Steak & Blue Cheese Salad with Ginger Balsamic Vinaigrette is a perfectly balanced main course salad that will have you licking the plate clean.
I love eating salad. I could eat it every day for lunch and dinner. When I met my husband, Jake, he could not understand why I would order a salad for my meal when we went out. He thought paying $10-15 for someone else to serve you lettuce was crazy! Actually, I think he still thinks this.
This is coming from a man who will only eat fresh vegetables if served with a bucket of ranch. I am literally not kidding when I say bucket. It is so embarrassing, when we go out to eat, he orders like 10 sides of the ranch. Sometimes he will say “just bring me a big bowl” and the waitress thinks he is kidding, he’s not! Let’s just say he has come to accept my willingness to pay anything for a good salad, and I no longer turn red with humiliation when they bring out bowls of ranch dressing. We have come to accept our salad desires.
Here is a salad we both love. Of course, the added blue cheese and steak made up for the missing ranch. And you won’t have to pay $15 a person to get such a great meal.
Enjoy! XOXO San
How do you make Steak & Blue Cheese Salad with Ginger Balsamic Vinaigrette?
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Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and mix. Pour 1/2 of the marinade/dressing into a Ziplock bag and add the rib eye steaks.
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Let it sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Reserve the rest in a small mason jar in the fridge to serve on your salad later.
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Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Place onion rings in a large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes; drain and pat dry.
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and seltzer.
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In a heavy 5 qt. pot or deep fryer, heat oil on high until it reaches 375 degrees.
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Working in seven to eight batches, place onions in batter, using your fingers to lift out, letting excess drip off. Carefully place in oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Transfer rings to prepared baking sheet, and season with salt. Keep aside until ready to serve on top of the salad.
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Grill (or Sautee) the steak over medium-high heat until cooked to your desired color. We like medium/medium-rare. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice steak against the grain in thin slices.
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In a large bowl, add lettuce, spring mix, blue cheese, carrots, celery, green onion, cabbage, and tomato. Add a little dressing and toss to combine. Leave the rest of the dressing on the side, so people can add more if needed.
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Place a large serving of salad on each plate. Make sure you get plenty of all the garnish! To me, they are the best part! Add half a steak to the top of every plate, then top the steak with onion strings.
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Serve right away, or let it sit a room temp for a little bit. I don’t mind eating the steak cold, but others might.
Looking for more salad recipes? Try these: Chopped Wedge Salad, Copycat Carrabba’s Chopped Salad, and Creamy BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad.
Don’t forget to pin this Steak & Blue Cheese Salad with Ginger Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!
Steak & Blue Cheese Salad with Ginger Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 Ribeye Steaks
- 2 heads romaine chopped
- 4 cups spring mix
- 4 carrots sliced thinly
- 1 cup purple cabbage diced
- 1 large beef steak tomato
- 4 green onions chopped
- 3 celery stalks sliced thinly
Onion Rings
- 1 Vidalia onion sliced crosswise into thin rings
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 12 ounces seltzer water
- 6 cups vegetable oil
- coarse salt for topping
Ginger Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing & Steak Marinade
- 3/4 cups canola oil
- 3 tablespoons+1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon additional soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic peeled & pressed through garlic press, or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
Ginger Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing & Steak Marinade
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and mix. Pour 1/2 of the marinade/dressing into a Ziplock bag and add the rib eye steaks.
- Let it sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours. Reserve the rest in a small mason jar in the fridge to serve on your salad later.
Onion Rings
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. Place onion rings in a large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes; drain and pat dry.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and seltzer.
- In a heavy 5 qt. pot or deep fryer, heat oil on high until it reaches 375 degrees.
- Working in seven to eight batches, place onions in batter, using your fingers to lift out, letting excess drip off. Carefully place in oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer rings to prepared baking sheet, and season with salt. Keep aside until ready to serve on top of the salad.
Salad
- Grill (or Sautee) the steak over medium-high heat until cooked to your desired color. We like medium/medium rare. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice steak against the grain in thin slices.
- In a large bowl, add lettuce, spring mix, blue cheese, carrots, celery, green onion, cabbage, and tomato. Add a little dressing and toss to combine. Leave the rest of the dressing on the side, so people can add more if needed.
- Place a large serving of salad on each plate. Make sure you get plenty of all the garnish! To me, they are the best part! Add half a steak to the top of every plate, then top the steak with onion strings.
- Serve right away, or let it sit a room temp for a little bit. I don’t mind eating the steak cold, but others might.
Notes
Family review: It pleased everyone. And it did not surprise me that the first thing to disappear from everyone’s salad was the onion rings, then the steak and everything else followed slowly thereafter.
That salad looks amazing! Your photo is great.
My Husband would devour this salad. I am going to have to add onion rings to our salads and see what he says.
Sweet, I think he will love it. xo San
Oh yummy! This salad looks out of this world! You really know how to make a salad girly! I actually tried your Asian salad last week.. and oh my that was SO good! This is next on the list!
YAHOO! Sweet! xo San
That looks FAB, but I honestly just can’t do Blue Cheese. I love the dressing recipe though! I’m bookmarking for garden and grilling season!
Wendy try feta, it is a great sub. xo San
You’re killing me here!! I totally want a steakhouse salad now!!
Love it! Amy you made my day. xo San
This seriously looks fabulous!! I wonder if I can get my husband to eat a salad if it has steak on it!
Oh girl you can! xo San
Salad is one of my favorite dinners so I am always looking for something new to try.
Great, hope you like it. xo San
I’m not a steak person. but this does look good.
I am not either, in fact this is one of 2 ways I will eat it. xo San
Yum Overload! The onion rings just put it over the top!!!
Thanks Kristen, it is one of my fav parts. xo San
This salad looks amazing! As we head into summer I tend to eat more salads and having some variety makes it easier to actually eat one a day.
I try too Brandy! xo San
This is especially perfect for the summer days that are coming out way. A very nice combination of food groups (I would add a slice of really good bread on the side). The presentation is beautiful. I confess that I can’t imagine what bleu cheese and balsamic will taste like together, but I am willing to give it a try, (with some ranch nearby, just in case).
Thanks Katy! That means a lot. xo San
This looks so good, and your post is hilarious – it sounds just like me and Jason, right down to the bucket of ranch!
LOL! Thats why we love you! xo San
Oh my, this is my favorite kind of salad. I love a steak and blue cheese salad, and then the balsamic dressing, too? Yummy! I am so pinning this!!
Thanks for the pin! xo San
My husband doesn’t understand salads either but it’s amazing how I can get him to eat them by adding meat! This looks like something he would eat.
Girl, so true! xo San
That salad looks amazing. So much better than my plain salads!
Thanks Aly! xo San
This is my type of salad! It looks like one you would order from a nice restaurant with a large price tag!
This is a cheaper option for sure. xo San
That salad looks amazing!! It would be great with steak in it. Pinned!
Thanks for the pin Janel! xo San
My whole family (which is me, my husband, and 4 boys) love to have salads for dinner especially in the summer. I think they’d love this salad and I’m glad you included how to make the onion rings.
Steak and blue cheese — my favorite salad ever! This one looks amazing!
Thanks Lois. xo San
This looks like it tastes amazing, definitely my kind of salad. I think my husband who typically isn’t a salad eater would love this too!
The steak will draw him in. xo San
This looks and sounds like the steak salad I get at the Outback! I love that salad!! Living alone I doubt I would make this for myself but if I end up with company——
Have some friends over you will love it. xo San
G’day! Absolutely love this and wish I could come through the screen and try some now!
Cheers! Joanne
That looks delicious. Oh my goodness, I’m craving that vinaigrette right now!
Thanks for sharing the recipe! I’ve been craving for salad since last week. 🙂
Enjoy! xo San
This looks so yummy! I’m not a fan of blue cheese, I wish I was! But I bet goat cheese would be yummy too!
This dressing sounds amazing! I definitely need to give it a try!
Enjoy Virginia! xo San