Cooking Tips
Juicy Grilled Steak Salad with Sweet Corn, Cherry Tomatoes & Blue Cheese
Smoky grilled sirloin over crisp greens with sweet corn, cherry tomatoes and tangy blue cheese in a homemade garlic herb dressing.
By Steak House Diaries Editorial Desk | Published | Updated | 2 min read
This is a steakhouse salad without the steakhouse bill: sirloin rubbed with garlic, smoked paprika and thyme, grilled until smoky, then sliced over mixed greens with grilled sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and crumbled blue cheese. A garlic herb dressing with lemon, balsamic and honey ties the whole bowl together. It eats like a main course, not a side.
Ingredients
For the juicy grilled steak: 1 1/2 lb sirloin steak; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp dried thyme; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
For the fresh steak salad: 4 cups mixed salad greens; 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 ears sweet corn, grilled and cut into pieces; 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced; 1 cup cucumber, chopped; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped.
For the garlic herb dressing: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp honey; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning; salt and black pepper, to taste.
For garnishing: 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese; freshly cracked black pepper; extra garlic herb dressing, for drizzling.
Method
Rub the sirloin with the olive oil, minced garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Grill the steak over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes per side, until it reaches 145°F (63°C) for medium-rare. Rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
Grill the corn ears alongside the steak, turning until lightly charred, then cut the kernels into pieces.
Combine the mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, grilled corn, cucumber, red onion and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with half the dressing.
Top with the sliced steak, scatter over the blue cheese and extra parsley, drizzle with more dressing and finish with cracked black pepper.
Cooking Tips
Resting the steak is what keeps the salad from going watery — slice too soon and the juices flood the greens.
Slice against the grain; with-the-grain slices chew tough even from a tender sirloin.
Dress the greens lightly first, then add more at the table — overdressed greens wilt in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes — feta or goat cheese work if blue cheese is too strong for you, though you lose the tangy edge that balances the smoky steak.
How do I grill the corn without a grill?
Use a dry cast iron pan over high heat, turning the ears until charred in spots, or roast them at 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes.