I seldom eat salads because I don't like vinegar or cheese. That makes this cheese-free, vinaigrette-free Steak Salad with Lime and Cashews all the more special to me. It's fresh, bright, beefy, and incredibly satisfying!
The lime juice is zippy; the sesame oil, toasty and delicious; the cashews, crunchy and buttery. Jalapenos add a slight but not overwhelming amount of heat. And grilled steak - if you like beef, how could you not like that?
[This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission for purchases made through links on this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.]
It's been over 15 years since I discovered that such a salad existed. When we lived in Champaign, Illinois, a restaurant/bar called Seven Saints opened up downtown. In addition to having fancy-ish sliders (certainly not like White Castle's) and an extensive whiskey menu (which I didn't take full advantage of in our time there), they had a cheese-free, vinaigrette-free Seven Saints Salad.
While we lived close enough, Alex and I would occasionally walk to Seven Saints and sit on their sidewalk patio for an early dinner. I would have a slider alongside this salad, with a Rogue Dead Guy Ale. It was so relaxing.
I've modeled this salad off of that one. It's been years since I ate at Seven Saints, but this salad sticks with me. It's delicious, and it always reminds me of spring and summer.
Ingredients
This is such a fresh, bright salad. It takes only 6 ingredients!
- Spring mix/salad greens
- Steak
- Cashews
- Sesame oil
- Lime juice
- Jalapenos (optional)
At the grocery store, I'll pick up a package of spring mix, but at my local CSA, I assemble a mix of salad greens myself, usually from a romaine lettuce, spinach, and sometimes arugula. The important thing is to 1) not just use lettuce and 2) use hardy greens that can stand up to the assertive flavors of steak and lime. Use at least half lettuce for your mix. If you use arugula, it should be less than a quarter of your greens since it's so bitter.
Whatever you do, don't use iceberg lettuce, as it has no flavor, and will just make the salad watery.
Choose a boneless steak. We've often used sirloin steaks, although a ranch steak or flat-iron steak would also be a good choice.
Since lime juice is half of your flavor here, juice a whole lime rather than using bottled lime juice. (You can supplement with bottled juice in a pinch if the lime is small and you're short on juice, though.) You can use a hand-held citrus juicer (affiliate link), or just squeeze the lime with your hands.
Toasted sesame oil is the other major flavor for your dressing. Sesame oil can last for a while, but be sure to smell and taste it if you've had it a while, just in case. Although I've used a store-brand this time, something nicer would be better. (The Woks of Life has a nice article on sesame oil, if you want to learn more.) If you're allergic to sesame, you can try walnut oil instead.
Jalapenos add a kiss of spiciness. If you're heat-averse, be sure to remove all the seeds and white veins inside. I don't like seeding or slicing fresh jalapenos, so I use crushed jalapenos for a little spicy kick instead.
Whole cashews add substance to the salad, and are delicious. I recommend salted, roasted ones, although I used raw ones when I made this last. Just don't use anything that's seasoned.
Instructions
Salad comes together pretty quickly, so gather your ingredients before you start cooking!
Cleaning greens can take some time, especially if you get them from a farmer's market or CSA. You'll want to rinse them, dry them, and tear them up. Don't skip this step - that's how I found a rather cute, tiny snail in my greens most recently!
I recommend a salad spinner (affiliate link); I like to fill the bowl with water and swish my greens around to clean them, then pull the insert out to drain them. But you can clean them however you'd like, and pat them dry between layers of a clean kitchen towel.
I personally like my greens large but bite-sized. When I chop the greens too small, I find they weep a little and my salad seems a little too watery.
You've prepped your greens. Time to move on.
- Use a wire whisk (affiliate link) to combine lime juice, sesame oil, crushed jalapeno (if using), and salt. The mixture will become opaque as you whisk.
- Meanwhile, cook your steak. Pictured is a one-pound ranch steak, midway through cooking, that we grilled over direct high heat for 4 minutes per side to get it to medium-well.
See the FAQ for more information about grilling steak.
- Plate your salad greens, top with cashews and diced jalapenos (if using), and drizzle with the dressing.
Alternatively, you can toss the salad greens with the dressing before plating the salad.
- Let the steak rest for a few minutes before cutting. Slice the steak thinly, if using a flat-iron or ranch steak, then top the salad.
Serve and eat immediately!
Hint: Be sure your greens are dry before you add the dressing. Otherwise, the salad can become watery.
Serving
This salad is really a meal unto itself. I always enjoyed a quality slider alongside it, but Italian bread or garlic bread would also be nice. Serve with a good beer of your choice, or whiskey in whatever form you'd like.
Recipe FAQ
Steak cooking times depend on the steak, the grill you use, and your preferred doneness. There's a ton of variables. If you don't have a steak I've mentioned, your best bet is to search for gas or charcoal grill times for whatever steak you have. An instant-read or probe thermometer will help you determine how done the steak is; however, don't leave the probe in the grill, because flare-ups will ruin it.
We follow the cooking times on a sheet that came with the Weber gas grill we bought 10 years ago. I prefer medium-well steaks, with a small amount of pink in them. For 6-ounce sirloin steaks, we grill for 5 minutes over direct high heat, flip, then grill for another 5-7. I aim for a temperature of 150-155F when we remove the steak from the grill; carryover heat will continue to cook it for a few more minutes.
For flat-iron steak, grill it to medium doneness, then slice very thinly against the grain before topping your steak. You don't want it beyond medium, or it will be tough; you don't want it sliced thickly for the same reason.
You can definitely sear the steak on the stovetop or broil it in the oven! I don't cook steak inside because I find the kitchen ventilation to be inadequate overall.
I recommend pan-searing unless you have a very good oven broiler. Cast iron will help you get the best sear. Consult a cookbook such as Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything for pan-searing instructions for your cut of meat, or search online.
You can prep part of this salad in advance. You can cook the steak in advance if you can reheat it gently, without making it tough. I often clean and dry my salad greens the day I get them; they'll stay good in a container in the fridge for a few days. Lime can be juiced a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge, but sesame oil will solidify in the cold, so I recommend assembling the dressing and dressing the salad immediately before eating. The lime juice will change the texture of the greens over time - kind of like pickling.
🍽️Great Accompaniments
I think these recipes would be great served alongside Steak Salad with Lime and Cashews!
🔥More Grilling
A few other recipes that go great with the grill - an easy side, and my favorite spice rubs.
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Steak Salad with Lime and Cashews
Equipment
- wire whisk (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 2 6-ounce sirloin steaks (1 inch thick or less)
- 7-8 ounces spring mix (cleaned and dried)
- 1 jalapeno (or ½ teaspoon dried crushed jalapeno)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (30 grams; ~juice of 1 lime)
- 1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (14 grams)
- 6 tablespoons cashews (2 ounces)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat your grill. Ours is gas and we heat it to high heat.
- Remove your steaks from the refrigerator to let the chill come off for a few minutes. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
- While the grill heats, cut your jalapeno. Slice off the end, then slice down the middle lengthwise. Remove seeds and all of the white veins on the inside. Finely mince the jalapeno.
- Combine the jalapeno, lime juice, and sesame oil. Whisk to combine and add salt to taste.
- Once the grill is hot, cook your steaks over high direct heat. To cook to medium well, grill for 5 minutes over the hot part of the grill. Flip, then grill another 5-7 minutes, until the temperature of the steaks reaches 155F. (Grill a few minutes less for medium.)
- Remove the steaks from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before cutting them, while you assemble the salad. The steaks will coast up to 160F.
- Divide the spring mix between two plates. Drizzle with the dressing (including scooping the minced jalapenos onto the salad). Sprinkle with cashews. Top with steak. Enjoy.
Notes
[Originally published in April 2018. Rewritten and revised July 1, 2025.]
Leona Konkel says
I never believed I would have a favorite salad, but miraculously, I do in this recipe! I hope you love my recipe as much as I do. Be sure to ask me if you have questions!