This Grilled Balsamic Steak Salad is a main course salad featuring marinated steak kabobs that are grilled to perfection, served over baby arugula with heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese all topped with a drizzle of sweet balsamic glaze. It's a perfect summertime meal!
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Why This Recipe Works
This simple, fresh grilled steak salad is perfect for summer. It features an array of flavors and textures, from the savory marinated steak kabobs, the peppery bite of arugula, sweetness from juicy ripe tomatoes, and fresh creamy burrata cheese. And the sweet balsamic glaze brings it all together.
The steak kabobs can be marinated well ahead of time, and they cook quickly. And the salad only requires a few ingredients with very little prep required. This makes this steak salad a great option for a light, refreshing meal on a summer weeknight!
Ingredient Notes
- Steak - I like to use chuck roast. It's got a rich beefy flavor and is typically well marbled, so it stays moist and juicy. Sirloin is another good choice.
- Heirloom Tomatoes - Heirloom tomatoes provide a pop of color and sweet, juicy flavor to this salad. If tomatoes are out of season, cherry tomatoes are a good option.
- Burrata Cheese - This cheese has a firm exterior and a creamy, runny interior. The light, fresh flavor is perfect to compliment the bold flavors of the marinated steak.
- Marinade - This balsamic steak marinade uses common pantry ingredients and is loaded with flavor.
What Kind of Steak to use for Kabobs
Chuck Roast - Chuck has a rich, beefy flavor and nice marbling to help keep your kabobs from drying out. It can be tough, but the acidity of the marinade will help to tenderize the meat.
Sirloin - this cut will also work well for steak kabobs but is typically a bit leaner than chuck, so I don't recommend cooking it above medium-rare.
Flank steak - thinly sliced flank steak will also work well on top of this grilled steak salad recipe; just skip the skewers. If using flank steak, cook it for around 3 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Then let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain into ¼ to ½ inch slices and serve on top of the salad.
Check out my grilled flank steak recipe for more details on grilling and slicing flank steak.
Balsamic Steak Kabob Marinade
This sweet and savory balsamic marinade is one of my all time favorite grilling marinades. It's awesome on beef, chicken, and pork chops too!
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Trim and cut your steak into roughly 1 to 2 inch cubes. Try to keep them sized about the same so they cook evenly.
- Add the steak to a large resealable bag or glass dish and pour the marinade over top.
- Give them a good stir to ensure they're all covered and refrigerate for at least one hour, up to overnight.
How to Grill Steak Kabobs
- Clean and oil your grill grates, then preheat your grill to medium-high.
- While the grill preheats, thread the meat onto skewers and discard the marinade. If you want to top the salad with the meat still on the skewer, portion each skewer to a serving size, typically around 4 to 5 cubes of steak.
- Cook the kabobs for 7 to 8 minutes for medium-rare or until they reach your desired doneness. While cooking, turn the kabobs frequently to ensure even cooking on all sides.
- After cooking transfer the beef kabobs to a plate and tent with foil. Allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
How to Assemble the Steak Salad
Begin by placing your baby arugula on a platter or serving dish, then arrange the cut tomatoes and burrata evenly around the greens. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze.
You can serve your steak on the skewers on a serving platter if each is portioned to a serving size. Alternatively, you can remove the steak from the skewers and top the salad with the pieces of steak.
What is a Balsamic Glaze?
The dressing for this salad is a Balsamic Glaze which is balsamic vinegar that has been reduced into a thick, syrupy consistency with a concentrated flavor.
A little goes a long way, so don't overdo it! It's great drizzled over salads, fresh tomatoes, grilled chicken and meats, and more.
I used store-bought in this recipe, but you can easily make your own!
How to Make Balsamic Glaze
Simmer 1 cup of good quality balsamic vinegar over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is thickened and reduced by at least half. You can let it keep going longer if you want an even more concentrated flavor.
The sweetness of balsamic can vary by brand. If you want a little extra sweetness you can add around 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar while cooking.
After cooking allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before using. Keep refrigerated in a glass jar or other container for up to one month.
More Salad Recipes
📖 Recipe
Grilled Steak Kabob Salad
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- ¼ cup minced onion
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Salad
- 2 pounds Chuck Roast or Sirloin, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
- 5-6 cups baby arugula
- 1 pound heirloom tomatoes, 3-4 medium, cut into wedges
- 8 ounces burrata cheese, 2 small balls, quartered
Instructions
Marinade
- Add all marinade ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place steak in a glass container and pour marinade over top. Stir meat to ensure even coverage then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to overnight. If marinating for longer than an hour, stir the meat and marinade occasionally to redistribute.
Steak Kabobs
- Clean and oil grill grates then preheat to medium high.
- Thread marinated steak onto skewers and discard marinade.
- Cook kabobs until meat reaches desired doneness, around 7-8 minutes for medium rare, turning often to ensure even cooking.
- Remove from grill and tent with foil then allow to rest for 5 minutes while preparing the salad.
Salad
- Add baby arugula to a platter then arrange cut tomatoes and burrata cheese and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Top with cooked steak and serve.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
Kate says
This recipe was excellent and super easy to prep in advance and then put the finishing touches on at the last minute. Meat was very flavorful and soft. I'd make this again.
Scott says
Thanks so much Kate! Glad you enjoyed it.