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If you sometimes loathe those frilly restaurant salads that border on rabbit food, this belly-filling, hearty sweet potato and steak salad with Carolina mustard vinaigrette is about to be your new favorite! This salad couldn’t be a more hearty, delicious, and satisfying addition to your meal–or as a main course all on its own.
If you love fresh, colorful salads, you won’t want to miss my recipes for Jamie Oliver’s mothership salad and this copycat Zoe’s Greek salad dressing for the perfect Mediterranean touch.
Introduction
This Sweet Potato & Steak Salad with Carolina Mustard Vinaigrette is a quick, hearty main dish that delivers bold flavor with minimal prep—perfect for nights when you forget to marinate the steak. Roasted sweet potatoes, grilled filet, ripe figs, red onion, and cave-aged Roquefort come together in a colorful, satisfying salad that tastes like the first signs of autumn.
What truly makes this salad is the sweet and tangy Carolina mustard vinaigrette. It makes every bite exciting! Plus, this flavor and protein-packed salad is ready in under an hour, so you’ll want to keep it on repeat.
Ingredients
Wondering what you need to make this hearty sweet potato and steak salad with carolina mustard vinaigrette? Fortunately, there are just a few key ingredients to tell you about before you get started!
- Figs: This seasonal fruit is typically available in August and September. They add a staggering amount of flavor to just about every dish!
- Roquefort Cheese: I highly recommend using a high-quality brand, which is why I lean toward the imported French variety called Société Roquefort, which is available in the US at most grocers. Bleu cheese works as well.
- Steak: I use 1 to 2 small prime beef tenderloin filets and grill them medium-rare. This can be done outside on your grill, but because this is a “come together quick” kind of meal, I find simply heating an indoor grill pan more convenient.
- Sweet Potatoes: Simple roasted sweet potatoes tossed with oil, salt, and pepper are the perfect colorful and healthy addition to this salad.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Sweet Potato & Steak Salad with Carolina Mustard Vinaigrette
- Make the dressing. Blend all the dressing ingredients together with an immersion blender until they’re smooth and emulsified.
- Roast sweet potatoes. Drizzle sliced sweet potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roast them at 425°F for 12-15 minutes.
- Cook the steak. Rub the steak with oil, salt, and pepper, then let it stand for 10 minutes. Heat up a grill pan, then grease it and cook the steak for 6-7 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let it rest for 10 minutes tented with foil, then thinly slice across the grain.
- Assemble the salad. Toss the greens with a little of the dressing, then divide them among the plates and layer the remaining salad ingredients on top. Serve with extra dressing on the side, and enjoy it with a glass of red or mulled wine!
Recipe FAQs
Fortunately, this salad doesn’t require a steak marinade, so it’s perfect for preparing on short notice! All you need to do is start with good-quality meat, let it come to room temperature, and rub it with salt and pepper and let it stand for 10 minutes before cooking. You’ll be good to go!
I like to add hearty vegetables, like roasted sweet potatoes, and sometimes a touch of fruit, like these fresh seasonal figs. A bit of color and zip from red onion, creaminess from the Roquefort, and lots of big-time flavor from the Carolina mustard dressing brings a lot to the plate!
This dressing couldn’t be simpler to make! All you need is an immersion blender (or a hand mixer or blender if you don’t have one) to whip all the dressing ingredients to a frappé-like consistency.
Serving Sweet Potato & Steak Salad
There is nothing mundane about Carolina mustard dressing. (You already know this if you are a fan of Carolina barbecue!) I serve the BBQ version of this dressing in my Sweet and Tangy Carolina BBQ Sauce–seriously, it’s not to be missed!
I recommend serving this along with my Creamy Sweet Potato and Muenster Gratin to give your meal an extra touch of cheese. All you need beyond this is a cold soul train cocktail, a simple Manhattan cocktail, or this iced apricot bourbon fizz! Or, for an autumn twist, serve with an old vine Zinfandel or other red mulled or spiced wine.
Expert Tips
- The easiest way to build this salad is to layer the ingredients over the mixed greens.
- Make every bite flavorful by lightly dressing your greens before plating. It makes layering the remaining salad ingredients quick and easy. This way, your final product will not be weighed down with heavy dressing.
- In order to properly emulsify this Carolina mustard dressing, I use my immersion hand blender or my Bullet. This dressing is whipped and nearly frappe-esque which is exactly the consistency I am seeking.
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Sweet Potato & Steak Salad with Carolina Mustard Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Ingredients for Carolina Mustard Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted honey or regular honey
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon quality Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Steak Salad
- 1 pound sweet potatoes, about 2 large potatoes; peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 ½ pounds beef filet or flank steak, USDA prime or choice
- 5-6 cups fresh Mesclun greens
- 8-10 fresh ripe brown turkey figs, sliced in half lengthwise
- ¾ cup red onion, thinly shaved
- ¾-1 cup Roquefort or Bleu cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Prepare the Carolina Mustard Vinaigrette
- Using an immersion blender, blend together the olive oil, honey, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, and salt until the mixture is smooth and the oil is emulsified. Set aside.
Prepare the Salad
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place sweet potato slices on a large rimmed baking sheet that's been lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread potatoes in a single layer.
- Bake the potatoes until they're lightly browned and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, brush the steak with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and rub with 1 teaspoon of the salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper; let stand 10 minutes. Heat a grill pan over medium-high; brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Cook steak 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium-rare, or to desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan, and let stand 10 minutes tented with foil. Cut steak across the grain into thin slices.
Plating the Salad
- In a large bowl, toss the Mesclun greens with 2 tablespoons of the dressing. I do this using my hands so I am sure all leaves are lightly and evenly coated.
- Divide the dressed Mesclun among 4 serving plates. Top with the roasted sweet potatoes, thin slices of steak, figs, red onion, and finally, the crumbled Roquefort cheese. Serve with the remaining Carolina mustard dressing alongside.
- Serve with an old vine Zinfandel or other red mulled or spiced wine.
Notes
- The easiest way to build this salad is to layer the ingredients over the mixed greens.
- Make every bite full of flavor by lightly dressing your greens before plating. This way, your final product will not be weighed down with heavy dressing.
- In order to properly emulsify this Carolina mustard dressing, I use my immersion hand blender or my Bullet. This dressing is whipped and nearly frappe-esque, which is exactly the consistency I am seeking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
this looks amazing. It feels elegant too. My husband will love this. Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday.
Michele, this is as elegant or as humble as you prepare it. I love this because it’s HEARTY. I never push away hungry after this one. If you try it, please let me know how you enjoy it! x – Jenny