Grilled Steak Salad with Zucchini and Pesto is the kind of recipe that looks complicated but is pretty simple once you know the steps.
Flank steak, a quick punchy marinade, grilled zucchini, fresh tomatoes, and a homemade pesto come together for a salad that's simple but loaded with bright summer flavors.
Quick Look: Grilled Steak Salad with Zucchini & Pesto
⏲️Ready In: 5 Hours, 30 Minutes (30 minutes active, 5 hours marinating)
🍽Servings: 4
🥗Nutrition: 521 Calories / 39g Protein
🥘Main Ingredients: Flank steak, Olive oil, Red wine vinegar, Zucchini, Grape tomatoes, Pine nuts, Basil
📋Dietary Notes: Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free
⭐Why You'll Love It: This lettuce-free high protein dinner makes a fantastic summertime meal with lots of flavor!
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A minimal marinade leads to big payoff for this hearty, lettuce-free grilled steak salad! Combining fast-cooking flank steak, grilled zucchini, fresh tomatoes, and a quick dairy free pesto make a filling, satisfying high protein meal for dinner or lunch.
Loving the steak vibes? Next give Skirt Steak with Double-Corn Polenta & Shishitos a try - it's just as quick! Or make your own ancho seasoning for Ancho Skirt Steak Bowls with Poblano Corn Salsa.
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Key Ingredients
Flank steak: This cut is ideal here, although skirt steak makes a great substitute! It marinates well, grills quickly, and slices into beautiful thin pieces when you cut against the grain. Don't skip that step!
Zucchini: The intent of this recipe was to use lots of summer produce... and it always seems like there's plenty of zucchini to go around! If you can't find it for whatever reason, use summer squash.
Tomatoes: I love the flavor of cherry tomatoes, so that's my go-to for recipes like this! Grape tomatoes work just as well, or use quartered roma tomatoes in a pinch.
Extra virgin olive oil: You'll use it two ways - in the marinade and in the pesto. A good quality olive oil makes a real difference in the pesto flavor since it's not getting cooked.
Red wine vinegar: This gives the marinade a little zesty punch! If you don't have any, you can substitute balsamic vinegar or even lemon juice if you'd like.
Pine nuts: These make the pesto creamy and rich without adding any dairy. If pine nuts are hard to find or outside the budget, walnuts work as a swap - just know the flavor will shift a bit.
Basil: Fresh basil only here! Packed basil leaves give you the bright, herby pesto that makes this whole salad sing.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Grilled STeak Salad
Step 1: Combine ¼ cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped parsley, and crushed red pepper in a shallow dish or zip-top bag.
Step 2: Add the flank steak and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 5 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Step 3: Add basil leaves, pine nuts, lemon juice, and the remaining 3 ½ tablespoons olive oil to a food processor or blender. Process until almost smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Step 4: Place the steak over direct heat and cook 1-2 minutes per side with the lid closed. Move to indirect heat and cook another 4-6 minutes without flipping, until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F for medium-rare or 135 degrees F for medium. Transfer to a plate and let it rest.
Step 5: While the steak finishes, add zucchini slices to the hot side of the grill. Cook 1-2 minutes per side - just enough to get some color without going soft. Transfer to a plate or bowl.
Step 6: Add the grilled zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes to a large bowl. Add the pesto and toss to combine.
Step 7: Once the steak has rested, slice the steak thinly against the grain. Cut cross-wise if needed for bite-sized pieces.
Step 8: Serve the steak over the zucchini pesto mixture or toss the steak with the rest to coat in pesto and serve immediately!
Top Tips from Chelsea
Don't overcook the zucchini - You're only looking for 1-2 minutes per side. The goal is a little char and some grill marks, not soft, mushy zucchini. Err on the side of underdone here!
Always slice flank steak against the grain - This is non-negotiable for tender, not tough, bites of steak. Look at the direction the muscle fibers run and slice perpendicular to them. It makes a huge difference in how the steak chews. I do it every time, whether I'm making this salad or my Grilled Flank Steak with Olive Herb Relish.
Serve the salad right away - The pesto will discolor over time. This salad is at its best when served as soon as you make it. If you're prepping ahead, store the the steak, vegetables, and pesto separately and toss everything together just before eating.
A couple salad addition ideas - If you aren't dairy free, add some shaved parmesan! Otherwise, arugula would hold up well as a leafy green if you're looking to boost the salad in that way. As you can tell from Wild Rice & Arugula Salad with Maple Tahini Vinaigrette, I'm a big fan of arugula salads with big flavors!
If you love big salads with great protein, my collection of gluten free salad recipes has a lot of options you'll want to try next!
Grilled Steak Salad FAQs
A cast iron grill pan on the stovetop works well for both the steak and zucchini. You won't get the same smoky flavor, but the technique is the same. Get the pan hot before adding anything.
Flank steak is the lean go-to for me, but skirt steak makes a great swap. Otherwise, sirloin steak would also work well, here, but I'd maybe skip the marinade if I used sirloin!
I wouldn't recommend it, but technically yes. Pesto is best when it's fresh and is more likely to discolor if you make it ahead. However, you can press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to discourage discoloration.
Up to 2 days in the fridge, but the pesto will start to discolor once tossed. Keep leftovers in an airtight container and eat cold or at room temperature - reheated zucchini loses its texture.
More lettuce-free salad recipes
Did you try this Grilled Steak Salad with Zucchini & Pesto recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and rating or tag me on Instagram - I appreciate your feedback.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Steak, Zucchini, and Pesto Salad
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Marinade: 5 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: grilled
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
An easy, oven-free gluten free summer salad recipe! Flank steak, a quick punchy marinade, grilled zucchini, fresh tomatoes, and a homemade pesto come together for a salad that's simple but loaded with bright summer flavors. Add shaved parmesan or arugula if you'd like to change it up.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound flank steak
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 1 large zucchini, sliced diagonally (or 2 medium)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Marinate steak. Combine ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped parsley, and crushed red pepper in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Add flank steak and turn to coat or squeeze the bag to distribute marinade. Marinate for at least 5 hours to overnight.
- Prepare zucchini and preheat grill. Toss the zucchini slices in ½ tablespoon olive oil. Season the flank steak with kosher salt and pepper and let come to room temperature while the grill preheats. Prepare a grill for medium-high (450-500 degrees F) indirect heat: for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off; for a pellet grill, set temperature to 450 degrees F.
- Grill steak. Place steaks over direct heat/on the hot side of the grill. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, keeping the grill cover closed unless flipping. Move the steaks to indirect heat and cook for 4-6 minutes without flipping, until steak reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F for medium-rare or 135 degrees for medium, depending on how done you'd like the steak.
- Grill zucchini. Meanwhile, add the zucchini slices to the hot side of the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, just enough to sear the zucchini without overcooking it. Transfer the zucchini and steak to separate plates and turn off the grill.
- Make the pesto. Add the basil leaves, pine nuts, lemon juice, and remaining 3 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to a food processor or blender. Process until almost smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Assemble salad. Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Add the grilled zucchini, halved tomatoes, steak slices, and pesto to a large bowl. Toss to combine and serve immediately! Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, but the pesto may discolor.
Notes
- Swap flank steak with skirt steak if needed. Sirloin also makes a good substitute!
- No grill? Use a cast iron grill pan. The method is the same!
- To store leftovers, keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The pesto will likely discolor. I don't recommend prepping the full salad in advance because of the pesto discoloring, but you can prep the steak and vegetables in advance and toss everything together just before serving if needed.
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