My Carne Asada Salad is loaded with thin slices of marinated grilled flank steak for a serious hunger-busting entrée. With a craveable blend of spring greens, crunchy pepitas, crisp carrots and radishes, zingy red wine vinaigrette, and sliced avocados, this is one healthy steak salad you won’t soon forget!

closeup shot of carne asada salad in a terracotta serving bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE a good salad. Where others may see a pile of boring lettuce, I see nothing but a world of possibilities. Layering on colorful, crisp veggies, crunchy toasted nuts or seeds, deliciously tender proteins, and dressings so good you could lick the bowl renders a meal that’s more than the sum of its parts.

That said, I’m astonished at how calorically dense some restaurant salads can get. I saw a “salad” on a menu the other day that was nearly 2000 calories — so much for it being the “healthy” choice! Luckily, when you make your own salads at home, you have all the control over what goes into them.

In this yummy and healthy carne asada salad recipe, you’ll get all the flavors and textures you crave without any of the calorie-laden fillers (e.g. fried croutons or sugary salad dressing). In fact, one entrée sized portion of this steak salad clocks in under 700 calories — perfect for banishing your hunger while still keeping you on track for the upcoming bathing suit season.

As if that weren’t enough to love, my flank steak salad comes together in just 10 minutes. It’s easy enough to make for a work-from-home lunch, but satisfying enough to serve for dinner. Plus it puts your leftover carne asada to work AND gives you an opportunity to clean out your crisper drawer. What’s not to love?!?

carne asada marinated and grilled flank steak on a black surface.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This grilled steak salad is made entirely from scratch using only real, whole-food ingredients. Here’s everything you’ll need:

  • Garlic – I love adding an allium bite to my red wine vinaigrette. While fresh is definitely best here, feel free to swap in minced jarred garlic instead.
  • Lemons – Brightly acidic with a splash of sunshine! Make sure to use fresh lemons for the best flavor, then save your spent rinds to clean your grill and freshen up your garbage disposal.
  • Red Wine Vinegar – I love the flavor of red wine vinegar with beef. Feel free to swap in any of these substitutes if needed.
  • Roasted Sesame Seeds – For a lovely touch of toasty, nutty flavor and a bit of crunch. In a pinch, you can absolutely swap in tahini (puréed sesame seeds) or half as much toasted sesame oil.
  • Paprika – For a bit of warmth. You’re also welcome to use smoked paprika or hot paprika for an added boost of flavor.
  • Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – If you have any on hand, making this carne asada salad dressing is the perfect time to bust out your fancy cold-pressed finishing oil. If not, your normal cooking oil will do just fine.
  • Baby Spring Mix – I love all the colors and textures that come in a box of spring mix. Feel free to swap in the greens of your choice (e.g. peppery arugula, crunchy romaine, or iron-packed spinach).
  • Shallot – For some piquancy and crunch. Feel free to swap in pickled red onions if you prefer.
  • Carrots & Radishes – For color and crunch. Feel free to use any color of carrot (purple, orange, white) and any variety of radish (e.g. watermelon, breakfast, or cherry belle). You can also feel empowered to use any crunchy veggies you like!
  • Pepitas – For added crunch and richness. You’re welcome to swap in any toasted nuts or seeds you prefer.
  • Carne Asada – Make a big batch of my easy carne asada on your meal prep day, then make tacos, loaded fries, taco pizza, and/or nachos before rolling out this quick and easy dinner salad later in the week.
  • Avocados – Creamy avocado slices are a must on all my salads, but if you prefer mashed guacamole like my hubby, its your choice. Or top your salad with both!
  • Queso Fresco – Totally optional, but excellent if you want a hit of salty, creamy, dairy to pep up your salad game.

How To Make Carne Asada Salad

Step 1: Make Dressing. Combine garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, sesame seeds, paprika, and salt in a small mason jar. Add olive oil and shake. Set aside.

ingredients for making carne asada salad dressing laid out on a white table.

Step 2: Toss. Place the salad greens in a large bowl; sprinkle the shallot, carrots, and radishes on top and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the salad with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Add half of the pepitas and toss once more.

homemade red wine vinaigrette in a tall mason jar.

Step 3: Assemble. Arrange the skirt steak, avocado slices, and queso fresco if using.

add-in ingredients for salad including thinly sliced shallots, radish, carrots, avocado and pepitas on a wooden cutting board.

Step 4: Finish Plating & Serve. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on and around the salad, focusing on the avocado and beef. Sprinkle the pepitas on top and as an option, serve with guacamole.

overhead shot of a bowl of carne asada salad topped with thinly sliced flank steak.

Optional Variations

While we love this Mexican-inspired steak salad just the way it is, this is a recipe you can easily customize. Here are a few variations worth considering:

  • Carne Asada Bowl – Bulk up this salad even more by laying down a tasty base of Cilantro Lime Rice and/or Instant Pot Black Beans and building a Chipotle-style bowl on top.
  • Carne Asada Wrap – Take your salad on the road by wrapping it all up in an extra-large tortilla.
  • Use A Different Dressing – Feel free to swap in your favorite store-bought or homemade salad dressing.
  • Add Your Favorite Produce – Some options include bell peppers, roasted corn, zucchini, green beans, snap peas, or asparagus. Mix and match to your heart’s content!
  • Add Crunch – If nuts and seeds are off the table, consider using tortilla strips to give your carne asada taco salad extra texture.

Expert Tips

  • Cook your steak a day or two ahead. This will give it ample time to cool down in the fridge, which makes it way easier to cut into thin strips.
  • Keep tossing. I’ve noticed that some folks tend to add more dressing to a salad when all it really needs is some more movement. Keep tossing your greens and veggies with the dressing for at least 30-45 seconds to distribute all the flavor evenly.
  • Season your veggies. Don’t forget to add salt and pepper to the bowl with your greens during that first toss — that’s the best opportunity you’ll get to season all the vegetables evenly!
closeup shot of a square terracotta salad bowl filled with healthy carne asada steak salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should steak on a salad be hot or cold?

I think that’s up to you, but I personally prefer mine to be cold or room temp — especially when it’s hot outside!

Should I marinate steak in the fridge or on the counter?

Unless you’re doing a super fast marination of 30 minutes or less, I always recommend refrigerating it for food safety.

What is carne asada sauce made from?

Different recipes call for different ingredients, but mine is a heavenly combo of butter, tequila, fresh cilantro, lemon & lime juice, garlic, onion, and serrano chiles. YUM.

More Entrée Salad Recipes

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #muybuenocooking.

closeup shot of carne asada salad in a terracotta serving bowl.

Healthy Carne Asada Steak Salad

5 (2 ratings)
My Carne Asada Salad is loaded with thin slices of marinated grilled flank steak for a serious hunger-busting entrée. With a craveable blend of spring greens, crunchy pepitas, crisp carrots and radishes, zingy red wine vinaigrette, and sliced avocados, this is one healthy steak salad you won't soon forget!
Print Pin Rate
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

  • 4 large handfuls baby spring mix
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dried roasted pepitas
  • 1 pound Grilled carne asada, sliced and cold
  • 2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
  • queso fresco, optional
  • guacamole, optional

Instructions 

Vinaigrette:

  • Combine garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, sesame seeds, paprika, and salt in a small mason jar. Add olive oil and shake. Set aside.

Salad:

  • Place the salad greens in a large bowl; sprinkle the shallot, carrots, and radishes on top and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the salad with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Add half of the pepitas and toss once more.
  • Arrange the skirt steak, avocados slices, and queso fresco if using.
  • Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on and around the salad, focusing on the avocado and beef. Sprinkle the pepitas on top and if using, top with guacamole.

Notes

Optional Variations:
  • Carne Asada Bowl – Bulk up this salad even more by laying down a tasty base of Cilantro Lime Rice and/or Instant Pot Black Beans and building a Chipotle-style bowl on top.
  • Carne Asada Wrap – Take your salad on the road by wrapping it all up in an extra-large tortilla.
  • Use A Different Dressing – Feel free to swap in your favorite store-bought or homemade salad dressing.
  • Add Your Favorite Produce – Some options include bell peppers, roasted corn, zucchini, green beans, snap peas, or asparagus. Mix and match to your heart’s content!
  • Add Crunch – If nuts and seeds are off the table, consider using tortilla strips to give your carne asada taco salad extra texture.
Calories: 648kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 52g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 252mg, Potassium: 1201mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 5758IU, Vitamin C: 51mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 5mg
Author: Yvette Marquez
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American

Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: June 2015.