Southwest Steak Salad with Fried Plantains

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This southwest steak salad with fried plantains is crazy delicious and super easy to make! It’s a straight up dinner salad PACKED with grilled steak, fried plantains, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, crunchy tortilla strips and all drizzled with a homemade Greek yogurt cilantro dressing. This salad is super filling and perfect for warm summer nights.

Every time I make a giant salad I think of Elaine from Seinfeld and her big salads. Listen, I’m such a sucker for a big salad I’m basically Elaine minus the big hair, floral dresses, and her ahhhhhhmazing dance moves. Most days I cut up a bunch of lettuce and top it with all my dinner leftovers. So that usually means my salads are a hot mess of leftovers, random dressings, and super crunchy lettuce.

Except for this amazing salad. This salad is straight up baller and straight up not a hot mess. Because this baby is LOADED with toppings BUT most importantly grilled steak and fried plantains. Seriously, can all salads have fried plantains? 

I also made my own dressing for this salad because I’m such a sucker for homemade dressings made with Greek yogurt. They are so easy to make and in this case, includes TONS of cilantro and lime. It’s so fresh and tangy and perfect on this salad. {Remember last week I made Greek yogurt green goddess dressing?!}

And I made it straight in my Vitamix so it’s super smooth and ready in about 2.2 seconds. Ok, not really 2.2 seconds but maybe 2 minutes.

Also, I know I talked about the plantains above BUT we still need to address the full amazingness of fried plantains. They take this salad to “oh yeah, it’s pretty good” to “this salad is dope AF!”

And for an extra crunchy measure, I threw on some tortilla strips because I love a nice carby crunch. Seriously, this southwest steak salad with fried plantains is so perfect for summer!

{Looking for more delicious salad recipes? Try my Crispy Chicken Apple Cabbage Salad, Cantaloupe Prosciutto Caprese Salad, Fall Panzanella Salad, Grilled Nectarine Salad, Shaved Brussels Sprout Apple Bacon Salad, Fig Goat Cheese Salad with Fig Vinaigrette, Peach Feta Salad with Peach Vinaigrette, Burrata Caprese Salad or my Black and Blue Salad with Crispy Ham}

Southwest Steak Salad with Fried Plantains

This southwest steak salad with fried plantains is crazy delicious and super easy to make! It's a straight up dinner salad PACKED with grilled steak, fried plantains, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, crunchy tortilla strips and all drizzled with a homemade Greek yogurt cilantro dressing. This salad is super filling and perfect for warm summer nights.

Yield: 1 large salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For salad: 

• 6 ounces skirt steak
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ripe plantain
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/2 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup corn kernels, lightly steamed
• 1/4 cup tortilla strips
• 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled

For dressing: 

• 1 cup packed cilantro
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 limes juiced
• 1 lime zested
• Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

For salad:
Preheat your grill to high heat. Mix smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, kosher salt and pepper together and sprinkle on both sides of your steak.

Grill until desired doneness and let rest.

Peel your plantain and slice 1/2 inch slices. Add olive oil to a 12-inch skillet and place over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot add in the plantains and cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove from the oil and let drain on a paper towel lined plate.

In a large salad bowl add lettuce and top with avocado, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, tortilla strips, crumbled cotija cheese and half the fried plantains.

Slice steak and place over salad. Drizzle with dressing and devour.

For dressing:
Add all ingredients to a high-powered mixer or food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.