Steakhouse Steak Salad with Caramelized Onions, Balsamic Mushrooms, and Blue Cheese

This steakhouse steak salad is hearty, satisfying, and packed with bold flavors that make it feel like a complete meal rather than a side. Tender slices of steak are served over crisp romaine and topped with caramelized red onions, savory balsamic sautéed mushrooms, juicy cherry tomatoes, and tangy blue cheese, all finished with a lighter Dijon balsamic dressing that doesn’t overpower the salad. It’s the kind of salad you’d expect at a steakhouse, but easy enough to make at home, and below I’m sharing exactly what I used.

Ingredients

Steak Salad

• 1½–2 lb steak (New York strip, ribeye, or sirloin)

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil, for cooking steak

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 2 large hearts romaine lettuce, chopped (about 6–7 cups)

• 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• ½ cup blue cheese crumbles

Caramelized Red Onions

• 2 large red onions, thinly sliced

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Balsamic Sautéed Mushrooms

• 1 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Dijon Balsamic Dressing (lighter version)

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon honey, to taste

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

How to Make Steakhouse Steak Salad

1. Cook the steak

Season steak generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook to desired doneness (about 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness). Let rest 5–10 minutes, then slice against the grain.

2. Caramelize the onions

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until soft and deeply golden. (It will look like a lot of onions at first — they cook down significantly.)

3. Make the balsamic mushrooms

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms in an even layer and cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes. Stir and cook another 4–5 minutes until browned. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds, then drizzle in balsamic vinegar, season, and cook 1–2 minutes until glossy.

4. Make the Dijon balsamic dressing

Whisk balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.

5. Assemble the salad

Add romaine to a large bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes, sliced steak, caramelized onions, balsamic mushrooms, and blue cheese. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Nutrition Information (approximate, per serving)

• Calories: ~590

• Protein: ~38 g

• Fat: ~44 g

• Carbohydrates: ~16 g

• Fiber: ~4 g

• Sugar: ~4 g

What I Used

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Balsamic Vinegar

• Dijon Mustard

• Organic Raw Unfiltered Honey

Affiliate Disclosure

This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through one of my links, it’s at no extra cost to you, and it helps support SaladMood so I can continue sharing simple, nourishing recipes. Thank you so much for your support 🤍