This Grilled Wedge Steak Salad Is My Go-To Summer Dinner
This grilled wedge steak salad is more than just dinner—it’s a grounding, sensory experience that invites you to slow down and savor. Cool, smoky romaine meets juicy steak, crispy bacon, and tangy pickled shallots, all drizzled with a creamy blue cheese dressing you’ll want to keep in your fridge all week.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This salad isn’t just about what’s on the plate—it’s about how it feels to make it. I developed this recipe on a day when I was feeling scattered and overwhelmed, and it brought me back to myself. As I sliced the shallots and listened to the bacon sizzle, I started to feel more present. It’s a simple meal, but one filled with contrast: hot and cold, creamy and crisp, smoky and sharp.
It’s also wildly adaptable. Use any steak you like (I use flank), swap in grilled chicken, or skip the meat entirely for a striking starter salad. It’s naturally gluten-free, endlessly riffable, and satisfying enough for a full meal. If you're in the mood to round things out, these Grilled Potatoes make a great side.
Nicki's Tip: I created this recipe during the final part of my Intentional Eating series. "If we can shift our perspective to view cooking as a tool to help us connect to our bodies, to the foods we eat, and to our spiritual selves, then we can use the everyday act of preparing food (and the shopping, cleaning and eating that goes along with it!) as a way to access a deeper sense of presence, freedom and perhaps even joy in our lives." Learn more about this practice in my newsletter.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Flank steak: Lean and quick to grill, flank steak adds richness without heaviness. You can substitute skirt steak, strip steak, or even grilled chicken.
- Romaine hearts: Grilling romaine adds a hint of char while keeping the centers cool and crunchy. Look for firm, fresh hearts.
- Bacon: Meaty, crispy bacon adds salt and crunch. Use your favorite variety—or a vegan option, if you prefer.
- Blue cheese: Crumbled into the dressing and scattered on top, blue cheese gives the salad its signature tang. Gorgonzola works well too.
- Pickled shallots: These add a sharp, bright crunch that cuts through the richness. Quick to make and worth the (minimal) effort.
- Cherry tomatoes: Juicy and sweet, they balance the smoky and salty components.
- Sour cream & mayo: The base of the creamy dressing, with lemon and garlic for bite.
- Chives or scallions: For a subtle oniony finish.
How to Make This Wedge Steak Salad
Step 1: Make the pickled shallots.
Rinse sliced shallots in hot water using a fine strainer. Drain well, then stir with sherry vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let them sit while you prep everything else.
Step 2: Make the blue cheese dressing.
Make the blue cheese dressing. Whisk lemon juice with grated garlic. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, chives, and just enough water or milk to thin. Taste and adjust seasoning. (Tip: If raw garlic bothers you, let the clove steep in lemon juice for 10 minutes, then discard before mixing.)
Step 3: Season and grill the steak.
Bring the steak to room temperature and season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Grill over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes per side, until it reaches your desired doneness (125–130°F for medium-rare). Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
Step 4: Cook the bacon.
Cook the bacon. While the steak cooks, crisp bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat, then drain on paper towels.
Step 5: Grill the romaine.
Lightly oil the cut sides of the romaine and season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut side down, for about 1 minute, just until grill marks form. You want the outer leaves charred, but the center to stay crisp.
Step 6: Assemble the salad.
Place grilled romaine halves on plates. Top with tomatoes, sliced steak, drained pickled shallots, crumbled bacon, and a drizzle of blue cheese dressing. Sprinkle with extra cheese if you'd like.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- No grill? Use a grill pan on the stovetop or broil the romaine and steak in the oven.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the meat and use grilled mushrooms or a plant-based protein. Vegan bacon and works beautifully too.
- Use what you have: Any hearty greens (like little gem or butter lettuce) can work. You can also swap in quick-pickled red onions for the shallots.
- More ways to use the dressing: It’s fantastic on burgers, wings, roasted vegetables, or even as a dip for cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The blue cheese dressing and pickled shallots can be made up to 5 days in advance. Grill the steak and romaine just before serving for best texture.
Flank steak is great because it’s lean and slices beautifully, but skirt steak, strip, or sirloin would also work.
You can use another creamy dressing—try this Garlic Herbed Aioli or even a Green Tahini Dressing for a dairy-free alternative.
Grilling adds a smoky, lightly bitter flavor that pairs beautifully with the richness of the steak and dressing. Just don’t overcook—it only needs a minute!
This wedge steak salad is the kind of meal that brings you back to your senses. Whether it’s for a quiet night in or a summer dinner on the deck, it’s food that invites presence. I hope it brings a bit of ease and satisfaction to your kitchen, too.
*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting From Scratch Fast!
P.S. More Delicious Salad Recipes:
I'd love to answer any of your questions and see what you're cooking!! Don't forget to give this recipe a star rating and leave a comment below. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Pinterest, and be sure to tag @nickisizemore so that I can share your creations!
This Grilled Wedge Steak Salad Is My Go-To Summer Dinner
Ingredients
Quick Pickled Shallots
- 1 medium shallot peeled and very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Blue Cheese Dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove grated
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup (3 ounces) crumbled blue cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives (or chopped scallions)
- 1-2 tablespoons water or milk or more as needed
Steak and Salad
- 1 - 1 ¼ pounds flank steak
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 4-6 strips meaty bacon
- Neutral vegetable oil for the grill
- 2 romaine hearts halved lengthwise
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes halved (or quartered if large)
Instructions
Make the pickled shallots
- Using a strainer, rinse the shallot slices in hot water. Drain well and transfer to a small bowl. Season the shallots with salt, and stir in the sherry vinegar. Let sit, stirring occasionally (the shallots will soften and shrink as they sit). Do Ahead: The pickled shallots can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Make the blue cheese dressing
- In a bowl, combine the lemon juice and garlic (if you have the time, let this sit for 5 minutes to mellow the garlic). Stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, chives and 1 tablespoon of water or milk. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, stir in another tablespoon (or more) of water or milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Do Ahead: The blue cheese dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Grill the steak and assemble the salad
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Season the steak on both sides with salt, pepper and the granulated garlic. Let the steak sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (while you cook the bacon).
- Arrange the bacon in a large skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
- Clean and oil the grill grates. Grill the steak until caramelized on the bottom with grill marks, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the steak over and continue cooking until the internal temperature on a meat thermometer reads 125-130˚F (50-55˚C) for medium-rare, about 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Lightly brush or drizzle the cut sides of the romaine hearts with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the romaine, cut sides down, until grill marks form, about 1 minute (don’t overcook, as you want the inside to still be crisp).
- Transfer the romaine, cut sides up, to serving plates, and divide the tomatoes over top. Thinly slice the steak against the grain and arrange it next to the salad. Drizzle everything with the blue cheese dressing. Drain the pickled shallots (save the vinegar for dressings) and scatter them over top. Crumble the bacon over the salad and sprinkle everything with blue cheese. Glorious.
Notes
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- No grill? Use a grill pan on the stovetop or broil the romaine and steak in the oven.
-
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the meat and use grilled mushrooms or a plant-based protein. Vegan bacon works beautifully too.
-
- Use what you have: Any hearty greens (like little gem or butter lettuce) can work. You can also swap in quick-pickled red onions for the shallots.
-
- More ways to use the dressing: It’s fantastic on burgers, wings, roasted vegetables, or even as a dip for cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.
