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This southwest steak salad with fried plantains is PACKED with grilled steak, fried plantains, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, crunchy tortilla strips, and topped with a homemade Greek yogurt cilantro dressing.
Summertime salads are the best!
This southwest steak salad with fried plantains can satisfy the hungriest crowds and stand alone as a main course.
The combination of crispy fried plantains and grilled steak is delicious!
Every ingredient, from the black beans to the crispy tortilla strips, compliments each other in every bite.
Plus, you’ll LOVE the tangy Greek yogurt cilantro dressing made right in your blender!
Ingredients to make Southwest Steak Salad with Fried Plantains
- Skirt steak – Skirt steak works great in this recipe because it is affordable and flavorful!
- Plantains – Plantains are a starchier, savory cousin to the banana! They’re cooked before consumption and can be found at most local grocery stores.
- Black beans – Black beans provide extra protein and hold up well to the other ingredients and the dressing.
- Spices – The combination of the smoked paprika, chili powder, and cumin all give the steak a smoky southwest flavor, without being spicy.
- Cotija cheese – Cotija cheese is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk. It is similar in flavor to mild feta.
- Homemade dressing – This homemade dressing is creamy, cool, and tangy with the addition of Greek yogurt and lime juice. Feel free to substitute your favorite store-bought creamy dressing.
Other protein options
If you can’t find skirt steak, flank steak or hanger steak are great alternatives.
You could also substitute sliced, grilled chicken breast, shrimp, or tofu.
How to determine if plantain is ripe
No stress is needed if you’ve never cooked with plantains before! I’m going to walk through picking the best of the best!
For this southwest steak salad with fried plantains recipe, you’ll want to look for almost entirely black plants.
Assuring the plantain is fully ripe means you’ll have sweet, soft-fried plantains.
My Pro Tips
Southwest Steak Salad Recipe Tips
Season and grill your steak up to a day before to make putting together the salad even more effortless.
Bagged chopped romaine lettuce is easier BUT you’ll get a better bang for your buck by buying a bag of romaine hearts and chopping it yourself.
If you can’t find fresh plantains to fry, you can buy frozen ones and toast them up in the air fryer.
Storage and leftovers
The grilled steak and fried plantains can be stored separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
The homemade dressing can be stored in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
More steak recipes
- Love grilled steak? Try my Chimichurri Flank Steak
- Craving something sweet and savory? Try my Grape and Blue Cheese Flank Steak
- Want a tangy steak salad? Try my Flat Iron Steak with Balsamic Roasted Radicchio
- Need to go back to basics? Check out my How to Grill the Perfect Steak
Southwest Steak Salad with Fried Plantains
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 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoons lime zest, freshly zested
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Instructions
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 cooks 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 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Completely stunning photo of a delicious salad!
Oh my GOODNESS. I am all for a giant salad like this! Seriously. This looks and sounds amazing!
Ha! I looove “leftover salads, too!” This one. Wow. This one looks so good – piled high with so many goodies. The dressing is perfect!
I haven’t had fried plantains in ages. This sounds amazing!
I am a huge sucker for salads like this! What’s not to love?! If I could eat a salad like this everyday, I would! The fried plantains sound wonderful too!
This salad looks amazing! That dressing though!