Steak Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Feta and Cranberries

Steak Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Feta and Cranberries is a delicious and filling main dish salad. You’ll love the savory, sweet and salty toppings and there’s plenty of protein to help keep you full and satisfied!

After those milkshakes I shared on Monday I figured I should share a salad today to balance out the week. This isn’t your casual, everyday salad that you’re less than thrilled to eat. I don’t do boring salads friends and I especially don’t do them if they’re going to leave me hungry again 30 minutes later. This Steak Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Feta and Cranberries is far from boring and one that won’t leave you searching for a snack as soon as you finish.

Before we face plant into this salad can we talk about how freaking tired I am this week. I’m guessing I’m not alone. Going back on to daylight savings time is never easy. Going off of it is nice because we get an extra hour of sleep, but losing that hour is harsh especially when you’re a morning runner. 

I usually get up at 4:30 to get my run and strength training done before anything else. The later in the day it gets to be, the less interested I am in working out. With daylight savings back on it’s like I’m waking up at 3:30 and that just feels wrong. Not to mention, I’m back to doing my entire workout in the dark, which I’m less than thrilled about. 

What is nice is that it’s light until after 7:00pm and I get to eat dinner an hour “earlier”. Since I’m usually starving by 4:00pm this part works out nicely. I’m sure I’ll be completely adjusted next week, but until then, keep the coffee coming. 

I’m losing interest in making soups now that we’re a week away from spring starting. Spring for me means bringing colorful, hearty salads back into the dinner rotation. I don’t usually cook with beef, but every once in a while I get a craving for it. Topping this salad with strips of skirt steak not only satisfied my red meat craving, but made this a well rounded main dish salad. 

Along with the steak, the spinach salad is also topped with a roasted sweet potato, pistachios, dried cranberries, thinly sliced shallots and plenty of crumbled feta cheese. I love the sweetness that the rosemary balsamic vinaigrette adds to the salad. It pairs perfectly with the savory steak and salty feta. Enjoy!

Steak Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Feta and Cranberries

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

Steak Salad

• 2 teaspoons canola oil, or other oil with a high smoke point
• 10 ounces skirt steak
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, diced and roasted
• 12 ounces baby spinach
• 1 small shallot, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Rosemary Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, swirling the oil to coat the bottom. Season the skirt steak on both sides with salt and pepper then place it in the skillet. If the steak is too long for the pan cut it in half and cook in batches. Cook the steak for 2-3 minutes depending on it's thickness, then flip it over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before cutting it into slices (cut against the grain).
2. While the steak rests, whisk all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette together in a small jar or bowl.
3. In a serving bowl top the baby spinach with the roasted sweet potato, sliced steak, shallot, feta, pistachios and dried cranberries. Serve the salad topped with the vinaigrette or on the side.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 445 Total Fat: 28g Saturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 18g Cholesterol: 59mg Sodium: 434mg Carbohydrates: 26g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 16g Protein: 25g