Skirt Steak Salad with Miso-Ginger Dressing

It’s tough to beat a steak salad, especially when each bite is packed with flavor, crunch, and juicy tender steak strips. This Skirt Steak Salad recipe with a Miso-Ginger Dressing can be yours in just 20 minutes!

It’s no secret I love my skirts steaks. I’ve featured this cut in tons of recipes, including my Easy Beef Stir Fry with tons of veggies, “Better Than Takeout” Beef & Broccoli, and this awesome Seared Skirt Steak with Roasted Red Pepper Relish recipe. But I realized I’ve yet to share it in a salad recipe so that needs to change.

Introducing my Skirt Steak Salad with Miso-Ginger Dressing!

Why You’ll Love This Skirt Steak Salad with Miso Dressing

Isn’t that a gorgeous bowl? In addition to the vibrant colors, here are a few more things that should convince you to put this on the menu ASAP:

• Minimal…and I mean minimal…prep work. Yes, you’ll still need a sharp knife and a cutting board, but pre-chopped veggies are here to save you time and effort. Use them!
• The dressing is so easy to make, you might as well double or triple the batch to use on anything that needs a flavor boost
• Skirt steak cooks in no time flat, needing just a few minutes on each side when you grill on high heat

And don’t be intimidated by this cut if you’re not familiar with it. I’m sharing everything you need to know to make an amazing skirt steak salad!

If you’ve been here before, you probably already know that #SaladsThatDontSuck are kind of my thing. But if you’re new, click HERE to check out more delicious options for salads that will fill you up and taste great in the process!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s start with the obvious: a skirt steak!

• Selection Tips: look for “inside skirt steak” or “skirt steak” at the meat counter or wherever you’re shopping. You’ll see it labeled both ways, but it’s the same cut. It comes from a primal beef cut that also includes the “outside skirt steak”
• What to Look For: Try to find a piece that’s at least 1 to 1 1/4 lbs for this skirt steak salad recipe. This cut is long and flat, with a thick grain and some marbling. Trim it if you need to but a good butcher will do this for you.
• Seasoning Tips: Despite its smaller size, skirt steak is big on beef flavor. That’s what I’m going for in a steak salad, so I use very minimal seasoning. A little salt, a little black pepper, or a little bit of your favorite steak seasoning should be just fine. Our favorite is a homemade All-Purpose MSG Seasoning.

In addition to the skirt steak, you’ll also need:

• Preshredded or chopped veggies. There’s no lettuce component for this steak salad recipe, so use a bag of broccoli slaw, shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix, and shredded or matchstick carrots. All of these options can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores and will save you tons of time chopping and slicing.
• Red bell pepper and green onions. But speaking of slicing, you will have to do some minor prep work for these. This salad will still work without them but I think you’ll really enjoy the bright colors and flavor.
•  Crunchy garnishes, like toasted sesame seeds, crispy wonton strips, and roasted peanuts
• Miso and grated ginger for the dressing, plus a neutral-flavored oil, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, and garlic for the dressing.

Miso is such a versatile ingredient and we love it around here! If you’re looking for a few more ideas to use up what you have, I suggest my Sweet Miso Pork Stir Fry or Slow Cooker Miso Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup.

Can I use something other than skirt steak?

Absolutely! This steak salad recipe works great for flank steak, hanger steak, or pretty much any other steak.

Street Smart Nutrition Tip: If you swap the skirt steak for another cut, just be aware the cooking time may change. For medium doneness, start with 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of your steak.

How To Make Skirt Steak Salad

Lightly season the steak you plan to use for this steak salad recipe and get your grill pan, cast iron, or grill top nice and hot. Wait until it’s heated, then carefully lay the skirt steak on the grilling surface. Set a timer for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes (or more for thicker cuts). Then flip and cook for another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on the other side.

Once done, use a clean pair of tongs to move it over to a cutting board. Wait at least five minutes before slicing. In the meantime, you can prep the salad ingredients.

Street Smart Nutrition Tip: Although it might be tempting to hurry up and slice right into your cooked steak, resist the urge! Letting a steak rest helps preserve moisture, letting those flavorful juices redistribute back though the steak. If you cut into it right away, it just comes pouring out and the resulting steak strips will be dry, tough, and chewy.

The dressing couldn’t be easier, especially if you have a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Just add all the ingredients, seal it up, and give it a nice shake. If you don’t have that option, you can also use a small prep bowl and a fork or whisk to combine everything.

Set that aside and rinse off the red bell pepper and green onions. Pat dry, then slice. It doesn’t need to be perfect, although I really like nice thick slices of green onion for salads. Use both the green and white portions for stronger flavor, or only the green tops for more mild flavor. Add them to a large mixing bowl with the broccoli slaw, shredded cabbage, and shredded carrots. Then just toss everything together until it’s evenly mixed.

By this point your steak should be ready to slice. The key to tender, juicy steak strips is to avoid cutting with the grain and instead cut against it. I like to first slice it into smaller pieces that are easier to work with, then angle my knife to get nice thin strips. Somehow this makes a perfectly cooked steak taste even better! For a closer look at how I do this, head over to my YouTube channel to watch the tutorial for this recipe (click HERE). 

To serve, add the miso ginger dressing to the salad and give it another toss to coat everything. Plate it up and top it with your sliced steak. For garnish, you can use toasted sesame seeds, crispy wonton strips, and crushed peanuts.

Here’s the full recipe for my Skirt Steak Salad with Miso-Ginger Dressing. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this delicious salad! As always, thanks for stopping by the Street Smart Nutrition blog. Cheers to more fearlessly nourishing meals!