Your new favorite summer salad recipe is here! This Grilled Panzanella Salad is a bright and fresh salad that is packed with flavor and topped with steak and a grilled corn and tomato vinaigrette. With so many brilliant flavors competing for your affection, you've gotta give this a try.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Nothing about this salad goes to waste. Salting the tomatoes draws out juice that becomes the base of the vinaigrette, instead of liquid you'd normally drain and toss.
- The bread gets dried, not just toasted. Charring it first, then letting it dry out further on the cool side of the grill, is what keeps panzanella's classic bread from turning mushy once it's dressed.
- Steak pulled early, on purpose. Taking it off at 125ºF accounts for carryover cooking during the rest, landing you at a true rare-to-medium-rare instead of overcooked.
- The vinaigrette is basically a second grilled dish. Grilled corn, reserved tomato liquid, and an immersion blender turn what could be a basic dressing into its own flavor-packed component.
Grilled Steak Panzanella
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 4 users
Category
Beef
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
4
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Calories
808
Love summer salads, but not sure what to make? Say hello to your new favorite: Grilled Panzanella Salad! Packed with flavor and topped with steak, plus a delicious grilled corn and tomato vinaigrette, this salad will definitely get your taste buds doing the tango! Dig in now and experience the summery goodness!
Ingredients
- 2 cups tomatoes, large dice
- 1 cup shallot, sliced thin
-
1 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Black Garlic Sea Salt
- 8 oz ciabatta
- 2 ears corn
- 1 cup baby arugula
- 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
- 1/4 cup basil, chiffonade
- 1 strip steak
-
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-
Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning
-
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp reserved tomato juice (from salting)
- 2 tbsp grilled corn kernels
- 2 tbsp shallot, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed, peeled
-
1 tsp Kozlik’s Triple Crunch Mustard
-
1 tsp Reida Farm Wildflower Honey
-
1 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning
Grilled Corn Vinaigrette
Directions
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 450ºF, set up for direct grilling with GrillGrate grilling panels installed over the fire box and the damper pushed all the way in.
- Combine tomatoes, shallot and black garlic salt in a bowl and toss to coat. Let sit while the salt extracts liquid from the tomatoes. When there is a couple of tablespoons of liquid in the bottom of the bowl, place in a strainer over a bowl to catch the liquid. You will use the liquid in the Grilled Corn Vinaigrette.
- Slice your loaf of ciabatta in half like you’re making a large sandwich. Toast the bread over direct flame, turning when it’s slightly charred, about two minutes per side. Remove from the grill. Dice/tear the bread into bite sized pieces. Place on a baking sheet pan. Place the pan on the far right side of the grill, away from the flame. Bake while grilling the corn and steak, until each piece feels dried out and isn’t squishy anymore, about 10-15 minutes.
- Place your shucked corn on the Grill Grates when you grill the bread. Continue turning the corn and to brown evenly. Remove when you have some char on the kernels and the kernels are softened. Remove from the grill. Slice the corn off of the cob.
- Rub a thin layer of Saica Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil on your strip steak, then season with Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust All Purpose Seasoning. Grill over direct flame, turning to achieve nice grill marks. Remove when the internal temperature reaches 125ºF. Rest for 5 minutes while you assemble the salad.
- Combine all ingredients for the Grilled Corn Vinaigrette in a pint sized mason jar. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes, shallots, grilled corn, feta, basil and arugula. Dice the steak into bite sized pieces, then add to the bowl. Pour the Grilled Corn Vinaigrette over the top and toss to coat.
- This recipe yields four serving of about two cups each.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why salt the tomatoes before adding them to the salad?
Salting draws liquid out of the tomatoes, which both concentrates their flavor and gives you the base for the Grilled Corn Vinaigrette — nothing gets wasted.
Why does the bread need to dry out on the grill?
Fresh, soft bread turns to mush once it's tossed with dressing. Charring it and then letting it dry further on the cool side of the grill mimics stale bread, which is what real panzanella is built on.
What internal temperature should the steak reach?
Pull it at 125ºF for a rare-to-medium-rare finish once carryover cooking during the rest brings it up further. Adjust to your preferred doneness if you like it more done.
Can I make the vinaigrette ahead of time?
Yes — it holds well in the fridge for a couple of days. Just give it a quick re-blend or shake before using since it may separate slightly.
Can I substitute a different steak cut?
Flank, flat iron, or skirt steak all work well in place of strip steak — just adjust grill time for thickness and slice against the grain.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
3 out of 5 — works indoors with adjustments, but the grill is recommended. A stovetop grill pan or broiler can char the bread, corn, and steak, but you'll lose some of the direct-flame char this recipe is built around.
Recipe Highlights
Tomato liquid repurposed into the dressing: Direction Step 2 salts the tomatoes and shallots to draw out liquid, which gets strained and saved specifically for the vinaigrette in Step 6 — nothing about this step is wasted.
Bread dried, not just toasted: Step 3 chars the ciabatta over direct flame, then dries the torn pieces further on the cool side of the grill for 10–15 minutes — that extra drying step is what keeps the salad from turning soggy.
Steak pulled before full doneness: Step 5 removes the strip steak at 125ºF, accounting for the temperature rise that happens during its 5-minute rest.
Vinaigrette built from grilled components: Step 6 blends grilled corn, reserved tomato liquid, and aromatics into the dressing — turning what's usually an afterthought into another genuinely grilled element of the dish.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 5 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 808
- Fat
- 39 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 20 grams
- Cholesterol
- 122 milligrams
- Sodium
- 1308 milligrams
- Carbs
- 68 grams
- Fiber
- 6 grams
- Sugar
- 9 grams
- Protein
- 52 grams
