Steak Salad with Avocado-Lime Cilantro Crema

The steak salad with cilantro-lime avocado crema drizzled on top in a wooden bowl on a white countertop.

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Steak Salad with Avocado-Lime Cilantro Crema

This steak salad features tender steak, charred corn, blue cheese, and avocado-lime crema for a hearty, flavor-packed dinner salad that is great throughout the spring and summer.

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: steak salad with blue cheese, steak salad with cilantro-lime crema

Servings:

Ingredients

For the steak:

1 pound ribeye, NY strip, or flank steak (about 1 inch thick)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the salad:

2 ears fresh corn ,husked (or 1 1/2 cups frozen and thawed)
2 teaspoons neutral oil (for the corn)
1 large head romaine ,chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 6 cups)
1 pint baby tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes ,halved (mix of colors if you can find them)
2 ounces blue cheese , plus more if desired (Point Reyes or a creamy Gorgonzola work beautifully)
1/4 small red onion very thinly sliced

For the avocado-lime cilantro crema:

1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons) plus more to taste
1 small garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cumin (optional)
2-4 tablespoons cold water to thin

Instructions

Prep the steak: Pull the steak out of the fridge 30–45 minutes before cooking so it comes to room temp. Pat it bone-dry, then rub with olive oil and season aggressively on both sides with salt and pepper.
Char the corn: Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until it’s smoking. Rub the corn with a thin coating of neutral oil and lay it directly in the dry pan. Don’t move it for 2–3 minutes at a time, rotating to get deep blackened spots on all sides — about 8–10 minutes total. Let cool, then stand each cob in a bowl and slice the kernels off.
Cook the steak: In the same hot pan (or on a grill), sear about 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, pulling at an internal temp of 130°F. Cook to your liking — 125°F for rare, 135°F for medium, 145°F for medium-well. Rest on a cutting board for at least 8 minutes — this is non-negotiable. Slice thinly into cubes against the grain.
Make the crema: Combine avocado, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt, and cumin in a blender or food processor. Blend, drizzling in cold water 1 tbsp at a time, until it’s pourable but still clings to a spoon. Taste and adjust lime and salt.
Assemble: In a large shallow serving bowl, scatter the romaine. Top with charred corn, halved tomatoes, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles. Lay the cubed steak across the top, drizzle generously with the crema, and finish with a crack of black pepper and a squeeze of lime. Serve the extra crema on the side.

Notes

This salad mades 2 generous portions or 4 side portions.

Blue cheese: You can add up to 4 ounces of blue cheese, to taste, if desired.
Soak the sliced red onion in ice water for 10 minutes if you want to tame its bite.
Add croutons: For an extra layer, toast a slice of sourdough, rub it with a raw garlic clove, tear it into croutons, and toss them in at the end for crunch.
Leftover crema is excellent on tacos, eggs, or grain bowls the next morning.

Nutrition