Caprese Steak Salad in a Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette

Grilled Steak Caprese Salad is a wonderful late summer salad when tomatoes and corn are at their peak.  This salad begins with grilled steak, fresh mozzarella, grilled corn, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes all over a fresh bed of green lettuce and drizzled in a balsamic reduction vinaigrette. 

I’m pretty sure there is no such thing as STEAK Caprese Salad.  I’m not sure, I’ve never googled it to be honest, but that’s really what this recipe is when you dissect it.

All I knew was I wanted to steak the other night, but I didn’t want all the heavy usual sides that go with it.   I was more in the mood for a salad, so I decided to go with that.

There are no fast hard rules when making this Steak Caprese Salad.  But one thing I will tell you is, if you skip the balsamic reduction then you are missing out on a HUGE part of the flavor.

If you are familiar with balsamic reduction, then you know its one of the most out of this world delicious things ever, especially over steak.

If you aren’t familiar with it, you simply boil your balsamic vinegar until it reduces and usually stinks up your entire house in the process, but it is sooo worth it, trust me.

However, a balsamic reduction can also be quite strong, so it’s best to use it sparingly.  For our salad, I set a few Tablespoons aside to drizzle directly over the steak.

Then I made a delicious vinaigrette with the rest by adding some mayonnaise, lemon juice, milk and Dijon mustard.

The deep flavors of the balsamic go hand in hand with the steak.  It’s like a marriage made in heaven.  Then the dressing gets lightened up with the mayo, mustard and lemon, which compliments all the other lighter ingredients in our salad.

OMG !!!!   Soooooooo good!

HOW TO MAKE OUR STEAK CAPRESE SALAD:

1. This salad came together by simply grilling 2 sirloin steaks on the grill.  I didn’t marinade them, I just added Montreal steak seasoning and a little more sea salt and got them on a hot grill.  I cooked it for approximately 4 minutes on each side for a medium/rare steak.  I set it aside with foil on top to rest while I made the rest of the salad.
2. I sautéed some onions and mushrooms, also in a balsamic reduction.  You can get that recipe here. 
3. I grabbed some mixed greens, baby spinach, feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, homegrown tomatoes, sliced avocado, bacon, strawberries and anything else you would like to add to the party.
4. I spread a bunch of fresh greens on a BIG platter.  And began a layering effect with each ingredient that was represented in the salad.  You can do it as I did by layering each ingredient by itself in a row to stand out or you can mix it all together.  It’s your salad.
5. The vinaigrette starts by reducing the balsamic vinegar.  This can take 8-10 minutes and yes it does smell.  Once it cools, whisk in the milk, mustard, mayo and lemon juice.  It creates a beautifully balanced deep dressing that pairs amazingly well with beef.

There are a myriad of flavors happening on your plate.  This salad really is delicious as is but my son added a little homemade ranch to the scene, but that’s what he does!

Caprese Steak Salad in a Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Description

Grilled Steak Caprese Salad is a wonderful light summer salad with grilled steak, fresh mozzarella, grilled corn, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes all over a fresh bed of green lettuce and drizzled in a balsamic reduction vinaigrette.

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Ingredients

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FOR THE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:

• 1 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons Whole Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
• ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE SALAD:

• 1–2 Cooked Sirloin Steaks (or steak of choice), cooked to desired doneness, cooled and thinly sliced
• 3–4 Cups Mixed Greens
• 1 Handful Grape Tomatoes
• 3–4 slices Cooked Nitrate Free Bacon, crumbled
• 6–10 Fresh Mozzarella Balls
• Sauteed and Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
• 1 Cup Feta Cheese
• 1 Avocado, sliced or cubed
• Balsamic Dressing drizzled on top
• Other options: grilled asparagus, fresh basil, grilled corn, black beans, fresh herbs

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Instructions

FOR THE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:

1. Bring the vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Once it reaches a boil quickly lower the heat and simmer it, stirring often, until it reduces by half (approximately 8-10 min.)
2. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining ingredients together.
3. Once the balsamic vinegar has cooled, whisk the remaining ingredients into it.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper if needed.

FOR THE SALAD:

1. Begin by placing mixed greens into a large serving bowl or platter.
2. Begin layering ingredients in rows starting with the steak in the middle – then cheese, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms, avocado, corn, bacon, ham etc.
3. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the steak and mushrooms.
4. Drizzle some of the balsamic vinaigrette over the rest of the salad.

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