This Steak and Asparagus Salad is so easy to make. It is high in protein, low carb, diabetes-friendly, gluten-free and low sodium. Make sure to slice the steak against the grain and place on top of the salad. Right before serving, drizzle with the balsamic mixture. Enjoy!
For more diabetes friendly recipes, ask our dietitians for our cooking with diabetes cookbook.
Scrumptious Steak! When I try to get creative in the kitchen, one of my favorite things to do is to try and recreate recipes from restaurants that I have been to in the past. It is a great way to bring back fond memories of dining and traveling experiences, and helps me share some joy of those memories with my close friends and family. Over the summer, I went to Clyde’s in Washington, DC, and I had a delicious steak salad, that was to die for. I decided that for this week’s step-by-step recipe, I was going to recreate that salad. I made a few changes and additions, but it turned out to be delicious!
Warm Steak and Asparagus Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick (I ended up using top round steak)
- 1 bunch of asparagus, bottoms removed
- 1-2 shallots (depending on size and your preference)
- Olive Oil
- Salt, Pepper, and Other seasonings
- Blue Cheese
- Spring Mix
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
Directions
Step 1: Preheat the broiler to 500 F
Set the Oven for Broil at 500 degrees F
You want to preheat your broiler, and adjust the rack to sit just underneath the broiler at the top of your oven. Your oven might not let you set a specific temperature for your broiler, and that is okay!
SAFETY TIP: Be careful when you line the pan with parchment paper, if there is too much hanging over the edge, it might touch the broiler and catch on fire, and that would be bad.
Step 2. Prepare for Roasting
Prepare the asparagus by snapping the bottoms off. Place on a baking sheet you lined with parchment paper (see safety tip above), overlapping if necessary! Leave room in the middle for the steak.
Steak and Asparagus
Slice up the shallots and sprinkle over the asparagus. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables and the steak and season with salt. For the steak, make sure you flip it over to get both sides (I also seasoned the steak with my go to favorite seasoning as well).
Sliced Shallots
Place in the oven!
How long do I cook my steak for?
I prefer my steak to be about medium, so I cooked it for 5 minutes, took the steak out and flipped it over, and cooked for another 5 minutes. You will need to cook it for more/less time depending on how you like your steak. When your steak is done in the oven, remove from the oven and LET IT REST FOR AT LEAST 5-10 MINUTES. This is really important, because it allows the juices to redistribute and not run out all over your cutting board.
Klara’s tip: When my steak came out, it wasn’t as browned as I wanted it to be, so I heated up a pan on the stove on high, put a little bit of oil, and browned the steak for 30 seconds-1 minute per side just to add a little color.
How can I tell how cooked my steak is without cutting it open?
They say that a cook’s hands are their best tools. And this is one of those cases. Telling how well cooked your steak is can be done simply by touching it. Check out this tip:
How Rare Steak will Feel
Touch the part of your muscle right below your thumb. This is what a rare steak will feel like when it is cooked.
How Medium Rare Steak Will Feel
Touch your thumb to your forefinger. Now touch that same muscle, this is what a medium rare steak with feel like
How Medium Steak Will Feel
Repeat again, this time with your thumb to your middle finger. This is what a medium steak feels like.
How Medium Well Steak Will Feel
Thumb to ring finger, this is what a medium well steak feels like.
How Well Done Steak Will Feel
And finally, thumb to pinky is what a well-done steak will feel like.
Step 3: Prepare the Salad
While the steak and vegetables are roasting, prepare the salad. I just used a spring mix from a bag. Chop up grape tomatoes and any other vegetables that you might want in your salad.
Salad Greens with Tomatoes and Carrots
Step 4: Prepare the dressing
While the steak rests, pour any of the juices from the steak and vegetables into a bowl, and mix in the balsamic vinegar. Taste and add salt to taste
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Step 5: Finish the salad
Slice the Steak
Slice the steak against the grain and place on top of the salad. Cut the asparagus into bite size pieces and add to the salad with the roasted shallots. Top with blue cheese or Gorgonzola cheese (alternatively you can use any kind of cheese that you like).
Right before serving, drizzle with the balsamic mixture. Enjoy!
Drizzle Salad with Vinaigrette
ROUND 2 MEAL
Bonus meal! I had more steak and veggies than I did salad, so I created a round two meal for lunch the next day. Cooking some quick wild rice and packing it with the steak and asparagus was all I needed to do! I also drizzled some of the balsamic sauce on the asparagus. Yum!
What is your favorite steak recipe? Want help making food simple again? Reach out to our Registered Dietitians here.
Blog updated October 2015
Whether you are a novice in the kitchen, or a seasoned chef, Dietitian Klara will work with you to help you reach your nutrition goals. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating, Cooking with Diabetes and Cooking with Food Sensitivities Guide.
