Winter Steak Salad with Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate
Winter Steak Salad is a warm, hearty salad of seared steak, sautéed Brussels sprouts, carrot ribbons, and red pepper over peppery arugula, topped with pomegranate seeds, toasted lime peanuts, and a sweet chili soy dressing.
Most salads feel like a side dish in December, but this one eats like dinner. The peanuts, steak, and vegetables all cook in the same pan one after another, so there’s only one skillet to wash, and hands-on time is about 15 minutes of slicing and chopping. The warm vegetables wilt the arugula just a little, and the pomegranate seeds pop with tart juice against the salty dressing.
For more main-dish salad recipes, be sure to also try my Chicken Chopped Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing, Big Mac In A Bowl, or Italian Grinder Salad.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Winter Steak Salad with Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate:
Ingredient Notes
Round Steak: I use round steak because it’s lean and budget-friendly. It’s at its best cooked to medium-rare and sliced thin, since it can turn chewy if it’s cooked past medium.
Soy Sauce: I like San-J Organic Tamari with 25% less sodium. It’s made with just water, organic soybeans, and salt, and it’s gluten free and Non-GMO Project verified.
Brussels Sprouts: I buy them whole and chop them myself, but a bag of pre-shredded Brussels sprouts saves a few minutes and cooks just as fast.
Pomegranate Seeds: A cup of the seeds already out of the fruit is so much easier than seeding one yourself. You’ll find them in the produce section near the berries.
Sweet Chili Sauce: The Thai-style sweet chili sauce in the Asian aisle is more sweet than spicy. It balances the salty soy sauce in the dressing.
Recipe Variations
Chicken Instead: Swap the steak for ½ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast and cook it 5 to 6 minutes per side, until it reaches 165°F.
Add Shrimp: Sear ½ pound peeled shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side in place of the steak.
Cashew Crunch: Toast ½ cup cashews instead of the peanuts.
Make It Spicy: Whisk 1 teaspoon sriracha into the dressing.
Add a Grain: Toss in 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice with the vegetables to make it even more filling.
How To Make Winter Steak Salad with Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate: Step by Step
Here are quick visual instructions. Be sure to check out the full instructions with exact ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Toast the peanuts, then toss them with oil, salt, and lime zest.
Step 2: Sear the steak and let it rest.
Step 3: Sauté the Brussels sprouts, carrot, and red pepper.
Step 4: Toss the warm vegetables with the arugula.
Step 5: Top the salad with the sliced steak.
Step 6: Finish with pomegranate seeds, peanuts, and the dressing.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Keep the peanuts moving in the pan. They go from golden to burnt quickly once they start to brown.
Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. The juices settle back into the meat instead of running all over the cutting board.
Slice the steak thin and against the grain. Look for the lines running through the meat and cut across them so every piece is tender.
Chop the Brussels sprouts thin so they soften in 3 minutes but still have some crunch.
Add the dressing right before serving. Arugula wilts fast once it’s dressed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Sirloin or flank steak both work well. Flank is thinner, so I'd check it after 2 minutes per side, and always slice it against the grain.
Not really. Sweet chili sauce is mostly sweet with just a little heat, and the ginger and garlic add more warmth than spice.
Yes. Double everything and sear the steak in two batches. A crowded pan steams the meat instead of browning it.
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Winter Steak Salad with Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate
Ingredients
For the lime peanuts
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Zest of 1/2 lime
- Pinch of salt
For the steak
- 1/2 pound round steak
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
For the salad
- 2 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts thinly chopped
- 1 medium carrot peeled into ribbons
- 1/2 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 2 cups arugula
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
For the sweet chili dressing
- 1 garlic clove finely grated
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- Juice of 1/2 lime
Instructions
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and toast the peanuts, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lime zest, and a pinch of salt, then move them to a plate.
- Pat the steak dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet and sear the steak for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Move it to a cutting board to rest.
- Add the Brussels sprouts to the hot skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the carrot ribbons and red pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, just until they soften slightly.
- While the vegetables cook, grate the garlic into a small bowl and stir in the ginger. Whisk in the soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and lime juice.
- Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain.
- Toss the warm vegetables and the arugula together in a large bowl, then spread them out on a serving platter.
- Lay the steak slices over the top and scatter the pomegranate seeds and lime peanuts over everything.
- Drizzle with the dressing and serve right away.
Notes
The nutritional details for recipes are estimated using MyFitnessPal and can vary with different products, measurement accuracy, and source reliability. We aim to provide accurate information but cannot guarantee the precise accuracy of the nutritional data