Grilled Steak and Potato Salad with Horseradish Dressing

Steak and Potato Salad layers grilled steak, roasted potatoes, boiled eggs, and fresh tomatoes over lettuce, then finishes with pickled red onions and a creamy horseradish dressing. It’s substantial enough for dinner and elegant enough to serve to guests. It’s easy to make a day ahead, and if you already have leftover steak and potatoes in the refrigerator, it comes together in about 20 minutes.

this Recipe

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This best steak salad recipe started as a happy accident. I’d hosted a dinner party and had grilled steak and roasted potatoes left over the next day, enough for a meal, but I didn’t want to serve the same meal twice. Thinking of Tuna Salad Niçoise, one of my favorite warm-weather suppers, I borrowed its basics and let the steak stand in for the tuna and created a new horseradish dressing. Robert and I loved it so much that I included it in my cookbook Fresh Tastes.

It’s been in our dinner rotation ever since, and I’ve served it at more than a few casual dinner parties; it looks far more impressive than the effort it takes to create it. And you don’t need leftovers: directions for grilling the steak and roasting the potatoes are included.

Ingredients Needed

• Steak: Sirloin is my top choice because it’s tender enough, and it cooks evenly. Flat iron is the choice when you want something richer and more marbled. Flank is lean and full-flavored, but it’s best cooked no further than medium-rare and sliced thin. Bottom round is the budget option and is most tender when cooked rare to medium-rare and sliced very thin.
• Potatoes. New potatoes are young and waxy, so they hold their edges instead of crumbling, which is exactly what you want on a platter. Baby Yukon Golds or fingerlings work well too. Cut them into similar-sized pieces, and pull them from the oven the moment they are fork-tender.
• Greens. They need to sit under hearty steak and potatoes without collapsing. Red leaf is my preference. The leaves are tender, with ruffled edges that look lovely on a platter. Romaine is the sturdiest choice if the salad will sit out, and baby spinach wilts just slightly under the warm components, which can be nice. Avoid delicate butter lettuce or fine spring mix.

Steak and Potato Salad Dressing

• Horseradish. Use prepared horseradish, which is the grated root packed in vinegar, and not horseradish sauce. If you’re grating fresh, start with half the amount. Its flavor is considerably hotter, and it fades fast, so make the dressing right before serving if using fresh. Dairy tames horseradish as it sits, so if you’re making the dressing a day ahead, taste again before serving.
• Yogurt and sour cream. Sour cream gives the dressing body while whole-milk Greek yogurt brings acidity and lightness. Together they make a dressing with enough tang to cut the beef and a loose enough texture to drizzle. Avoid using nonfat yogurt as it’s thin and can taste chalky.

See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with measurements.

Variations

• Swap the platter for individual plates. Assemble the salad on individual plates, arranging the salad in rows, like this smoked salmon chopped salad, instead of on a platter. It’s a little more elegant for a seated dinner.
• Use leftover roast beef or tenderloin. Use leftover roasted filet mignon or roast beef instead of grilled steak. Serve at room temperature or gently warm in the oven, wrapped in foil. Slice to add to the top of each salad.
• Swap the dressing. If you prefer a vinaigrette rather than a creamy dressing, this mustard vinaigrette works well, or even a balsamic vinaigrette would taste delicious.
• Add more vegetables. Add some cooked green beans, another nod to the Niçoise salad, or blanched or sautéed asparagus to the salad.
• Skip the grill and use a cast-iron skillet or broiler. Sear the steak in a hot cast-iron skillet, 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or broil it 4 inches from the element.

How to Make Grilled Steak and Potato Salad

To get started, gather all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F to cook the potatoes.

1. Make the pickled onions. Combine the red wine vinegar, salt, and 1 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the sliced red onions and remove from heat. Set it aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the dish. 

2. Roast the potatoes. Place potatoes in a baking dish and toss them with olive oil and kosher salt to taste. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or just until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the potatoes from the oven and set aside.

3. Mix the steak and potato salad dressing. While the potatoes bake, prepare the dressing.  Whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, balsamic vinegar, horseradish, chives, and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Grill the steak. Preheat your grill in advance. Season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Place it on a greased grill rack and grill to desired doneness (130-135°F for medium rare or 135-145°F for medium). Remove from the grill and let the steak sit at least 5 minutes off the grill so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the board. Then find the direction the muscle fibers run and cut across them into 1- to 2-inch pieces. This shortens the fibers, making the steak tender rather than chewy.

5. Assemble and serve. Lightly toss the lettuce with some of the dressing and arrange on a large serving platter or individual plates. Arrange the potatoes, steak, chopped eggs, and tomatoes in rows on top of the lettuce. Drain the red onions and sprinkle over the top. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and paprika. Serve with any remaining dressing on the side.

Serving Suggestions

This easy steak and potato salad is meant to be a whole meal on its own, especially when served as an easy weeknight dinner. A batch of homemade yeast dinner rolls makes a nice addition.

For guests or a small dinner party, start things off with a light soup, like this creamy pea soup, serve the salad as the main dish, and end the meal with my individual plum tarts recipe.

More Main Dish Salad Recipes

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Crab and Shrimp Salad Recipe with Curry-Chutney Dressing

Grilled Tarragon Chicken with Pasta, Pecans and Spring Greens