhead photograph of a colorful salad served on a white plate. There are greens and a variety of vegetables, pumkins seeds, slices of steak, a green dressing and cheese crumbles.

We'll start with a simple marinade that's easy to throw together with a few basic pantry items and some fresh lime juice. Then we'll grill the steak, slice it and serve it on a colorful, nutrient-dense salad. Finally, we'll tie it all together with a delicious yogurt cilantro dressing.

Ingredients for the Flank Steak and Marinade

Photograph of the ingredients for the flank steak marinade, including, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, olive oil, lime juice and red wine vinegar.

Flank Steak: a lean and flavorful cut of meat that's perfect for marinading and slicing thin.
Olive Oil: acts as a flavor carrier and moisture enhancer.
Red Wine Vinegar: acts as an acid to tenderize meat by breaking down proteins and creating pockets for flavor to penetrate.
Lime Juice: Adds a refreshing citrusy flavor that brightens the other flavors.
Ground Cumin: adds a warm, earthy flavor.
Dried Oregano: the strong, pungent, earthy flavor of oregano gives this marinade a distinctive flavor that pairs perfectly with flank steak.
Garlic Powder: adds a robust, savory flavor.
Kosher Salt: we love the flaky crystals of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because they dissolve easily and penetrate the meat better than other salts.
Pepper: use fresh ground for extra bite.

Ingredients for the Salad

If running short on time, keep things simple and serve the flank steak on a bed of mixed greens or arugula with olive oil and lemon. But, if you have the time and you're wanting to make your salad extra special, here's what I suggest:

Mixed Spring Greens: a mix of baby lettuces and tender greens that are sweet and tender. Feel free to switch it up with other nutrient dense greens of your choice.
Beets: roasted for caramelization and sweetness.
Sweet Potatoes: opt for Japanese sweet potatoes if you can find them - they're sweeter, nuttier and the texture is great for salads when roasted.
Cucumber: any variety will work to add freshness and crispness.
Avocado: to add creamy texture.
Tomatoes: any variety of juicy, ripe cherry tomatoes for added sweetness.
Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds): toast them in a skillet for the best flavor; choose the unsalted/unflavored variety.
Feta Cheese: crumbled on top for added protein and tanginess.
Whatever Sounds Good to You! Think of flank steak salad as your canvas. Make whatever salad sounds good to you and top it with the steak.

Close-up photograph of the steak salad with avocados featured prominently in the foreground, sliced tomatoes and slices of steak smothered in a creamy looking green dressing.

Ingredients for the Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dressing

We love an herby dressing for this flank steak salad. The Greek yogurt not only makes this dressing creamy and silky, it's also great for combating insulin resistance. So, here we go:

Greek Yogurt: Fage Yogurt is my absolute favorite brand. It's so creamy and smooth. But, use your favorite brand. I used the 5%, but low-fat is perfectly fine and has a little more protein.
Fresh Cilantro: for a fresh, citrusy, herbal flavor that pairs nicely with steak. If cilantro isn't your thing, swap out any fresh herb you prefer, such as dill, parsley, or basil.
Scallions: Also known as spring or green onions, they add a peppery bite.
Fresh Lime: Always, always, use fresh juice. Lemons and limes are constantly on my shopping list.
Garlic: I opt for fresh garlic in my sauces because it's more pungent and sharp than garlic powder. (I typically turn to garlic powder for certain cooked recipes where fresh garlic can easily burn and turn bitter.)
EVOO: Extra virgin olive oil makes it extra smooth and silky, but it's opional.
Salt: You'll definitely need it to round out the flavors. See our notes on salt.

image of cilantro lime dressing being poured on the salad

Ingredients for the Skirt Steak

How to make the marinade and grill the steak.
Mix all marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag or shallow food storage container with lid.
Add the flank steak to the marinade, zip the bag/close the lid and give it a shake to cover the steak with the marinade. Allow the steak to marinade for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.

image of steak marinading in a zip lock bag

Image of the flank steak on a grill. We see a hand holding a pair of tongs and the steak being checked for doneness.

Ingredients for Steak (cont.)

Heat the grill to about 450-500 degrees. Cook the steak for about 7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Learn more about food safety and cooking beef here.
Allow the steak to rest on a plate covered in foil for about 15 minutes and then slice it thinly against the grain as shown in the photos above (this means you are cutting perpendicular to the grain, or across the muscle fibers).

How to Make the Cilantro Salad Dressing

Place all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend about 30 seconds until smooth. Easy!

How to make the salad

To reiterate, this recipe for flank steak salad is just an idea to get your juices flowing. If you're interested in making the same salad we made, here's how to do it:

Begin by slicing and roasting the sweet potatoes and the beets, and let them come to room temperature.
In the meantime you’ll toast the pepitas in a dry skillet to pump up the flavor and crunch factor, and set them aside to cool.

Image of slice of steak being served on top of the salad.

Slice the cucumbers and tomatoes and set them aside.
In a large salad bowl, toss the salad greens with the rest of the salad ingredients until you’re ready to serve.
Slice and add the avocados at the last minute so they don't oxidize.
Unless you know the entire salad will be consumed in one sitting, I like to plate the undressed salad into individual plates, top it with the sliced steak and avocados, pour on a bit of the dressing, and then top it all off with crumbled feta cheese and the pepitas.

Directions and measurements are provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Common Questions About Flank Steak Salad

Is this flank steak salad suitable for meal prep?

Yes! You can prepare the steak and save it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Prep all of the salad ingredients and the dressing, and serve individual portions of the salad as you wish.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Some great alternatives are skirt steak, flap steak, or tri-tip.

Do I have to eat the steak on a salad?

Absolutely not! Read below for other ideas for serving flank steak.

Can I freeze the cooked steak?

Yes, I recommend allowing the beef to cool completely. Slice it as indicated and place it in an airtight freezer bag for up to six months. Defrost the steak in the refrigerator.

What is the best way to reheat the steak?

My preferred method is to heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat, drizzle with avocado oil or a little butter, and heat the steak slices for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until warm.

Ideas for Pairing Flank Steak

The sliced marinated flank steak is delicious on just about any salad. We think it would be great served on top of our Crunchy Kale Salad too.
We love eating sliced flank steak in tacos and burritos using low-carb shells.
For a twist on our Taco Salad, replace the ground beef with sliced flank steak.
Or whip up some Cottage Cheese Wraps and use leftover sliced flank steak to make a high protein wrap stuffed with a variety of veggies and greens.

Recipe

This flank steak salad will become a favorite glucose-friendly meal that's perfect for barbecue season. Flank steak is a lean, flavorful, and affordable cut of meat that's ideal for grilling.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: camping, food prep, grilling, summer

Prep Time: 20

Marinade and Rest After Cooking: 8

Total Time: 8 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 624kcal

Author: Jackelin Slack

Equipment

1 outdoor grill
1 Blender Mini blender, stand blender or immersion blender
1 sheet pan

Ingredients

Flank Steak and Marinade

1 ½ lbs flank steak
3 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt see notes regarding salt*
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dressing

½ cup Greek Yogurt full fat or low fat
1 cup cilantro fresh
2 tablespoon lime juice fresh
2 cloves garlic
3 scallions whites and greens
1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt see notes regarding salt*

Salad

1 cup beets peeled and cubed into bite size pieces
1 cup Sweet potatoes peeled and cubed into bite size pieces (we used Japanese sweet potatoes)
1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
8 oz mixed greens or greens of choice
1 cup cucumbers seeds removed
1 cup avocado sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
¼ cup pepitas toasted
½ cup feta cheese crumbled

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Marinade the Steak

Combine all marinade ingredients in a plastic zip lock bag or food container with a tight fitting lid.
Place the steak in the bag/container and close it tightly.
Shake the container to cover the steak completely.
Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. During this time, turn the container a few times so that both sides of the meat get evenly marinated.

Make the Cilantro Greek Yogurt Dressing

Slice the scallions into thirds and peel the garlic.
Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth.
Refrigerate and shake vigorously before using.

Grill the Steak

Remove the steak from the marinade and let it come to room temperature on a plate on the counter - approximately 15 minutes.
Heat the outdoor grill to 450-500℉.
When the grill has reached the required temperature, place the steak on the grill and close the cover.
Flip the steak after about 7 minutes and cook another 7 minutes or so until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Place the cooked steak on a plate, cover it with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes.**
Thinly slice the cooked steak against the grain (as shown in the post), cover, and set aside.

Make/Prep the Salad

Pre-heat oven to 425℉
On a baking sheet, add the diced beets on half, and the diced sweet potatoes on the other.
Place the cubed beets on one half of the sheet pan and the sweet potatoes on the other half.
Drizzle with the tablespoon of oil and toss to coat.
After 20 minutes, remove the sweet potatoes from the sheetpan, give the beets a toss and continue baking them for another 10 minutes or until done (test with a fork). Allow the sweet potatoes and beets to come to room temperature.
While the beets and potatoes roast, heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pepitas to the skillet and spread them out in an even layer. Toss and cook until evenly toasted - about five minutes.
Remove the skillet from burner and transfer the pepitas to a bowl.
Prepare the rest of the salad ingredients and set aside.
Slice the avocado just prior to serving the salad to keep it from oxidizing.
Assemble the Salad
In a large salad bowl (or four individual salad bowls) arrange the greens followed by the rest of the salad ingredients.
Top with the sliced beef and the dressing and enjoy!

Notes

*Not all salt is equal. I'm a strong proponent of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, (affiliate link) and it's what I use in all my recipes. I like the flaky crystals, which dissolve more readily than regular table salt or other Kosher salts, making it easier to use. Be aware, though, that Diamond Crystal Kosher salt is about half as salty as most other salts, so adjust accordingly when substituting!

**Resting the steak before cutting into it allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute, resulting in juicier steak.

Nutrition

Dietitian Approved by Jen Birge, MS, RDN, CDCES

Another easy and delicious meal by Jackelin that is glucose-friendly and chock full of nutrient-rich ingredients. This flank steak salad is loaded with protein and non-starchy veggies: a win-win for anyone working to reduce insulin resistance.

Be sure to check out our free guide and meal plan for insulin resistance.

This is a visual explaining that Buena Wellness' recipe for flank steak salad is glucose-friendly because it is high in protein with 47 g per serving;

Flank Steak Salad Is Adaptable

Of course, the nutrition calculations above are estimated, but you can easily adjust the salad to have more or fewer carbs. The main carb source is the sweet potatoes, so you can adjust how much you add to the salad.

And, if you want to reduce the protein some, you can make this dish serve 5 instead of 4. That would give you about 38 grams of protein per serving - enough to help balance glucose levels and promote a healthy metabolism.

And, like we mentioned above, to keep things really simple, you can just serve the flank steak on a bed of mixed greens with some olive oil and squeezed lemon. Easy!

If you enjoy this flank steak salad, please give us your feedback below and let us know of any swaps that worked for you. And, as always, please share our blog with your friends and family so we can continue to grow and bring you great recipes!