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Thai Steak Salad with Roasted Chili Mango Vinaigrette

I can’t get enough of roasted fruit lately — it’s become an obsession.

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And salads. I’m making them constantly.

I won’t pretend I don’t complain — I do — but salads like this one are so satisfying, especially when they’re lighter and don’t rely on cheese or chips. Well, cheese and chips are welcome on the side, but the salad itself feels fresh and balanced.

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Quick life aside: it’s Monday, I flew back from Nantucket late last night (even work trips somehow count as play), and to top it off I discovered my first gray hair last week. Yes, really. It may have been a light blonde highlight showing through, but I’m pretty sure it was gray — welcome to thirty, right?

On the bright side, my best friend’s mom had twins over the weekend and I’m planning to swing by, eat far too many carbs and watch the newborns cuddle. Twins snuggling is impossibly cute and absolutely worth a little distraction.

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Now, about the salad. I tend to cook steak best when I use filet or flank — it’s just my thing. For this recipe I used the marinade from a healthy Thai-style steak taco recipe and adapted it for flank steak. The salad is loaded with salty roasted cashews and caramelized roasted mango, which I pureed into a bright, spicy-sweet vinaigrette. It looks like a long ingredient list, but it’s straightforward and worth prepping ahead slightly.

And you’ll want a hearty appetite.

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This salad blends savory marinated steak, roasted chili-mango vinaigrette, fresh herbs and crunchy cashews for a satisfying, layered result.

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Thai Steak Salad with Roasted Chili Mango Vinaigrette

Yield:
4
Cook Time:
35 mins

Ingredients

Steak

  • 1 1/2 pound flank steak
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 3/4 cup light canned coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
  • 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce

Roasted Chili Mango Dressing

  • 1 mango, seeded, peeled and cubed
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Salad

  • 8 cups spring greens
  • 1 mango, seeded, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
  • 1/3 cup cashews

Instructions

  • Whisk together the steak marinade (coconut milk through sweet chili sauce) in a large bowl. Season the steak with salt and pepper, place in a baking dish or zip-top bag, pour the marinade over the steak, and refrigerate for 2–24 hours.
  • To make the dressing, preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cubed mango with chili powder and 1 teaspoon olive oil on a baking sheet. Roast about 20 minutes until golden and caramelized.
  • In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted mango, lime juice, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. With the blender running, stream in 1/2 cup olive oil until the dressing is smooth. Store in the fridge for a few days if needed.
  • Cook the steak to your preference — grill or broil. For broiling, place the rack directly under the broiler. A steak about 1 inch thick broils about 5 minutes per side for medium to medium-well. Let the steak rest, then slice against the grain into strips.
  • Assemble the salad by tossing greens with chopped mango, diced onion, cilantro and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Top with sliced steak and cashews, then drizzle with the roasted chili mango vinaigrette.

Notes

Steak marinade adapted from a healthy Thai-style steak taco recipe.
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
Thai

Did you make this recipe?

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*Yes, real life has bigger problems — let’s just keep the gray hair between us.