Honey chipotle steak salad

It's a spicy (and refreshing) one 🔥

Hello! Welcome back! Skip all the rambling and scroll right to the bottom of this post for a printer-friendly PDF of the recipe only.

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Cooking feels hard lately. It’s hot outside, I am perpetually exhausted by said heat, and all I want to do is eat something cold, crunchy, and light. Which is probably why I’ve been gravitating towards a salad + easy protein sitch (see here and here for reference).

Today we’re using the same formula to create a restaurant-quality salad that is fresh, vibrant, satisfying, and spicyyyy. Like, really spicy.

Tell me more

We’re making honey chipotle steak salad with alllll the topping — queso blanco, avocado, toasted pepitas, radishes, quick pickles red onions, cilantro — and a honey chipotle dressing that also doubles as our steak marinade. It’s loaded in the way the best salads from your favorite restaurants and cafés are, but from the comfort of your own air conditioned home. You’re gonna want to eat in on repeat. And it’s an easy one, so luckily you can.

Before we start

• I was not setting out to make a Chipotle-inspired salad, but the dressing did end up being pretty damn close to their vinaigrette. One key difference is my recipe packs a lot of heat. I’ve included notes in the ingredient section for how to tame that spice, should you prefer yours a lil’ more mild. Otherwise, this salad really has nothing to do with Chipotle the restaurant chain.

• This meal would taste absolutely incredible with a margarita. I think you should do that. My recipe is 2.5 ounces (almost always rounded up to 3) of tequila, and 1 ounce each of Cointreau and lime juice. Shaken hard until your shaker is too cold to hold (or use this one so your hand never gets cold), served in a glass with a salted rim. When I’m feeling fruity, I add 3 ounces of grapefruit juice to the mix and it is the ultimate refresher.

• Order of events: 1. Make your dressing/marinade, then throw your meat in and let it rest. 2. Make your quick-pickled onions. 3. Make your toasted pepitas. 4. Prep the rest of your salad ingredients. 5. Cook your meat. 6. Enjoy!

The recipe

Serves: 2

Cook time: 20 minutes active (including chopping/prep), plus 30 minutes marinating