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Steak & Caramelized Onions with Arugula and Pasta

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Grilled steak, arugula and pasta salad is topped with sweet balsamic caramelized onions and fresh shaved Parmesan. I’m a sucker for a good steak salad, and this one is AWESOME!

Grilled steak, arugula and pasta salad is topped with sweet balsamic caramelized onions and fresh shaved Parmesan. I'm a sucker for a good steak salad, and this one is AWESOME!Steak & Caramelized Onions with Arugula and Pasta

A few of my favorite grilled meat salads are Grilled Balsamic Steak with Tomatoes and Arugula, Blackened Chicken Fiesta Salad, and Cheeseburger Salad.

This was made with lean sirloin, cooked on a grill pan, outdoor grill, or in a large skillet. The gluten-free quinoa pasta was from Tru Roots, it cooks al dente and tastes just like regular pasta. I was very impressed! If you prefer, make this with whole wheat pasta instead.

Grilled steak, arugula and pasta salad is topped with sweet balsamic caramelized onions and fresh shaved Parmesan. I'm a sucker for a good steak salad, and this one is AWESOME!
Grilled steak, arugula and pasta salad is topped with sweet balsamic caramelized onions and fresh shaved Parmesan. I'm a sucker for a good steak salad, and this one is AWESOME!
Grilled steak, arugula and pasta salad is topped with sweet balsamic caramelized onions and fresh shaved Parmesan. I'm a sucker for a good steak salad, and this one is AWESOME!
Skinnytaste High Protein cookbook protein

Steak & Caramelized Onions with Arugula and Penne

5 from 16 votes
5
Cals:384
Protein:30
Carbs:29.5
Fat:15
Fiber:3
Grilled steak, arugula and pasta salad is topped with sweet balsamic caramelized onions and fresh shaved Parmesan. I'm a sucker for a good steak salad, and this one is AWESOME!
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Grilled steak, arugula and pasta salad is topped with sweet balsamic caramelized onions and fresh shaved Parmesan. I'm a sucker for a good steak salad, and this one is AWESOME!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Serving Size: 1 -1/2 cups salad, 3 oz steak

Ingredients

  • 1 lb top sirloin
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz penne pasta, I used Tru Roots GF penne w/ quinoa, amaranth & brown rice
  • 3 oz baby arugula
  • 4 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp golden balsamic
  • 1/2 oz shaved Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

For the Caramelized onions:

  • 1/2 medium red onion
  • 1 large white onion
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp kosher coarse salt
  • 1 tbsp golden balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Season steak with salt and pepper to taste.
  • For the caramelized onions: cut onions in half and thinly slice short end.  Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a nonstick skillet and add the onions. Add salt, paprika, and balsamic vinegar and cook on medium-low to low heat until onions are tender, transparent, and slightly brown, about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside in a large work bowl and let cool.
  • While the pasta is cooling, heat a grill pan over high heat and spray with cooking spray or preheat the broiler to high.
  • Cook the steaks about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, or longer to your desired likeness (until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 145°F for medium rare, 160°F for medium, or 165°F for well done.)
  • Let stand for 10 minutes, then slice into thin strips.
  • Add the arugula, 4 teaspoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic, salt and pepper to the bowl with the pasta and toss.
  • Add the caramelized onions, toss well and divide between four plates, about 1 1/2 cups each. Top each with 3 oz steak and shaved Parmesan. Eat right away.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 -1/2 cups salad, 3 oz steak, Calories: 384 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29.5 g, Protein: 30 g, Fat: 15 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 54 mg, Sodium: 588 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g

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73 comments on “Steak & Caramelized Onions with Arugula and Pasta”

  1. Delicious! Not sure why I’ve never seen this recipe before!
    Will be on repeat on our house!
    The caramelised onions were so tasty
    A great salad and thinking I’ll add some dice cooked beets next time!

  2. Delicous, healthy, and simple. What more could you want? I added some garden tomatoes. Think I may want to use a stronger cheese next time, but it really was tasty!

  3. This was delicious! My only changes were to reverse sear the steak in a cast iron skillet, deglaze the skillet with balsamic vinegar, and add the sauce to the salad. So good!

  4. We loved this and I had everything but the steak left over so threw in some chicken breast for lunch next day and it was delish too! Thank you!

  5. I was dying to try this and I wasn’t sure how I or hubby would like it because it’s a bit unusual with pasta and arugula and steak. I used rose balsamic because that was all I could find. Hubby and I were blown away by how yummy this was. And he had it for lunch the next day and loved it. We did split a four serving in three with his lunch the next day and it was plentiful. Will be making this a lot!

  6. My entire family loves this!! So delicious. I have made it many times and always get compliments on it!!!

  7. So good. Added grape tomatoes and some sliced cucumber to the greens, and served with an ear of corn. Was great.

  8. Another weeknight hit!!! I don’t know how you do it but you make such simple ingredients come together so easily that pack a punch with incredible flavor! I used to order blue apron bc I hated coming up with recipes but your website has saved me (time and money)!! I truly haven’t come across one recipe of yours that I haven’t liked- and they are always super simple to whip up and get on the table for our busy family of 5! For this recipe, I didn’t have golden balsamic and just used regular for both the onions and salad and it turned out great. 

    1. I couldn’t find golden balsamic and I was wondering if regular would be okay. Thank you for posting!

  9. The onions paired with the balsamic and olive oil was delicious! The steak part I can take or leave but the rest was fabulous!

  10. I absolutely fell in love with this recipe and it is now on regular rotation in my house. Even my husband who would typically not enjoy his steak in a salad, loved it and had seconds and took the leftovers for lunch the next day.

  11. This is one of my favorite recipes to use leftover steak. It is quick and easy and tastes delicious. If I’m not going to eat it all right away, I package it in small containers and just add the oil and balsamic before eating.

  12. I wanted to be brave and try this recipe and while I was a bit nervous, I’m so glad I tried it. It is AMAZING!

  13. This is legit my fav recipe to date from ST. It is going to be a staple in our house! Although we def split the 4 portions of onions between two people – too good. The flavors are really perfect together. A+

  14. Avatar photo
    Zarabeth Davis

    I dream about this meal, it’s so good!!!  I’ve made it 3 times in the past month.  It’s just amazing!!  One time I didn’t have pasta on hand, so I added quinoa instead and it was lovely.  

  15. While I am obsessed with all the recipes I’ve tried from here (I follow the meal plans, bought the cookbook, love all things skinny taste basically) this recipe took the cake. Amazing! My boyfriend and I both cleaned our plates. This is such a savory yet sweet recipe. We’ll be making this again, definitely !

  16. Eating this right now and omg it’s amazing!! For once I cooked a perfect steak too – steak usually comes out like rubber when I cook it but this was done to perfection. I wasn’t 100% sold on the quinoa pasta after I cooked it because it seemed super slimy but I let it sit before putting the salad together and its perfect

  17. Not sure if my first post worked.  Can I substitute golden balsamic with regular red balsamic? Thanks!

  18. Hi.  Can I use regular balsamic vinegar instead of golden.? What is the difference in taste? Looks like a great and I can’t wait to try it. 

  19. Where did you learn to cook so I can go to the same place!!!! OMG this is amazing!! And I cooked it myself which is a great feat!!!

  20. I'm pregnant and almost all foods make me nauseous – this is the first thing I have looked at that made me drool! I cannot wait to make this tonight!

  21. Made this for a birthday dinner last night. Substituted farro cooked in beef broth for the penne. Huge hit, we all loved it! Thanks for all your great recipes, this is the first place I turn to when looking for inspiration.

    1. I had bought white wine vinegar because I couldn't find Golden. I tasted it and didn't like it so I ended up using regular balsamic and it was just as good!

  22. Hey gina
    could the onions be sliced thin on the spiralizer? want to get more uses out of it 🙂 getting ready to spiral my cucs for the greek salad!!!

  23. Gina, this sounds amazing!!! However, I feel like it needs some kind of sauce for the pasta?? Maybe a balsamic glaze or something? Do you know of something simple and healthy that I could whip up? Thanks in advance!

    1. You can check all nutritional information about all your favorite recipes on http://happyforks.com/analyzer. Carmalized onion (240g, whole portion) has 222 kcal.

  24. Avatar photo
    martha@ simple nourished living

    I too love a good steak salad but never considered including pasta. Brilliant!

  25. It really looks awesome. I love the fact that it gives this sense of abundance, if you will. Love it.
    Angel – healthyroadadventures.blogspot.com

  26. This looks yummy – going on my "to make" list. I want to thank you for starting to include the sugar grams in your nutritional information. I need to keep my daily sugar count down and this has been really helpful when selecting which recipe to use.

  27. Avatar photo
    Sophia Del Gigante

    IN LOVE since I am basically obsessed with arugula!! This whole thing is an awesome cross between salad and hearty dish!!