Asian Steak Salad with Tahini Dressing

Last week, the Howe clan headed down into SLC for a little al fresco happy hour fun with some friends. It was a beautiful spring day and we sat under Idie’s glorious apple tree, full of blossoms, in her big back yard. We sipped drinks and laughed our way through some snacks and then devoured grilled brats and fabulous salad with Julie and Greg and Idie and her hubby, Jonny. We played “pass the baby” while the big kids ran around the yard, rode bikes in the ‘hood, and climbed the tree. Oden only peed on one person and kept his meltdowns to a minimum. These days, we don’t get out as often as we like to, so a few hours with grown-ups that resembled normal life was quite a treat!

Julie brought the salad, and John and I both commented on the delicious dressing. She passed me the recipe (thanks, Julie!), which came from Whitewater Cooks’ “Glory Bowl”- YUM. This weekend, I decided to make the dressing to accompany a grilled steak salad and it was fabulous!

The recipe calls for nutritional yeast, which is a new ingredient for me. Apparently, it’s used as a substitute for cheese flavor in vegan recipes (this dressing is vegan). Some people like to sprinkle it on their popcorn. It basically dissolves into this dressing but leaves behind a yummy nutty/cheesy flavor.

I combined the yeast with a little bit of water, some soy sauce, minced garlic, and tahini, which is a paste made from sesame seeds. I mixed those ingredients together using my immersion blender. With the blender running, I added vegetable oil. The result was a deliciously creamy Asian dressing. I set it aside until dinnertime.

For the salads, I started by marinating a thick top sirloin steak. I put the steak in a large re-sealable bag and added the marinade ingredients right into it. I minced a few garlic cloves, squeezed in a bit of honey for sweetness, chopped up a couple of green onions, and added some Asian flavors: garlic, ginger, soy sauce. After pouring in some vegetable oil, I closed the bag, massaged the marinade all over the steak, and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two.

John took care of the grilling while I assembled the salads. On two big plates, I arranged spinach, arugula, and cabbage. I added some crunchy cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, and carrot for color. I love a rainbow plate!

When the charred steak had rested for a bit, John cut it into thin slices which I laid over the salads while it was still nice and warm. I sprinkled chopped green onion and roasted sunflower seeds over the top and served the Glory Bowl dressing on the side. We drizzled it all over the greens and steak and dove in. YUM!

This dressing is unique and delicious. It was super tasty with this salad, but could be stirred into a rice-and-veggie dish or used as a dip on a crudité platter. On our salads, the Asian flavors of the steak marinade and the dressing worked really well together. I loved the char from the grill and the different textures of the salad.

I love main plate salads because it feels like a lighter dish while being filling enough for dinner. This one will be perfect during the upcoming warm months, eaten outside with friends, clinking glasses and playing “pass the baby.” Yay, springtime!

“Glory Bowl” Asian Dressing (source)

You’ll need:

• ½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2+ garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tahini paste
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil

Combine first six ingredients in a blender. With the blender running, stream in the vegetable oil. Serve with salad, rice bowls, or as a veggie dip. (Note: I cut the recipe in half and had leftover dressing.)

Asian Steak Marinade

You’ll need:

• 5 pounds top sirloin or flank steak
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• ½ cup vegetable oil

Combine steak and marinade ingredients in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Seal and massage until the marinade is mixed and coats the steak. Let the steak marinade for at least a couple of hours. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

To assemble the salads:

Slice the steak thinly and serve warm over a bed of your favorite greens and salad veggies. Top with chopped green onions and roasted sunflower seeds with the “Glory Bowl” dressing on the side. Cheers to salad season and good times with good friends. YUM.

Hungry for more? Check out the collection of recipes on the FOOD BLISS page. 

This recipe is featured on AOL Lifestyle’s “13 recipes to try this spring” roundup! 

One year ago: Lewis Park Nature Preserve