Steak Fajita Salad

Fajita Salad topping with a creamy cilantro lime dressing.

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Fajita Salad with juicy, marinated flank steak atop a bed of fresh, colorful veggies like Romaine lettuce, avocado, bell pepper, and onions! It's topped off with a sprinkle of cheese and a drizzle of creamy, zesty Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Prep Time30

Cook Time12

Marinate1

Total Time1 42

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Keyword: Fajita Salad

Servings:

Calories: 537kcal

Author: Kelly Anthony

Ingredients

FOR THE STEAK AND MARINADE:

¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice about 6-8 limes
2 cups roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems about 1 bunch of cilantro
2 jalapeños roughly chopped seeds intact
½ white onion roughly chopped
5 large cloves of garlic roughly chopped
1 tablespoon Kosher salt + 1 ½ teaspoon separated
1 tablespoon black pepper + 1 teaspoon separated
1 tablespoon ground cumin
¼ cup canola or avocado oil + up to 4 tablespoons separated
2 pounds flank steak

FOR THE CILANTRO LIME DRESSING:

1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1 jalapeño seeds removed and roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic roughly chopped
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice about the juice of 2 limes
¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup avocado or canola oil

FOR THE SALAD:

6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1 ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 avocado thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
½ red onion thinly sliced
⅔ cup crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup sliced black olives

Instructions

MARINATE

Add the lime juice, cilantro, jalapeños, white onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin, as well as a ¼ cup of water to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Slowly drizzle in a ¼ cup of oil, whisking with the tines of a fork to combine.
Place the steak in a gallon-sized ziptop bag, pour over the marinade, and seal tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

COOK THE BEEF

Set the beef out at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Remove the protein from the bag and pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub all over to adhere, and set aside until ready to use.
Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a large, skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Once the oil has come to temperature, add the flank steak and cook for about 12-14 minutes, turning it about half-way through. Set aside and allow to rest 5-10 minutes.

MAKE THE DRESSING

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment or blender and mix until the consistency is smooth and homogenous.

SLICE STEAK AND ASSEMBLE SALAD

Then, slice the beef as thin as possible (cutting against the grain) and set aside.
Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Top with the sliced steak and serve with Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Notes

The thickness of the steak matters. If your flank steak is thicker than ¾", it will very likely be rare if you use the indicated cook times. Thinner flank steaks work best for this recipe, but if you cannot find one, there is a fix:

If the flank steak is between 1 to 1 ¼" thick (before searing the steak) preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Cook the flank steak as indicated in the recipe card. Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on how "done" you like your beef.

Dressing makes about 1 ½ cups. Store leftover dressing refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition