Colombian Grilled Beef Salad with Avocado and Mint

About This Recipe

This salad leans on a very Colombian habit: grilling a simple cut of beef hot and fast, then slicing it over crisp vegetables instead of building a heavy sauce. Cattle country in Antioquia and the Llanos built a tradition around grilled meats served with fresh salsas and produce rather than long-cooked stews, and this bowl channels that logic into a fast weeknight format. The technique that matters most is the sear: a screaming-hot pan gives the steak a real crust in under three minutes a side, and resting it properly before slicing keeps every strip juicy instead of dry. Tossing the warm meat directly over the greens lets the resting juices double as a dressing. This is a home-kitchen riff rather than a restaurant plate — the kind of thing a Colombian family throws together from a leftover cut of steak, a ripe avocado and whatever herbs are on the counter.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gflank steak or beef strips
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 2ripe tomatoes(diced)
• 1avocado(sliced)
• 0.25red onion(thinly sliced)
• 0.5 cupfresh mint leaves(torn)
• 0.5 cupcilantro leaves
• 2limes(juiced)
• 4 cupsromaine or mixed greens
• 1corn on the cob(grilled and cut off the cob, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the beef

   Toss the steak with garlic, cumin, half the salt and pepper. Let sit 15 minutes at room temperature while you prep the vegetables.

2. 2

   Sear hot and fast

   Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat until just smoking. Sear the steak 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare, then rest 5 minutes before slicing thin against the grain.

3. 3

   Build the salad base

   In a large bowl, toss the greens, tomatoes, red onion and grilled corn with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt.

4. 4

   Add the beef

   Fan the sliced steak over the salad while it's still warm so the juices season the greens underneath.

5. 5

   Finish fresh

   Scatter avocado, mint and cilantro over the top. Finish with the remaining lime juice.

   Dress right before serving or the avocado browns and greens wilt.

Variations

• •

  Swap the beef for grilled chicken thighs for a lighter version.

• •

  Add crumbled queso fresco for a creamier, saltier finish.

• •

  Use arugula instead of romaine for a peppery bite that stands up to the lime dressing.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Store sliced beef separately from greens and avocado for up to 2 days; assemble just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions