Steak Niçoise Salad is one of our favorite meals to serve guests. This hearty steak salad combines perfectly cooked tri-tip, tender potatoes, crisp green beans, ripe tomatoes, olives, and a bright nut-lime vinaigrette. It’s ideal for entertaining because you can prep almost everything ahead of time. When your guests arrive, you only need to cook the steak, so you can spend more time around the table and less time in the kitchen.
Why This is My Favorite Salad for Entertaining
- Guests can naturally customize their plates. Some may choose more steak and potatoes, while others prefer extra vegetables. The variety makes it easy to satisfy different tastes and appetites.
- It comes together quickly. If you’re coming home from church, a sporting event, or another activity before guests arrive, prepare the potatoes, green beans, vinaigrette, and dry rub ahead of time. Then all that’s left is cooking the steak and serving dinner.
- It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. That makes it a great option when serving guests with some of the most common dietary restrictions.
- You can prepare the potatoes, green beans, vinaigrette, and dry rub the day before. Then, when your guests arrive, you can focus on cooking the steak and enjoying the evening instead of rushing around the kitchen.
When I entertain, I want to spend my time around the table with my guests, not stuck in the kitchen. This salad helps me do exactly that.
The complete ingredient list and printable recipe card are included below. Here’s how I like to prepare each component for the best results when entertaining.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make the Best Steak Salad
Measure and mix all the seasonings for the dry rub and keep in a small bowl. Cross hatch the fat cap of a two pound tri-tip and rub with seasoning. This can be done immediately before cooking or a day ahead of time. If doing this ahead of time be sure to set the meat on the counter 1 hour before you want to start cooking.
For the green beans, bring 1 quart of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil. Cook green beans 3 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Remove the beans from the pot and submerge them in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Beans can be made a day in advance and can be kept in the fridge until ready to use.
Pro-tip: if you remove the green beans from the boiling water with tongs or a spider you can use the same water to boil the potatoes.
Wash and place potatoes in a small pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer at a low boil until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool. Store in the refrigerator if you are making a day in advance. Just before assembling the salad, lightly coat the potatoes with olive or nut oil and slice in half.
Measure all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar, shake vigorously and either store in the fridge or set aside if using in the next few hours.
One hour prior to guest arrival place steak on the counter to bring to room temperature. If you haven’t already, cross-hatch the fat cap and wait to season just before searing. If the tri-tip doesn’t have a fat cap, skip this step.
Remove the potatoes, green beans and nut-lime vinaigrette from the refrigerator to bring those items to room temperature. Assemble the salad ingredients on a large platter—everything except the steak. Put the dressing in a bowl with a spoon so it’s ready to serve.
Sear and Roast the Tri-Tip
Plan to start cooking the tri-tip about 30 minutes before you want to serve the salad. This allows time for both cooking and resting.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. While the oven heats, place an oven-safe skillet over medium heat until very hot. On a gas stove, this may take about 1 minute; on an electric stove, it may take closer to 5 minutes.
Pro Tip: To test if the pan is hot enough, sprinkle in about ½ teaspoon of water. If the water forms a bead and glides around the pan (sometimes called the mercury ball stage), it’s ready for searing.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil and place the tri-tip in the pan, fat cap side down. Sear for about 7 minutes, or until the fat cap is deeply browned. When the fat cap is deeply browned, it becomes crisp and almost bacon-like. Flip the tri-tip and transfer the pan to the oven. As a starting point, cook for about 10 minutes per pound, then check the internal temperature.
What temperature should I cook my steak?
120 – 125 degrees for rare
130 – 135 degrees for medium rare
140 – 145 degrees for medium
150 – 155 degrees for well
Note: while steak rests it will come up about another 5 degrees in temperature. So, you want to remove the steak from heat about 5 degrees earlier than the desired end result.
How to Check the Temperature and Let the Steak Rest
I recommend using a digital meat thermometer to check for doneness. Because of the unique shape of a tri-tip, you’ll often find a range of temperatures from one end of the roast to the other. That’s actually an advantage when serving guests. Those who prefer medium-rare can choose slices from one area, while others who like their steak more done can choose another.
Once the steak reaches your desired temperature, transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. For this salad, resting it for 15 to 20 minutes works even better since the steak is served warm or at room temperature.
Add sliced steak to the salad platter or separate serving dish. I instruct the guests to help themselves and that the nut-vinaigrette can be drizzled over everything (not just the lettuce).
What is a good substitute for Tri-Tip
Tri-tip is a popular cut of meat California. If you can’t find tri-tip in your area, you could substitute a top sirloin cap, also known as rump cap, culotte or picanha (popular in Brazil and gaining popularity in the states).
If a top sirloin cap also proves to be difficult to find, I would use any steak that you can sear to medium rare in a pan or broil in an oven like flat iron steak, flank steak, strip steak, or rib eye.
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Ingredients
For the Dry Rub and Tri-Tip
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper coarsely ground
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic granulated
- 1/8 teaspoon thyme dried
- 2 pounds tri-tip
For the Green Beans
- 12 ounces green beans trimmed
- 2 tablespoons salt kosher
For Potatoes
- 12 ounces red potatoes baby or new, about one store bag
- 2 tablespoons salt kosher
- 1 bowl ice water for shocking the beans
For the Nut-Lime Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup lime juice about 5 limes
- 1/4 cup nut butter of choice (peanut, almond, or cashew butter)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup oil of choice (peanut, pistachio, macadamia nut or a mix with another neutral oil like avocado)
For the Salad
- 5 ounces mixed greens about one store-bought container
- 1 large heirloom tomato sliced in wedges
- 1/3 cup olives nicoise or kalmata, quartered
Instructions
For the Dry Rub and Tri-Tip
- Measure and mix 2 tsp seasoned salt, 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic granules, 1/8 tsp dried thyme into a small dish and set aside.
- Cross hatch the fat cap of a two pound tri-tip and rub with seasoning. This can be done immediately before cooking or a day ahead of time. If doing this ahead of time be sure to set the meat on the counter 1 hour before you want to start cooking it.
For the Green Beans
- Bring 2 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a boil. Blanch green beans 3 minutes until bright green and slightly tender.
- Remove beans from boiling water and submerge beans in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. The beans can be made a day in advance and can be kept in the fridge until ready to use.
For the Potatoes
- Wash and place potatoes in a small pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer at a low boil, about 10 to 12 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes, until potatoes are tender.
- Drain and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Store in the refrigerator if you are making a day in advance. Just before assembling the salad, lightly coat potato with an oil of choice and slice in half.
For the Nut-Lime Vinaigrette
- Measure all the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar.
- Shake vigorously. Either store in the fridge or set aside if using in the next few hours.
For the Salad
- One hour prior to guest arrival place steak on the counter to bring to room temperature. If you haven’t already, cross-hatch the fat cap and wait to season just before searing. If the tri-tip doesn’t have a fat cap, skip this step.
- Remove the potatoes, green beans and nut-lime vinaigrette from the refrigerator to bring those items to room temperature.
- Assemble the salad ingredients on a large platter—everything except the steak. Put the dressing in a bowl with a spoon so it’s ready to serve.
- Determine when to start cooking the tri-tip by the serving time. The cooking and resting time can take as much as 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat an oven proof pan over medium heat until extremely hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and place the tri-tip fat cap side down. Sear for 7 minutes, check to see if the fat cap is nicely brown. When it is nice and brown it tastes like bacon. Flip the tri-tip and place in the oven for about 10 minutes per pound to start.
- When the steak is at the desired temperature, remove the steak to a cutting board to rest for at least 10 minutes. Resting 15 to 20 minutes would actually work better for this application since this salad is served lightly warm or room temperature. Add sliced steak to the salad platter or separate serving dish. Instruct your guests that the nut vinaigrette can be drizzled over all the components not only the lettuce.
Notes
If you remove the green beans from the boiling water with tongs or sieve you can use the same water to boil the potatoes. What temperature should I cook my steak? 120 – 125 degrees for rare
130 – 135 degrees for medium rare
140 – 145 degrees for medium
150 – 155 degrees for well While steak rests it will come up about another 5 degrees in temperature. So, you want to remove the steak from heat about 5 degrees earlier than the desired end result. Tri-tip is popular in California. If you can’t find tri-tip, you could substitute a top sirloin cap, also known as rump cap, culotte or picanha (popular in Brazil and gaining popularity in the states).
Looks so inviting. I think I can taste it right through the screen.
You always say the nicest things. Thank you for your support.
xoxo,
Michele