Steak Pasta Salad – Two Peas & Their Pod

I love making pasta salads, especially during the summer months. A few favorite pasta salad recipes include: Italian pasta salad, easy orzo salad, caprese pasta salad, and BLT pasta salad.

Grilled steak is also perfect for summertime. Everyone loves steak salad, steak tacos, and steak kabobs. They are summer staples.

Well, I decided to make a Steak Pasta Salad that combines the richness of steak with the freshness of pasta and vegetables. This pasta salad is made with grilled steak, charred corn, grilled red peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, salty cotija cheese, and a vibrant cilantro lime vinaigrette. The flavors are phenomenal!

Feel free to customize with your favorite vegetables or add other ingredients like avocado or black beans.

This pasta salad can be served as a main dish for lunch or dinner, and it is also a great recipe to take to parties and potlucks. It’s always a crowd-pleasing dish, your friends and family will LOVE it!

It is also a good recipe for meal prepping because the salad holds up well. Store in the fridge and enjoy leftovers!

Ingredients

• Steak– I recommend using flank steak, but sirloin, tri-tip, hanger, and skirt steak will also work.
• Sweet corn– use corn on the cob. This is a great recipe for summertime when corn is in season.
• Red bell pepper– seeds and stem removed.
• Fusilli pasta– or pasta of your choic!
• Grape tomatoes– halved.
• Cucumber– I like to use English cucumber.
• Red onion– diced.
• Cotija cheese– don’t skip the cheese, it adds SO much flavor! Queso fresco will also work!
• Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette– the dressing is light and flavorful! If you prefer a creamy dressing, you can use Jalapeño Ranch or Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing.
• Cilantro– for garnish!

How to Make Steak Pasta Salad

• Preheat a grill or heat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. If using a grill, lightly oil the grate.
• Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Place the steak on the grill and cook undisturbed for 6 minutes. Flip it once and continue cooking until it reaches your desired level of doneness. For medium-rare, cook the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F.
• Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest while you prepare the rest of the salad.

• Place the corn and red pepper pieces on the hot grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until char marks form. Remove from grill and set aside to cool to room temperature.

• Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place the pasta in a large bowl.

• Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into small cubes. Cut the charred corn off the cobs and chop up the grilled pepper pieces.

• Add the steak, corn, pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cotija cheese to the pasta. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

• Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta salad. Toss well until the salad is well coated. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve.

How to Store

• Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freshen the salad up, toss in a little more dressing or drizzle with a little olive oil or avocado oil.
• You can make the cilantro lime vinaigrette in advance. Store in a jar or container in the fridge for up to one week. Whisk well before using.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

Pasta

Steak Pasta Salad

Steak Pasta Salad made with juicy grilled steak, charred corn, red pepper, tomatoes, crispy cucumbers, salty cotija cheese, and a zesty cilantro lime vinaigrette. Serve as a main dish or take as a side dish to any party or potluck! This pasta salad is always a crowd pleaser!

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• 1 lb flank steak
• 2 ears sweet corn
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, cut into 3-inch-wide pieces
• 8 oz fusilli pasta, or pasta of your choice
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
• Cilantro, for garnish

• Preheat a grill or heat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. If using a grill, lightly oil the grate.

• Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Place the steak on the grill and cook undisturbed for 6 minutes. Flip it once and continue cooking until it reaches your desired level of doneness. For medium-rare, cook the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F.

• Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest while you prepare the rest of the salad.

• Place the corn and red pepper pieces on the hot grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until char marks form. Remove from grill and set aside to cool to room temperature.

• Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place the pasta in a large bowl.

• Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into small cubes. Cut the charred corn off the cobs and chop up the grilled pepper pieces.

• Add the steak, corn, pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cotija cheese to the pasta. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

• Make the cilantro lime vinaigrette and pour desired amount over the pasta salad. Toss well until the salad is well coated. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Calories: 320kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 192mg, Potassium: 581mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 953IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 96mg, Iron: 2mg

Keywords pasta, pasta salad, steak

Have you tried this recipe?

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