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Marinated Steak Taco Salad is an easy, delicious, and healthy dinner recipe! Made with seared sirloin steak, pan roasted sweet corn, crunchy tortilla strips, Mexican cheese, and a creamy lime dressing – this hearty salad is fresh, flavorful, and full of Tex-Mex flavors. Perfect for the whole family!

Looking for another salad recipe? Check out my Mediterranean Chopped Salad. Or maybe it’s the taco part you want more of? Well then Cilantro Lime Baja Shrimp Tacos should be your next stop.

steak taco salad

Fresh, Beautiful, & Flavorful Salad

A taco salad has always been one of my favorite salads. I mean the toppings?? Incredible!

I’m talking fresh vegetables, crispy tortilla strips, tasty cheese, sweet corn, and of course the main protein of choice. I’ve had grilled chicken, ground beef, and grilled shrimp. And they have been delicious!

But when you add beautifully seared, tender sirloin steak on top? Next level delicious!

This taco steak salad is both stunning and flavorful! Topped with chili lime marinated steak slices and and a creamy dressing, it is full of incredible Tex-Mex flavors. It’s perfect for a summer dinner party!

If you’re looking for more taco night dishes check out my chicken fajita tacos, healthy taco casserole, dutch oven pork carnitas, creamy taco soup, or taco stuffed peppers!

close up of salad with steak and creamy dressing on top

Ingredients

Taco Steak Salad is full of fresh vegetables, juicy steak, creamy cheese, crunchy toppings, flavorful spices, and more! It is pretty much the opposite of a boring salad.

Ingredient Notes

  • Sirloin Steak: Sirloin steak is the cut used in this recipe! You will need 1 lb.
  • Romaine Lettuce: The base of this salad is romaine lettuce. It adds the perfect crunch and is super refreshing. You will need two heads!
  • Corn: Corn adds so much flavor to this recipe. I love using 1 fresh corn cob in the summer! But you could use canned or frozen if you would like.
  • Black Beans: Black beans are a classic taco salad ingredient. Add 1/3 cup!
  • Tomatoes: To add a burst of flavor and pop of color add 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes to this salad.
  • Red Onion: Add 1/2 red onion diced too. See my tips below for this ingredient!
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic is used in the marinade for the steak. It adds amazing flavor! You’ll need 2 cloves.
  • Tortilla Strips: I truly think that tortilla strips are a vital part of a taco salad. They’re crispy, crunchy, and the absolute perfect salad topper. Add 1/3 cup!
  • Mexican Cheese: Can’t have tacos without cheese! Use 1/3 cup shredded Mexican style cheese. So delicious!
  • Lime: Lime juice adds incredible flavor all throughout this recipe. You’ll need 1 whole fresh lime for the marinade and dressing.
  • Sour Cream: Sour cream is the base of the dressing for this salad. It adds a nice tang and of course a smooth, creamy texture. 1/4 cup is just the right amount.
  • Mayo: A little bit, 1 tbsp, of mayo is also added to the dressing! It adds the perfect richness and rounds out the flavor.
  • Olive Oil: Olive oil is used all throughout this recipe too! You’ll need 2 tbsp for the marinade and 1 tbsp to pan roast the corn.
  • Spices: Chili powder, salt, and pepper is what gives this salad all of its amazing flavor. Use 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Plus a bit extra salt and pepper!
  • Avocado Oil: Lastly, you’ll need avocado oil or another high smoke point oil to pan sear the steak.
chili lime marinated steak ingredients

Substitutions & Additions

There are bunch of substitutions and additions you could make to this salad for it to meet your personal preferences and needs!

Greek Yogurt: The sour cream in the dressing here can be swapped with greek yogurt! It is a great lightened up option.

Steak Cut: This recipe calls for sirloin steak, but you could really use whatever you’d like. Perhaps flank steak or skirt steak.

Vegetables: For the vegetables, simply take away any you don’t enjoy and add what you do. Cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, and green onions are all great options.

Adding some warm fajita veggies or a fresh pico de gallo would also be delicious!

Cheese: I love each and every kind of cheese, so I think pretty much any kind would be tasty in this salad! Try cheddar, colby jack, or cotija cheese.

Fresh Herbs: Add fresh cilantro for a bunch of extra flavor!

Dressing: I highly recommend trying the creamy lime dressing in this recipe, but if you feel like making things extra quick and easy, a store bought ranch dressing would work perfectly. Or an avocado dressing!

taco salad ingredients

How To Make This Recipe

This tasty taco salad is the perfect easy and healthy dinner recipe!

All you have to do is cook the marinated steak on the stovetop, pan roast the corn, make the creamy dressing, and add your favorite toppings.

It comes together to make both a beautiful and delicious salad!

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Start by marinating the sirloin steak.  Add the steak to a shallow dish.  Then add the lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Rub the marinade into the steak.  Cover the dish and place in the refrigerator.  I recommend marinating for at least 1 hour.

steak in a bowl with olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper

Step 2: Next cut the corn off of the cob.  Add the corn kernels to a pan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Sauté until the corn gets a nice char and brown color.

pan roasted corn

Step 3: Then make the dressing.  In a small bowl or jar add the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and chili powder.  Combine evenly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add water to your desired thickness.  I do 1/2 tbsp.

jar with creamy chili lime dressing ingredients
creamy chili lime dressing ingredients in a jar

Step 4: Next pan sear the marinated steak.  Cover the bottom of a pan or large skillet with avocado oil and place on the stove over high heat.  Then add the marinated steak to the hot pan.  Sear on both sides for 3-5 minutes.  This will depend on how you like your steak cooked and how thick your steak is.

Step 5: Remove the steak from the pan.  Place on a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes.  Then cut into thin slices.

sirloin steak slices

Step 6: Then assemble the salad.  Add the romaine to a large bowl or serving dish.  Top with the red onion, tomatoes, black beans, pan roasted corn, tortilla strips, and Mexican cheese.  Add the steak slices and drizzle the dressing on top of the salad.

Step 7: Serve and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Marinate the steak for as long as possible! This will only enhance the flavor and make this recipe as delicious as possible.

Season the dressing to taste.

Rinse the red onion in cold water before adding to the salad. This mellows that strong onion flavor and creates a more enjoyable salad ingredient!

Allow the steak to cool slightly before adding to the salad. This prevents the fresh lettuce from being wilted and keeps the toppings crispy and crunchy!

steak taco salad

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I cook the steak for?

This is really up to you! It depends on how you like your steak cooked.

I personally did about 4 minutes on each side at a high heat. My steak was decently thick and this amount of time left it pretty rare.

For more information on pan searing sirloin steak check out this detailed resource.

How to store this recipe?

As we all know, a salad is quite difficult to store once assembled and dressed. The fresh ingredients and toppings become all soggy – which is not good!

You could however prepare and store the separate ingredients of this recipe and assemble at a later date. I would only do this about 1-2 days before enjoying the recipe though!

If you would like to do this add the chopped fresh vegetables, cooked steak, and dressing to separate airtight containers and store in the refrigerator.

taco steak salad with creamy lime dressing

Love this recipe? Check out more healthy dinner recipes…

Connect with me!

If you make this steak taco salad recipe or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

steak taco salad

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.

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Steak Taco Salad

  • Author: Kayla Berman
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 Minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Tex Mex
Print Recipe

Description

Marinated Steak Taco Salad is an easy, delicious, and healthy dinner recipe! Made with pan seared sirloin steak, pan roasted sweet corn, crunchy tortilla strips, Mexican cheese, and a creamy lime dressing – this hearty salad is fresh, flavorful, and full of Tex-Mex flavors. Perfect for the whole family!

Ingredients

Scale

Marinated Steak

  • 1 lb sirloin steak
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • Avocado oil, or other high smoke point oil

Salad 

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cob corn
  • 1/2 red onion, diced finely
  • 1/3 cup black beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1/3 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/3 cup tortilla strips
  • 1/3 cup Mexican cheese blend
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt & pepper

Creamy Chili Lime Dressing

  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tbsp mayo
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Water, as needed

Instructions

  1. Start by marinating the sirloin steak.  Add the steak to a shallow dish.  Then add the lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Rub the marinade into the steak.  Cover the dish and place in the refrigerator.  I recommend marinating for at least 1 hour.
  2. Next cut the corn off of the cob.  Add the corn kernels to a pan over medium high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Sauté until the corn gets a nice char and brown color.
  3. Then make the dressing.  In a small bowl or jar add the sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and chili powder.  Combine evenly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add water to your desired thickness.  I do 1/2 tbsp.
  4. Next pan sear the marinated steak.  Cover the bottom of a pan with avocado oil and place on the stove over high heat.  Then add the marinated steak to the hot pan.  Sear on both sides for 3-5 minutes.  This will depend on how you like your steak cooked and how thick your steak is.
  5. Remove the steak from the pan.  Place on a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes.  Then cut into thin slices.
  6. Then assemble the salad.  Add the romaine to a large serving dish.  Top with the red onion, tomatoes, black beans, pan roasted corn, tortilla strips, and Mexican cheese.  Add the steak slices and drizzle the dressing on top.
  7. Serve and enjoy!

Keywords: steak taco salad, taco steak salad, steak taco salad bowl, taco salad with steak, sirloin steak taco salad, marinated steak taco salad