Southwest Steak Salad
Looking for a protein-packed, flavorful meal prep option that doesn’t compromise on taste? This Southwest Steak Salad is your answer! Juicy skirt steak marinated in southwestern spices, paired with fresh veggies and a creamy cilantro lime dressing made with Greek yogurt. Perfect for your meal prep routine, this gluten-free salad comes together in just 20 minutes and will keep you satisfied all week long.
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Why You’ll Love This for Meal Prep
- High protein content keeps you full and satisfied
- 20 minute prep time and you have meals for the week
- Make it your own with endless variations
- Perfect balance of flavors and textures, plus it is gluten-free and packed with nutritious ingredients.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Skirt Steak
- 1–1.5 lbs skirt steak
Marinade
- Olive oil
- Soy sauce
- Lime juice
- Garlic
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Salt and pepper
Salad ingredients
- Romaine
- Black beans, rinsed
- Campari tomatoes
- Avocado
- Cotija cheese
Salad Dressing
- Full fat Greek yogurt
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salt
How to Cook the Skirt Steak
If you want to make skirt steak in the air fryer, check out this recipe for the full instructions.
- Marinate the Steak: Place the skirt steak in a zip-top bag or shallow dish. Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour over the steak. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 8 hours) in the fridge.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3–5 minutes.
- Prepare the Steak: Remove steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels for a good sear. Lightly spray or brush with oil for crispiness (optional).
- Cook the Steak: Place steak in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway through, for medium-rare to medium.
- For medium-well, add 1–2 more minutes.
- For extra rare, reduce cooking time to 5–6 minutes.
- Rest and Slice: Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Assembling the Salad
- Make the Dressing: In a blender (or using an immersion blender like this one), combine Greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until you’re ready to use.
- Prep the Veggies: Chop the romaine, quarter the tomatoes, dice the avocado, and rinse and drain the black beans.
- Layer the Ingredients: For meal prep containers, start with a bed of romaine, then add black beans, tomatoes, and avocado in separate sections.
- Add Protein: Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain and place on top of the salad.
- Finish with Cheese: Sprinkle cotija cheese over the top.
- Store Properly: Keep the dressing in a separate container and add just before eating to keep everything fresh and crisp.
Variations and Substitutions
What do you put in a steak salad? Make it your own!
- Base layer: greens — I used romaine but any hearty lettuce will do
- Southwestern veggies: beans, corn, jalapenos, cilantro, tomatoes, red onion, scallions, avocado, bell peppers, zucchini — whatever you like here
- Steak: I made my 8 minute air fryer steak for this meal prep recipe. You can use flank steak too (or any steak you have already cooked!) for this recipe. You can serve the steak hot or cold on top of the salad!
- Cheese: I used cotija, but blue cheese is classic on steak salad.
- Dressing: Make my creamy cilantro lime dressing for this salad.
- Fun toppings: Add pepitas or crispy tortilla strips on top for some crunch.
Tips for Success
- Store the dressing separately until you’re ready to eat for the most fresh salad greens that don’t get soggy.
- Use a meat thermometer to gauge your best temperature for the steak in the air fryer.
- Prep all ingredients before cooking the steak, so you can assemble while the steak is resting.
- If meal prepping for the week, wait to add the avocado until the day you plan to eat the salad.
- Slice the steak thinly for the best texture and eating experience.
What to Serve with Steak Salad
- Rice (try cilantro lime rice for a Southwest theme)
- Roasted potatoes
- Grilled corn
- Warm tortillas for a DIY taco-salad experience
More Quick and Easy Meal Prep Recipes
Southwest Steak Salad
Looking for a protein-packed, flavorful meal prep option that doesn't compromise on taste? This Southwest Steak Salad is your answer! Juicy skirt steak marinated in zesty southwestern spices, paired with fresh veggies and a creamy cilantro lime dressing made with Greek yogurt. Perfect for your meal prep routine, this gluten-free salad comes together in just 20 minutes and will keep you satisfied all week long.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 400kcal
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 lbs of skirt steak
Steak Marinade
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 can 15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup Campari tomatoes quartered
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese crumbled
Salad Dressing:
- 1/2 cup full fat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Marinate steak in mixed marinade ingredients for 30 minutes to 8 hours.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Pat steak dry, place in air fryer and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Rest steak for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
- In a blender or immersion blender, combine Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, and salt for dressing.
- Assemble salad with romaine base, topped with beans, tomatoes, avocado, sliced steak, and cotija cheese.
- Serve with dressing on the side.
Notes
Perfect for meal prep! Store components separately and assemble just before eating. For best results, add avocado and dressing right before serving.
Make it your own with different veggies — and if you make it, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it!
Nutrition
Serving: 1salad | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 27g | Sodium: 700mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 5g
