This easy and nutritious grilled Flank Steak salad with an easy raspberry chipotle marinade that doubles as dressing, tender butter lettuce, grilled corn, and creamy goat cheese is a sweet and spicy summer dinner that’s cooked entirely on the grill! (gluten-free)

overhead view of raspberry chipotle flank steak salad on a white oval platter with a black serving fork.

This post is sponsored by Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Lively Table running!

Every year, I eagerly await grilling season. It’s my favorite time of year. I love the ease of throwing a steak on the grill, adding a fresh salad full of summer produce, and sitting down to a simple dinner outside. Is there anything better? And now that Queen C is a little older, grilling is even more essential, because she can play outside while we cook.

My formula for easy, nutritious, and flavorful dinners this time of year is simple: a grilled protein (such as lean beef) + a colorful summer salad. Maybe we’ll throw some veggies, sweet potato wedges, or a couple slices of sourdough bread on the grill too. That’s it! My current favorite that’s been making its way into the rotation is this raspberry chipotle grilled Flank Steak salad, and I think you’ll love it too!

sliced grilled flank steak, avocado, grilled corn and red onion on a salad on a white platter.

Why You’ll Love This Grilled Flank Steak Salad

Besides being simple to throw together on any given weeknight, this salad is an unexpected mix of delicious textures and flavors. The sweet-spicy raspberry chipotle marinade doubles as dressing, and the recipe makes plenty for future salads! A bed of tender butter lettuce is the perfect base for juicy, perfectly grilled Flank Steak, smoky grilled corn, toasted pecans, creamy goat cheese and avocado, and punchy red onion. And all the cooking is done on the grill, so cooking and cleanup are easy and streamlined. It’s a great option for both a weeknight family dinner, or for a low-fuss outdoor dinner party with friends.

Why Flank Steak?

Especially if you’re a novice griller, Flank Steak is the way to go! It’s usually easy to find and affordable, so it’s low-pressure. Flank Steak is also quick and easy to grill, so it’s a great starting point for beginners.

I also love Flank Steak because it’s loaded with nutrition. It’s a lean cut that provides about 25 grams of high quality protein per 3-oz cooked serving. It’s also full of essential nutrients, like iron, zinc and B vitamins. (Iron is especially important for babies who have started solids, so I love grilling Flank Steak for Little M!)

How To Make The Marinated Flank Steak

First, you’ll make the raspberry chipotle dressing and marinade. In a blender or food processor, combine the raspberries, chipotles, lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust the spice level as needed by adding more chipotle or raspberries if needed.
Pour ¼ cup of the dressing into a shallow container or zip-top plastic bag. Reserve the rest for the dressing. Add the Flank Steak to the marinade in the container, and coat it evenly.
Marinate the steak in the refrigerator for anywhere from six hours or as long as overnight..
When you’re ready, preheat your grill and then grill the Flank Steak on medium heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, flipping once. This should take anywhere from 16 to 21 minutes depending on the thickness of the steak.
Remove the steak from the grill and rest it for 5 minutes before slicing.
Thinly slice the steak against the grain.

How To Make The Salad

While the steak is marinating, prep the lettuce, corn, onions, and goat cheese.
Lightly coat corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pecans on a foil boat or a grilling-safe basket or rack.
Grill the corn and pecans while the steak is cooking, rotating the corn as needed, until cooked and just starting to brown. I usually keep the pecans on the top rack or indirect heat until deep brown and toasted. Once finished, remove from the grill and cool the corn to touch. Slice the kernels off the cob.
Once the steak is done, build the salad while it rests. Arrange lettuce on a serving platter. Add onions, avocado, goat cheese, grilled corn and pecans.
Top the salad with sliced steak and drizzle with raspberry chipotle dressing.

Pro Tips For Grilling The Best Beef

Preheat your grill on high heat before grilling. Then make sure it’s clean by brushing off any debris if necessary, before turning the heat to medium.
Keep the steak in the refrigerator while it marinates for food safety. This will also ensure the middle doesn’t overcook.
Let the steak cook undisturbed before flipping so that it can develop a nice caramelization on the outside.
Use a meat thermometer! This is the best way to ensure steaks are cooked to perfection. Medium rare is when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
If the outside of the steak is cooking too quickly, turn down the heat or move the steak to indirect heat, such as the top rack, to avoid charring.
Rest the steak before slicing. After removing the steak from the grill, let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing so that it can retain all those flavorful juices. Keep in mind that steak will continue to cook about 5-10 degrees while resting.
Slice against the grain! Especially for lean cuts like Flank Steak, it’s important to slice against the grain (or perpendicular to the lines that naturally run through the steak) for the most tender bite.

For more tips and fresh grilling ideas using beef this summer, visit www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com!

closeup of sliced grilled flank steak on a salad with sliced avocado grilled corn, goat cheese and pecans drizzled with raspberry chipotle dressing.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Raspberry Chipotle Grilled Flank Steak Salad

Print Recipe

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 16-21 minutes
Total Time: 6.5 hours (includes marinating time)
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: salad
Method: grilled
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Raspberry Chipotle Dressing and Marinade:

1 cup fresh raspberries
3 chipotle peppers canned in adobo
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the Salad:

1 lb Flank Steak
2 ears corn
Olive oil, salt and pepper (for corn)
⅓ cup pecan halves
1 head butter lettuce
¼ small red onion
1 small avocado
2 oz soft goat cheese
Reserved raspberry chipotle dressing

Instructions

Make the raspberry chipotle dressing and marinade. In a blender or food processor, combine the raspberries, chipotles, lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust the spice level as needed by adding more chipotle or raspberries if needed.
Pour ¼ cup of the dressing into a shallow container or zip-top plastic bag. Reserve the rest for the dressing.
Add the flank steak to the marinade in the container, and coat it evenly. Cover and marinate the steak in the refrigerator for anywhere from 2-12 hours.
While the steak is marinating, prep the lettuce, corn, onions, avocado and goat cheese. Chop butter lettuce, shuck corn, slice onions very thinly, crumble goat cheese and slice avocado (do this right before grilling).
Lightly coat corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pecans on a foil boat or a grilling-safe basket or rack.
When you’re ready, preheat your grill and then grill the Flank Steak on medium heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, flipping once. This should take anywhere from 16 to 21 minutes depending on the thickness of the steak.
Grill the corn and pecans while the steak is cooking, rotating the corn as needed, until cooked and just starting to brown. I usually keep the pecans on the top rack or indirect heat until deep brown and toasted.
Rest the steak for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain. Slice the corn kernels from the cob.
Build the salad. Arrange lettuce on a serving platter. Add onions, avocado, goat cheese, grilled corn and pecans.
Thinly slice the Flank Steak against the grain. Top the salad with sliced steak and drizzle with raspberry chipotle dressing to taste.

Notes

Frozen, thawed raspberries may be used in place of fresh.
If you don’t like too much spice, I recommend starting with two chipotles, then tasting the dressing after blending. If it needs more spice, add another chipotle. You can always add more raspberries or honey if needed to tame the heat as well.
Make sure to discard any marinade that is in contact with the steak, and only use reserved dressing for the salad (for food safety reasons).
Preheat your grill on high heat before grilling. Then make sure it’s clean by brushing off any debris if necessary, before turning the heat to medium.
Keep the steak in the refrigerator while it marinates for food safety. This will also ensure the middle doesn’t overcook.
Let the steak cook undisturbed before flipping so that it can develop a nice caramelization on the outside.
Use a meat thermometer! This is the best way to ensure steaks are cooked to perfection. Medium rare is when the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
If the outside of the steak is cooking too quickly, turn down the heat or move the steak to indirect heat, such as the top rack, to avoid charring.
Rest the steak before slicing. After removing the steak from the grill, let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing so that it can retain all those flavorful juices. Keep in mind that steak will continue to cook about 5-10 degrees while resting.
Slice against the grain! Especially for lean cuts like Flank Steak, it’s important to slice against the grain (or perpendicular to the lines that naturally run through the steak) for the most tender bite.