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Steak Salad With Harissa Potatoes and Crunchy Radishes

4.8

(8)

Steak salad leftovers
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova

The thing that makes this steak salad so great is that it’s equally as delicious served warm for dinner as it is prepped overnight and eaten cold for lunch the next day. The potatoes only get better as they hang out in the harissa vinaigrette, which does double duty as a dressing for the salad. (Harissa pastes vary greatly in their relative spiciness and funkiness, so try a few different brands to figure out which you like best. And remember: when incorporating into dressings, stir it in little by little until it tastes right.) If saving for lunch, the key to unwilted greens is all in the proper layering technique: Pack them on top of the cooled steak and potatoes, and wait until the very last moment to toss or shake it all together. This dish is part of the Bon Appétit Guide to Actually Enjoying Your Lunch at Work. Find more recipes, tips, and tricks here.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 2 single serving lunches

Ingredients

1

lb. baby potatoes

½

cup kosher salt, plus more

10

oz. skirt steak, trimmed

7

Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

6

Tbsp. harissa paste, divided

3

Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2

large handfuls of baby mustard greens, arugula, or spinach

4

radishes, thinly sliced

Flaky sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1

lemon, halved

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with 3 qt. water and ½ cup kosher salt, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, uncovered, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 12–14 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a plate. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, cut steak in half crosswise. Season all over with kosher salt. Transfer steak to a shallow bowl and add 2 Tbsp. oil and 2 Tbsp. harissa. Using tongs, turn to coat. Let steak sit at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours.

    Step 3

    Whisk together vinegar and 3 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 2 Tbsp. harissa. Taste the dressing. If it’s pungent and strong, stop there; if you feel like it could take a bit more heat and flavor, add remaining 2 Tbsp. harissa. Add potatoes to dressing, smashing them lightly with your hands to expose some of the flesh so it can soak up some of the vinaigrette.

    Step 4

    Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Cook steak in a single layer, undisturbed, until well charred, 3–4 minutes. Turn steak and continue to cook until other side is charred, 2–3 minutes longer. Transfer steak to a cutting board. Let rest for a few minutes, then thinly slice against the grain.

    Step 5

    If packing for lunch, divide potatoes and harissa dressing between 2 airtight containers. Layer sliced steak over potatoes. Divide greens and radishes between containers. Season with sea salt and a few cranks of pepper. Nestle 1 lemon wedge into each. Cover and chill until lunchtime.

    Step 6

    Let container sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating so oil loosens up and meat isn’t fridge-cold. Squeeze lemon wedge over, reseal container, and shake to coat everything in dressing. Transfer steak salad to a bowl if desired.

    Step 7

    Do Ahead: Steak salad can be assembled 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

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Reviews (8)

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  • Super good and easy with very affordable ingredients. I used green harissa because its what I had and it worked fine but was maybe on the acidic side. Excited to try it with red as I think the smokiness would round out the flavors a little better.

    • Brook

    • Denver, CO

    • 3/5/2024

  • This was excellent. I didn’t add extra dressing on top once I plated it and it was still great! Threw the skirt steak on the bbq. Quick dish will definitely keep in rotation, thanks!

    • Kittycatcaron

    • Toronto

    • 6/25/2020

  • Really enjoyed this one! I had it slightly warm for dinner and added some onions for an added punch. My plating made it look like a heap of trash, but the flavor popped off.

    • mrbernardini

    • New York, NY

    • 5/14/2020

  • I made this meal last night to meal prep for lunches this week and it was delicious... BUT I wish the recipe didn't say to "toss the potatoes in the dressing" then 2 paragraphs later tell you to reserve the dressing if you're making it for lunch. Since this was featured in the work lunches article I wish this instruction would have been placed earlier in the recipe. Now I have soggy potatoes for lunch... Overall though recipe is delicious and I will definitely make again.

    • rachael.rishworth

    • Toronto, Canada

    • 10/28/2019

  • This is so tasty and simple! I made it to the recipe but I think it would be great with other crunchy vegetables like sugar snap peas or even green bell peppers.

    • Anonymous

    • Toronto

    • 10/16/2019

  • So good! Doubled the recipe and made it for a family dinner. We grilled the steak and also grilled thick slices of red onion at the same time and it was such a good edition! Went a little light on the potatoes and a little heavy on the greens, but it was still really hardy and filling. Certainly going to become a regular rotation in our meal plans from now on!

    • Anonymous

    • 10/16/2019

  • Sub chicken for steak (fish might work too, although maybe not for traveling and shaking the next day). Didn't use quite that much salt in boiling the taters (and didn't use Kosher salt, because boiling salted water, so seemed regular salt was OK). To really make sure the potatoes soak up dressing, smash & toss while they are as warm/hot as you can handle.

    • Dan from CT

    • 10/9/2019