I love a crisp fresh salad. And as we are in the HOT months of the summer season, salad has been on my mind. I know people have a lot of mixed feelings about salad, trust me, I have had my fair share of bland flavorless salads, but salad doesn’t have to be that way. There are so many fun ways to enjoy a salad, like this Bacon and Brussel Sprout Salad, but what better way to enjoy a salad than with steak!? This healthy steak salad is the perfect summer recipe. This AIP and Paleo Steak Salad combines tropical flavors with hearty steak making it a fresh and filling meal and a delicious AIP salad recipe.
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So what makes salad better? Steak on the salad of course. This AIP salad recipe pulls its inspiration from the fun tropical flavors of Central America and combines beef fajita steak with plantains, fresh greens and veggies, and zesty lime. It’s all topped with avocado and a delicious mango salsa to and a little pop of sweet. And the best thing about this salad is that you can make this gourmet paleo steak salad in about 20 minutes. Trust me, this healthy steak salad will be your go to dinner recipe during these summer months!
Tips and Tricks for Making this AIP Salad Recipe
Can I use a green plantain in this Paleo Steak Salad?
I prefer the flavor of a ripe yellow plantain, but you can use either a green plantain or a yellow plantain in this AIP salad recipe. Yellow plantains are sweet while green plantains are savory. So it really depends on your personal preference. I really like the sweet flavor of using a yellow plantain in this recipe, but it also tastes pretty good with the saltier flavor of a green plantain. Either works for this healthy steak salad recipe.
Can I make this Healthy Steak Salad ahead of time?
You can make this healthy steak salad beforehand and serve it later. If you plan on doing this, wait to add the lime juice and oil to the salad. keep the salad, plantain, beef, salsa, and avocado separate. When ready to serve, reheat the plantains and beef and add the olive oil and lime juice and toss the salad. Divide the salad and top with the ingredients and serve. To ensure everything stays fresh don’t prep this paleo steak salad more than a day ahead of time.
Tips to making the best plantains and beef fajitas for this AIP salad recipe
My number one secret to making the best fajitas or plantains is using lots of oil and a cast iron skillet. I LOVE my cast iron skillet. It is one of the best kitchen tools I have ever owned. They are naturally nonstick and they get better the more you use them. You can get a good quality cast iron skillet for a really reasonable price. Lodge cast iron skillets are my favorite. This 10 inch skillet is my go to skillet in the kitchen.
Lets make this Healthy Paleo Steak Salad!
Start by heating a skillet and cooking the meat as directed in the Beef Fajitas recipe.
While the meat is cooking, peel and cut your plantain so that it is ready to cook when the meat is done. When the meat is finished, remove the meat from the skillet and add some oil to the skillet. Add the plantains and a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stiffing occasionally to avoid burning. Plantains will be done when they reach a golden brown color. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool.
While the plantains and meat cook you can start to prep your salad ingredients. Start chopping and measuring out the lettuce and rest of the veggies for the salad: radishes, cucumbers, onion, and cilantro. Add all the ingredients to a large salad bowl and toss.
Add the lime juice, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad ingredients until everything is well coated.
Finally make the mango salsa by peeling and chopping the mango into small bite sized pieces. Add it to a small bowl and add in the chopped onion and cilantro. Squeeze the lime over the mango and add a pinch of salt. Mix the salsa and set aside.
To assemble the salad, take two plates and split the salad greens between the two plates. Top each salad with half of the plantains, fajita meat, avocado, and mango salsa.
Serve with extra lime and enjoy. This salad is best when eaten immediately, but if you keep the salad, meat, and mango separate it can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two days.
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Healthy AIP & Paleo Steak Salad
Ingredients
Salad Toppings
- 1 Recipe Beef Fajitas (Recipe link in notes)
- 1 Medium Avocado
Cooked Plantain
- 1 Yellow plantain
- Olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Tropical Salad
- 3 Cups Romain Lettuce
- ½ Cup Radishes chopped about 2 large
- ½ Cup Cucumbers chopped
- ¼ Cup Cilantro chopped
- ¼ Red Onion
- ½ Lime for juice
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- ¼ Teaspoon Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Mango salsa
- ½ Cup Mango diced
- ¼ Lime for juice
- 1 Tablespoon Cilantro chopped
- ⅛ Red Onion
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Beef Fajita Steak
- Start by heating a skillet and cooking the meat as directed in the Beef Fajitas recipe.
Cooked Plantain
- While the meat is cooking, peel and cut your plantain so that it is ready to cook when the meat is done. When the meat is finished, remove the meat from the skillet and add some oil to the skillet. Add the plantains and a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stiffing occasionally to avoid burning. Plantains will be done when they reach a golden brown color. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool.
Tropical Salad
- While the plantains and meat cook you can start to prep your salad ingredients. Start chopping and measuring out the lettuce and rest of the veggies for the salad: radishes, cucumbers, onion, and cilantro. Add all the ingredients to a large salad bowl and toss.
- Add the lime juice, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad ingredients until everything is well coated.
Mango Salsa
- Finally make the mango salsa by peeling and chopping the mango into small bite sized pieces. Add it to a small bowl and add in the chopped onion and cilantro. Squeeze the lime over the mango and add a pinch of salt. Mix the salsa and set aside.
Serving the Salad
- To assemble the salad, take two plates and split the salad greens between the two plates. Top each salad with half of the plantains, fajita meat, avocado, and mango salsa.
- Serve with extra lime slices and enjoy. This salad is best when eaten immediately, but if you keep the salad, meat, and mango separate it can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two days.
