We’ve been working on adding vegetables into our diet and this steak salad with strawberry lemon vinaigrette made us look forward to fresh vegetables. It’s a great meal with vegetables to bump up your nutrition.

steak slices, avocado slices, charred corn kernels, chopped nuts, and feta cheese on a plate

How to eat salad when you hate it

Do you think about salad and think, no thanks! That’s what I used to do, but then my wife started adding lots of raw veggies into our family’s diet because she says the enzymes in raw foods help your digestion and help you assimilate more nutrients from the food you eat. Here are more high-protein recipes to keep you full!

Get your printable salad ingredient cheat sheet and smoothie ingredient cheat sheet here to balance your fruit and veggie creations every time!

She recommends eating something raw at each meal. A great side salad helps with that, but I’ve learned to like these main dish salads too. I mean, who doesn’t love a delicious steak! The key to a really satisfying salad meal is texture and a really good dressing.

She makes our dressings homemade because store-bought dressings are full of chemicals that she doesn’t want our family or her daycare kid eating. She makes THE BEST ranch dressing I’ve ever tasted and I also love her citrus vinaigrette. She also makes a great creamy cucumber dressing that’s fresh and light. So when she popped up with this strawberry vinaigrette, I was more willing to try it.

steak salad with strawberry lemon vinaigrette

I don’t think fruit is supposed to go in salads, but she keeps putting it there, so I eat it. She has our best health at heart, so sometimes I just eat it whether I like it or not. But even I have to admit, this salad was bomb even though it had fruit on top and fruit in the dressing. She even gave me nuts for mine so I could have that crunch. (She’s allergic to nuts, so we don’t have them in the house often)

sliced lemons on a tray in front of a mason jar with oil in front of a steak salad

I’m a recovering vegetable hater, so if you want to know how she changed my mind, check out this article about how to eat healthy when you hate vegetables. I don’t always love every veggie she throws my way, but even when I’m eating out without her now, I will choose some veggies besides fries. And I feel amazing! And I’ve dropped 50 pounds.

Get more ideas for healthy lunches for weight loss here.

So even though I have a long ways to go, eating healthy is making the difference. I can work out all day long and I still will carry weight in my belly (and all over) when I have a bad eating plan. I know she’s right and it’s all about mindset. So I’m working on it. I’m worth more than a burger and fries all the time. I deserve to feel great. This steak salad really satisfies! And if you don’t love steak, replace it with this 2 ingredient tilapia. It’s delicious as well. I look forward to dinner with vegetables now.

If you need a chart to help you know when your steak is done, check this handy printable out.

strawberry lemon vinaigrette in a mason jar
steak salad topped with chopped vegetables being drizzled with strawberry lemon vinaigrette

Steak Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

This hearty steak salad is dressed with a gorgeouly flavorful sweet and tangy dressing. The textures and flavors of this salad are unparallelled.And you'll be full!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 thin cut of steak such as sirloin, flank, or skirt steak
  • 2 ears corn on the cob
  • 4 cups lettuce rinsed and chopped

For garnishing your salad (optional):

  • ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
  • 2 tablespoons red onion or scallions chopped or sliced thin
  • 2 oz feta or goat cheese
  • 1 avocado sliced
  • 1 tbsp Nuts
  • 1/4 c Fresh berries

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Juice of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tbsp strawberry preserves
  • 1-2 cloves minced garlic
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Generously season your steak with salt & pepper on both sides and allow to sit for up to 30 minutes.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
  • Gently lower the steak into the pan using a pair of tongs.
  • Sear the steak for 4-6 minutes per side depending on your desired internal temperature, flipping halfway through.
  • Remove the steak from the pan and allow it to rest on a cutting board.
  • Meanwhile, in a clean skillet, heat the corn on the cob over medium heat, turning frequently until lightly charred all over.
  • Remove the corn on the cob from the pan and slice the kernels off the cobs.

To Make the Vinaigrette:

  • In a quart-sized jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, strawberry preserves, garlic, and salt & pepper.
  • Secure a lid to the jar and shake vigorously until all ingredients are incorporated.
  • Add additional salt & pepper to taste.

Assemble your salad:

  • Place the lettuce into the bottom of a large serving bowl or two salad bowls.
  • Slice the rested steak on the bias or cut into cubes.
  • Arrange the cut steak and toppings as desired.
  • Dress generously with the vinaigrette or serve on the side and enjoy!

Notes

The cooking directions for the steak in this recipe are based on a thin cut of steak, roughly 1-2 centimeters thick for a medium to medium-well level of internal doneness.
Don’t have a mason jar or other jar available for mixing the vinaigrette? No worries. You can whisk the ingredients together in a bowl until combined.
Keyword meals with vegetables, steak salad, strawberry vinaigrette
slices of steak, avocado, tomatoes, onions on top of lettuce with chopped nuts and feta cheese

For more healthy salad ideas, check out:

And don’t forget lettuce wraps too! Like a salad in a package! These California roll lettuce wraps are bomb too! And so are these Asian lettuce wraps. For more Easy Healthy Wellness Menu Ideas for Real Life, check this out. And if you hate cooking like I do, maybe Tips for How to Eat Healthy When you Hate Cooking can help you out. Happy eating!