Grilled Carne Asada Little Gem Steak Salad
Grilled Carne Asada Little Gem Steak Salad
New York strip, Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning, grilled avocado, little gem, this is a steak salad that doesn’t ask you to compromise.
A salad that starts on the grate, the way most of our grilling recipes do.
Most steak salads are a plate of greens with beef thrown on top. This one builds from a grilled foundation: seasoned strip steaks with real char and grill marks, avocado halves pressed cut-side down until the flesh softens and picks up smoke, everything assembled over crisp little gem with cherry tomatoes and crumbled queso fresco.
Carne Asada Seasoning from Spanglish Asadero supplies the flavor here. It’s built around citrus, chili, and garlic, the same profile you’d spend 30 minutes constructing in a marinade, and it goes on in seconds. Season the steaks, brush a little on the avocados, use a final pinch over the dressed salad. No overnight soak. No separate marinade step.
Timing is 35 minutes total: 15 to prep, 20 to grill. The steaks go 4–5 minutes per side to medium-rare (135°F internal), then rest 5–10 minutes before you slice against the grain. That rest is non-negotiable, skip it and the juice runs out on the cutting board instead of staying in the beef.
Grilled avocado changes things. Three to four minutes cut-side down and the flesh gets slightly charred and smoky in a way cold avocado never does. It holds its structure under the steak instead of turning soft and slick. The slight bitterness from the char is part of the dish, don’t skip that step.
The dressing is olive oil and red wine vinegar, two tablespoons and one tablespoon. That’s it. The Carne Asada Seasoning and queso fresco carry the seasoning; the dressing just ties it together. Simple by design.
This serves four and scales clean. Double the steaks for a bigger group; the salad base comes together fast once the grill work is done. Store the steak separate from the salad, dressed greens don’t keep, the beef does.
Flavor First.
CARNE ASADA LITTLE GEM STEAK SALAD
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat New York strip steaks dry with paper towels. Rub with 1 tbsp olive oil and season generously on all sides with Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning. Let steaks sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Halve avocados and remove pits, leaving skin on. Brush cut sides lightly with olive oil and season openings with Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning.
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Place avocados cut-side down on the grill. Grill 3–4 minutes until grill marks form and flesh is slightly charred. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Place seasoned steaks on the hot grill. Grill 4–5 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature 135°F), or to desired doneness.
- Remove steaks from grill and rest 5–10 minutes before slicing.
- While steaks rest, peel cooled avocados and dice into bite-size pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced little gem or romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, and crumbled queso fresco.
- Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with a light pinch of Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning. Toss gently to coat evenly.
- Divide salad among serving plates.
- Thinly slice rested steaks against the grain.
- Top each salad with sliced steak.
- Serve immediately.!
Nutrition
Notes
- Season the avocados, not just the steaks — Brush the cut sides with olive oil and hit them with Spanglish Asadero before they go on the grill. The seasoning chars slightly and adds a layer the plain olive oil version won’t give you.
- Pat the steak dry before seasoning — Surface moisture creates steam on contact heat, which kills the crust. Paper towels, then seasoning, then the grill.
- Preheat the grill to 400°F before anything goes on — A cold or underpowered grill steams instead of sears. You want direct contact heat and grill marks. Medium-high, lid closed while it heats.
- Rest the steaks 5–10 minutes before slicing — The juice redistributes during the rest. Cut too early and it runs out on the board. Tent loosely with foil to keep the exterior warm while you build the salad.
- Slice against the grain — Find the direction of the muscle fibers and cut perpendicular. New York strip has relatively short fibers, but slicing with the grain still makes the meat noticeably tougher.
- Dress the salad right before plating — Lettuce wilts fast once oil and vinegar hit it. Toss and serve immediately; don’t let it sit assembled.
- This is already a complete plate — protein, greens, fat from the avocado, acid from the dressing. If you want to extend it, warm corn tortillas on the side turn it into a hybrid: salad on the plate, tortilla for wrapping bites.
- For a summer cookout spread, add lime-dressed black beans and charred corn alongside. The Carne Asada Seasoning bridges all three without flavor conflict.
- Finish with fresh cilantro, a few slices of white onion, and a hard squeeze of lime right before serving. The lime lifts the avocado and cuts through the queso fresco — don’t skip it.
- Store the steak and salad components separately. Dressed greens wilt within hours; the beef keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the steak in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth — about 2 minutes per side is enough to warm through without overcooking. Microwave works too, covered on medium power. High heat fades the seasoning and dries out the beef.
- Rebuild the salad fresh: new lettuce, cherry tomatoes, freshly sliced avocado. The dressed components don’t hold.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of steak?
Skirt steak or flank steak are traditional carne asada cuts and work well here, thinner, faster cook time (2–3 minutes per side), and a texture that soaks up the seasoning. Adjust cook time down and use the same internal temperature targets.
What doneness works best for a steak salad?
Medium-rare (135°F) holds up best. The beef stays tender when sliced thin and doesn’t tighten up as much under the dressing. Medium (145°F) works too, pull it a degree or two early and let carryover heat finish the job.
Can I grill the avocados ahead of time?
Yes, grill them up to an hour before serving and hold at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate after grilling; the cold kills the texture. Peel and dice when you’re ready to build the salad.
Can I use a different seasoning if I don’t have Spanglish Asadero Carne Asada Seasoning?
Yes, the substitution is in the ingredients list: 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp oregano, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and a squeeze of fresh lime. It replicates the core flavor profile. Spanglish Asadero is worth tracking down for this one, though.
Can I cook this on a stovetop grill pan?
Yes, a cast iron grill pan over high heat gives you similar char and grill marks. Get the pan very hot before the steak goes on, ventilate the kitchen, and use the same internal temperature targets. Cook times are similar to an outdoor grill.
Can I cook the steak from frozen?
Thaw completely before cooking. Frozen beef cooks unevenly, the outside overcooks before the center reaches temperature. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or under cold running water for 30–60 minutes if you’re pressed for time.
More like this: Steak & Beef Recipes · Summer Grilling Recipes · Kinder’s Recipes
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