Usually when I eat a salad it’s because I’m forcing myself to make healthier choices. Inevitably, it’s what I tend to eat when I’ve returned from a vacation and have over-indulged and my body is just screaming for something green or a vegetable. My mindset is usually that of dinner being a protein, a starch and a vegetable—with the vegetable being a potato of some kind, which is technically another starch but let me live. Because of that, I tend to throw in a simple green salad on the side for dinner, since I know my body will thank me for it later. This Steak and Potato Caesar Salad, however, is a salad that I can truly get behind. It’s hearty, satisfying and just a tiny bit over-the-top. Which is exactly how I prefer my salads.
Let’s get started with the potatoes, since they’re going to be cooked twice. Cut baby Yukon gold potatoes in half and place them in a medium pot. Fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes, bring to a boil and cook until just fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
**Tip: You don’t want to over cook the potatoes at all because if you do they’ll be too soft to grill. And so a firm potato is still okay as they’ll continue to cook on the grill! Baby red potatoes or purple potatoes would work great here as well!
You can’t have a Caesar salad without croutons. So cut the baguette into small cubes and place on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with a bit of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Toss together to evenly coat and then bake until golden brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
**Note: If you want to skip this step you can totally just use store-bought croutons if you have some in the pantry already. I do highly recommend making them from scratch (which is a great way to use up some stale bread) because the flavor is so much better!**
Let’s talk dressing. This is more of a Caesar vinaigrette rather than a traditional creamy dressing. I like this better because it doesn’t feel as heavy…which is good because the salad itself takes care of that. Combine the egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, 1 or 2 anchovy fillets (depending on how you like them), a pinch of salt and pepper, Parmesan, and Worcestershire sauce in a small food processor. Blend until just beginning to come together. Then while the machine is running, drizzle in as much of the oil as needed to create a smooth thickened dressing.
**Tip: Caesar dressings have anchovies in it, and so chances are you can’t taste it at all, but it really rounds out the flavor of the dressing. So I urge you to use it in the dressing, even if you don’t like anchovies. Don’t go overboard and you dressing will taste great. If you want to curb some of that “fishy tasting” fear you might have, I suggest using a small squirt of anchovy paste instead!**
Transfer to a dish or container, and give it a taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more salt or pepper if needed.
**Tip: The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use. If you’re wary of using a raw egg yolk, as long as it’s a pasteurized egg you’ll be fine. But if you really don’t want to, you can substitute it for a tablespoon of Dijon or grainy mustard instead!**
Preheat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the steak with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season liberally, on both sides, with plenty of salt and pepper. Place the steak on the grill and cook over direct heat for 5-7 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 130° for medium rare.
**Tip: As for the steak. You really can use whatever kind of steak you prefer. A skirt, ribeye, New York, or flank steak would all be great here! I’m using a flat iron steak because I find that they’re the easiest to grill and have the right amount of fat marbling throughout.**
Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep it somewhat warm. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips against the grain of the meat. This will allow the juices to redistribute and prevent it from becoming dry once you slice it!
Let’s turn our attention back to the potatoes. Drain them and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
Place the potatoes, cut side down, onto the hot grill and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, just until charred. Return to bowl and allow to cool slightly.
**Note: You can definitely skip the grilling of the potatoes step if you’d like. Just cook the potatoes all the way fork tender when boiling. Drain, cool and then place on the salad as directed. I like the flavor though that the grill gives them, and it’s already on for the steak so why not?**
To assemble the salad, cut the romaine hearts into shreds and add to a large salad bowl. Drizzle in a few spoonfuls of dressing and toss to coat. Transfer the lettuce to a large serving platter or 6 individual plates.
Top each salad (or the one large salad) with the sliced steak, grilled potatoes, croutons, scallions and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Drizzle a bit more of the dressing on top before serving. You can also serve it with a lemon wedge on the side for an added bright flavor at the end.
The great thing about this salad, aside from it being so filling, is that it can be eaten cold or at room temperature. If you go the cold route, you can prepare all of the components ahead of time and keep them separate in the fridge, and then just assemble right before serving.
You can of course make this with grilled chicken or even grilled shrimp, instead of the steak, if you’d prefer. I know that many people aren’t big fans of red mean these days. I try to eat it in moderation, and in a recipe like this, it’s perfect because you’re only have a little bit of it.
Whether you’re looking for a weekend lunch with a hearty bite, or a light summer dinner that’s still filling, this Steak and Potato Caesar Salad fits the bill for any and all needs. It’s a salad that packs a punch without leaving you feeling guilty—or worse, hungry! Give it a try this summer and let me know what you think!
- ¾ pound baby Yukon gold potatoes
- ½ a baguette
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 pounds flat iron steak
- 3 romaine hearts
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 large pasteurized egg yolk
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 to 2 anchovy fillets
- Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cut the potatoes in half and place them in a medium pot. Fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes, bring to a boil and cook until just fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cut the baguette into small cubes and place on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with a bit of salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Toss together to evenly coat and then bake until golden brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Preheat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the steak with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season liberally, on both sides, with plenty of salt and pepper. Place the steak on the grill and cook over direct heat for 5-7 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 130° for medium rare. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips against the grain of the meat.
- Drain the potatoes and transfer to a bowl. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place the potatoes, cut side down, onto the hot grill and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, just until charred. Return to bowl and allow to cool slightly.
- To make the dressing, combine the egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, 1 or 2 anchovy fillets (depending on how you like them), a pinch of salt and pepper, Parmesan, and Worcestershire sauce in a small food processor. Blend until just beginning to come together. Then while the machine is running, drizzle in as much of the oil as needed to create a smooth thickened dressing. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more salt or pepper if needed.
- To assemble the salad, cut the romaine hearts into shreds and add to a large salad bowl. Drizzle in a few spoonfuls of dressing and toss to coat. Transfer the lettuce to a large serving platter or 6 individual plates. Top each with sliced steak, grilled potatoes, croutons, scallions and Parmesan. Drizzle a bit more of the dressing on top before serving. Enjoy!
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