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A fresh, yet hearty entree, this Steak and Potato Arugula Salad is easy enough for every day, elegant enough for a dinner party!
I love the holiday season, but I don't like the consequences of all the high calorie, rich foods that abound at this time of year. That's exactly why I'm offering this wonderful Steak and Potato Arugula Salad today. It's a perfect antidote to the season's indulgences. At the same time, it's delicious and a great option for both everyday meals as well as holiday entertaining.
The salad can be prepped in advance, which makes it a wonderful option for a dinner party. Just rewarm the steak and potatoes before serving, and arrange everything on a pretty platter or individual serving plates and voilà! "Dinner is served!" Add a loaf of warm crusty bread, sweet creamery butter, and there'll be happy diners all around the table.
I used a flat iron steak for my Steak and Potato Arugula Salad, but there are lots of other options - ribeye, New York strip, tenderloin, Porterhouse hanger, flank, and sirloin are all great cuts, though the last two would need a marinade before grilling.
Living in North Carolina, we can grill outdoors for much of the year, but the steak can just as easily be pan-grilled, and I've given instructions below for both.
Look for miniature potatoes at the market, but if you can't find the little ones, just chose the smallest ones you can find and dice them into bite-sized pieces. The potatoes and the dressing can be prepped early in the day leaving minimal last minute fussing. Toss them with a splash of the dressing about an hour before serving, to let them soak up all the delicious flavor.
The dressing? It's a super simple classic dressing similar to the one that's served all over France. It has a delicious gourmet touch, champagne vinegar. Champagne vinegar can be found at some larger grocers and specialty grocers like Trader Joes and Whole Foods. If you can't find champagne vinegar, a good quality white wine vinegar will also work. The dressing also includes a generous scoop of Dijon mustard, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of sugar, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Shake it all up in a lidded jar and you're done!
In addition to steak and potatoes, there's halved, sweet cherry tomatoes (I like to use both red and yellow for color), thinly sliced scallions and tiny cubes of Feta cheese all nestled on a bed of peppery baby arugula. If you're not crazy about arugula or can't find it, baby spinach, field green greens, baby kale or mesclun mix would all work equally well. (I often use a mix of baby arugula and baby spinach.) The finishing touch is a scatter of feathery fresh dill.
That's my prescription for HIO (holiday indulgence overload). I've served this Steak and Potato Arugula Salad several times now, with rave reviews. No one misses all the extra calories, carbs, and fat. Happy (and healthy) Holidays!
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Steak and Potato Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar*
- 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teasoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the salad:
- 1 pound small new potatoes
- 1 ½ pound flat iron steak, removed from refrigerator 30-40 minutes before grilling
- 6 cups baby arugula, baby spinach, field green greens, baby kale or mesclun will also work
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I like to use red and yellow)
- 4 medium green, spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle
- ¼ c. torn fresh dill
- 3 ounces Feta cheese, cubed
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette, place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake, shake, shake. Set aside. Shake again vigorously before using.
- Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold salted (1 teaspoon salt) water by 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain and cut in half. Toss with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette in a bowl. Let sit, stirring occasionally, while the steak is cooking. Most of the dressing will be absorbed.
- Meanwhile, grill the steak.
- To cook on a gas or charcoal grill, prepare grill (high heat). Season steaks with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place steaks on the grill rack and cook to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side 135˚F for medium-rare, 140˚F for medium. Remove steaks from grill; tent loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice steaks across the grain.
- For pan grilling, heat 2 teaspoons sunflower oil (or other neutral flavored oil) in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, partially covered, until the internal temperature registers 135°F for medium-rare, 140˚F for medium, about 5 to 7 minutes per side, or to the desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan; tent loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice steaks across the grain.
- To serve, arrange arugula (or other greens) on a large serving platter or on individual serving plates. Top with warm steak, potatoes (warm slightly in the microwave, if desired) and cherry tomatoes. Scatter with Feta cheese and scallions. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of dressing, then sprinkle salad with fresh dill, a bit of sea salt and more freshly ground black pepper. Serve extra dressing at the table.
Notes
** To prep ahead, cook potatoes early in the day. Drain and refrigerate whole. Two hours before serving, remove from refrigerator to bring to room temperature. An hour before serving, cut potatoes in half and toss with 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Let sit, stirring occasionally. Warm potatoes in the microwave for 30-60 seconds before serving.
Steak can be grilled up to a day ahead. Allow steak to sit for 10 minutes, then thinly slice across the grain. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate. Just before serving, heat steak on power level 5 for 2-3 minutes, just until warmed through.
Tomatoes and green onions can be prepped an hour or two in advance and set aside in covered bowls.
Dressing can be prepared 2-3 days in advance.
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Somehow I missed this when you posted it in December. Thank you for re-posting because it looks as if it would be delicious any time of the year. Our evenings are always chilly in the mountains so a summertime steak and potato arugula salad works beautifully. No grill so glad that pan grilling is an option.
It's snow flurrying where I live (CT) and instead of soup I've been thinking about this salad since I first saw it, last month. I'm using sirloin tips but that;s the only substitution I'm making. Can't wait to serve this for dinner, tonight, with the peasant bread that I baked yesterday (fabulous bread recipe) and the fire roaring!. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
It sounds like the quintessential Northeast winter evening meal Jennifer! I'm smelling the bread right now in my dreams!
Just gorgeous! Wishing I had that bowl in front of me right this very minute!
I love how arugula pairs to well with steak and other meats! It's one of my favorite greens. We grill outdoors, even in the winter here in SE Wisconsin. We just pull the grill a little closer to the back door 😉 Beautiful dinner salad!
Scott can relate! We lived in Wisconsin too! And even down here in North Carolina, the grille gets fired up on a regular basis during the winter months - snow or no snow!
Absolutely gorgeous! I feel somehow the same about too many celebration in such a short time. we don't have Thanksgiving here, but from the end of November until the 2nd of January: birthday, birthday, Christmas, New Year and birthday. I love it but still it overwhelms every year! 🙂
You must take a big deep sigh in mid-January, right Adina?
Dear Chris, I love the flavor combination here - the steak and baby potatoes on one hand, then the peppery rocket, the freshness of the cherry tomtoes, saltinees form the feta and the tanginess of the mustard dressing (I also enjoy grainy mustards in my salad dressings, especially for hearty fare) - just perfect and all served on a very, very pretty platter to boot!
Now who could ask for more?!
Thanks Andrea! You are always so thoughtful!
Dear Chris, this looks so delicious and a perfect meal for eating in our hot weather here in New Zealand. I can't wait to try your recipe. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, just the thought of having 3 celebrations in a row makes me exhausted!
Love Rose x
Thanks and welcome Rose! This would be a fantastic "summer" grilling out meal!
Hi Chris, yes I wish they would spread out the holidays, that certainly would make life easier. Love flat iron steak as it has so much flavor. Delicious looking salad!!
We're crazy about the flavor too Cheri! Scott likes to add a little hickory or cherry wood to his fire for a little added flavor.
I love this salad, Chris! I have to confess I've never loved steak on it's own really, but in a great salad with other goodies and a great dressing and I'm in 🙂 So pretty, too!
Thanks Jennifer! It does integrate very well with this salad!
Chris, I totally agree with the scheduling of holidays.
I love the addition of dill and feta.
I guess the plus is ... you get to take a break in January, right Madonna?
The salad looks wonderful. How much Dijon mustard goes in the dressing?
Thanks Donna! I missed that, and have now added it to the recipe!
Finally a dinner salad my 'meat and potatoes' man will go for!
That's so funny Sue! - Both Scott and I grew up in the upper Midwest, and that was what you always ate! We hardly ever have "traditional" menus these days, yet I love them when we have the opportunity to have one occasionally.
Oh my, you can just taste all of those flavors.
And they work so well together Amy!
This is a perfect salad Chris - especially this time of year when everything seems to be in casserole form - love a good hearty salad!
Thanks Tricia! It sure sounded good to both of us.
I wish I could have this for the lunch! It looks really super, Chris.
It does make a light, but filling lunch Angie!
I have steak planned for dinner and I know what I'm going to do with it now. This is perfect for tonight!
Lots of good protein and leafy veggies, and not a lot of "extras" that up the calorie count!