Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

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

Recently a reader emailed to share they weren’t much of a griller and asked if I had any stovetop steak recipes. I did the finger interlace thing where you flip your hands around and crack your knuckles then wiggled my fingers before I began my reply.

That is to say, YES, I do have several pan-seared and pan-roasted steak recipes, and my Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is one of the very best. This restaurant-quality, hearty steak salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.

It’s a luxurious feast that’s exploding with flavor!

Stovetop Steak — No Grill Required

Being the good Midwesterner that I am, steak is one of my very favorite foods. Few things rival a Perfect Grilled Steak but tromping through three feet of snow in order to grill a steak isn’t very appealing during the season that shall not be named. Or maybe you don’t have a grill, or just don’t prefer that method.

Problem solved with my easy stovetop method for cooking steak that results in tender, juicy beef. Combined with luscious toppings it creates a restaurant-worthy salad that’s perfect for entertaining, holidays (Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day are sticking out in my mind), or a special meal at home with good company.

Glass of red wine optional, but highly recommended!

Steak Salad Components

Let’s outline the best steak salad components real quick so we know what we’re diving into!

• Steak: I recommend strip steaks or ribeye steak for this hearty steak salad. More on this below.
• Candied Pecans: are made in 5 minutes in a pot on the stove with just a few ingredients. They add an irresistible, sweet + salty crunch to the salad. Feel free to use store-bought if that’s easier.
• Crispy Shallots: are one of my secret weapons for adding decadent flavor to salads. Unlike onion rings, they require no breading nor deep fat frying to become crispy. If crispy shallots just aren’t your thing, thinly sliced red onion is a great swap!
• Dried Cherries: add a sweet-tart chew to each bite. Dried cranberries are a great substitute.
• Goat Cheese (chevre): adds tanginess and creaminess to the salad. I love experimenting with different flavors — honey, garlic-herb, and truffle goat cheese are all fantastic in this salad. Montchevre has great products that are readily available at most grocery stores. If goat cheese isn’t your thing, crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese would be tasty too.
• Maple Balsamic Dressing: a handful of everyday ingredients creates the most luuuuscious homemade steak salad dressing. So good you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!
• Lettuce: I’m placing this last because it’s truly just a vehicle for all these awesome toppings. That said, use what you love. I usually go with mixed greens but hearty romaine lettuce, an arugula lettuce mix, or baby spinach are all great choices!

What Type of Steak to Use

Filet Mignon is great to pan-roast then eat with a knife and fork. It’s so tender and pricey that I like to pair it with mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable in order to really let the steak shine. Skirt steak and flank steak also sear up well in a skillet on the stove but can be on the expensive side.

That said, for steak salads I typically choose either strip steaks or ribeyes. Both are all-around solid steak choices that can be cooked quickly and easily.

• Strip steaks: if you imagine a T-bone steak in your mind, the smaller side is the tenderloin, which can be cut/trimmed into filet mignon, while the longer side is the strip steak. Commonly called a “New York Strip”, it’s a great everyday steak.
• Ribeye steaks: come from the top, front-end rib section of a cow and are one of my very favorite cuts of beef. Ribeyes typically have great marbling (ie lots of flavor and tenderness) and can be a bit pricey so stock up if you see them on sale. While I love to serve a ribeye simply, similarly to a filet, it slices up well and adds tons of flavor to salads.

Regardless of if you choose strip steaks or ribeyes to use in this salad, the cooking method is the same. The photos you see here are strip steaks.

Tips for Success

Keep these few tips in mind for ensuring your stovetop steak for salad comes out perfect, every time!

1. Marbling: look for steaks that have good marbling, which is fat running through the meat. This adds flavor and generally indicates a more tender cut of beef. If you can’t find a steak with good marbling, be sure to slice it thinly and against the grain after cooking — you’ll still get great results.
2. Thickness: whether I’m cooking a strip steak or ribeye in a pan on the stove or on the grill, I like them to be at least 1″ thick, and ideally 1-1/2″ thick.
3. Pan: pan-seared steak is best cooked in a super hot pan and cast iron is my #1 choice for getting a delicious golden brown crust on the outside. Here’s a fantastic budget-friendly cast iron skillet, or enameled cast-iron skillet.
4. Rest: the most important thing to do after cooking steaks is to LET THEM REST. If you slice them too soon all the juices will run out and you’ll be left with dry, tough beef. Dislike! After cooking to your preferred level of doneness, transfer the steaks to a cutting board then let them sit undisturbed for at least 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

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

Try This Hearty Salad

How 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 tight fitting lid, or small bowl, add the following ingredients then shake or whisk to combine:

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

Feel free to zap the dressing with an immersion blender if you prefer an extremely smooth dressing, otherwise it’s good to go.

• Tip: make the dressing up to 5 days in advance. It gets better and better as it sits in the fridge.

Step 2: Make the Candied Pecans

Candied pecans are life and luckily they are SO easy to make. Simply melt butter, brown sugar, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup in a pan on the stove over medium heat.

Once the mixture starts bubbling add pecan halves the stir and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the sugar mixture starts to adhere to the pecans. Be careful to not burn the nuts.

Scrape the candied pecans onto a piece of parchment paper or a silpat then sprinkle with salt and let them cool. Voila, candied pecans — so easy, right?

• Tip: make the candied pecans up to 3 days ahead of time. After cooling completely, store in an air-tight container on the counter.

Step 3: Make the Crispy Shallots

Crispy shallots are like mini onion rings except better because you don’t need to batter nor deep fat fry them.

Thinly slice a couple large shallots then separate the slices into rings.

Next heat extra virgin olive oil in a large, cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add half the shallots then pan fry them, stirring almost constantly with tongs, until they’re golden brown — NOT dark brown. Dark brown shallots will taste burnt.

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

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

Shallots = done!

Step 4: Trim, Season, then Cook the Steak

Time for the main event — the steak!

These are 10oz strip steaks (aka New York Strip Steak) that are ~1-1/4″ thick. I like to leave them out on the counter for 20 minutes or so to remove the chill from the refrigerator.

If I’m grilling steak I typically leave any excess fat around the meat in place, but when I’m pan-searing them I like to trim off the excess fat. Otherwise it spits while cooking and can make a mess.

Drizzle the trimmed steaks with a bit of extra virgin olive oil on both sides then season liberally on both sides with salt and black pepper. Use a little more salt than you think you should. Trust me!

Drain out the excess oil from pan-frying the shallots then turn the heat under the skillet up to a touch below high. Once the pan is extremely hot, place the seasoned steaks inside then sear for 3 minutes. No touching!

Flip the steaks then turn the heat down slightly and cook for 2 minutes on the other side for rare steak, 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium doneness. If you’re using an instant-read digital thermometer, here are internal steak temperatures for doneness:

• Rare: 125 degrees degrees
• Medium-rare: 135 degrees
• Medium: 145 degrees
• Medium-well: 150 degrees
• Well done: 160 degrees

Note: If your steaks are thicker than 1-1/2″ AND/OR you want them cooked medium-well to well-done, place the entire skillet into a 400 degree oven for 4-8 minutes to finish cooking after flipping the first time. Meaning, sear for 3 minutes, then flip and place the entire pan in the oven for 4-8 minutes.

Step 5: Rest the Steaks.

Remove the steaks to a cutting board then let them rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain, or cutting into bite-sized pieces. Slide the steak over two beds of lettuce then add a plethora of sweet, savory, creamy, and crunchy toppings.

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

I hope you love every last bite of this entertaining-worthy, super special, totally delicious Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing — enjoy!

More Entertaining-Worthy Salads

Photos by Ashley McLaughlin