🥔 DIY Steak Salad Sandwich - or use Portobello Mushrooms for a vegetarian twist!
This week we're celebrating Father's Day with a meal made to please any palate - including options for meat-lovers, vegetarians, and a special One Potato Red Wine Cherry Vinaigrette recipe.
Celebrate Father's Day with a meal that brings the family together and caters to everyone’s tastes! This week, we’re making a steak salad sandwich (substitute juicy portobello mushrooms for vegetarians) with our One Potato Red Wine Cherry Vinaigrette, optional flavored aioli, and rosemary fingerling potatoes. We like to have options for every member of the family, and this week’s recipe fits the bill by letting parents and kids decide if they’d like to have their meal as a sandwich or salad. While some dad’s love their meat and potatoes, our portobello mushroom version is sure to please the whole family. Packed with juicy steak (or savory portobello mushrooms), accompanied by tomato confit, caramelized sweet onions, and creamy avocado, this versatile dish is a winner to make and to eat!
Our DIY Steak Salad Sandwich provides a chance for the whole family to pitch in, from prepping ingredients to assembling sandwiches or salads, making it a fun and interactive dining experience. We’ve given directions for how to sear your steak, but if you have a grill, this is a great dish to put your grill to good use!
One Potato recommends reading through the full recipe before starting to cook - that way all the steps will go more smoothly. Also, wash and dry any produce before beginning to cook.
Note about our ingredients list and quantities: This is for a family of 4, with 2 adults and 2 kids. If you have 2 teenagers or like to have leftovers, increase the amount of meat to 2 lbs. Two kids may be able to share one demi-baguette sandwich.
Got time?
The sauce recipe this week is our homemade summer One Potato Red Wine Cherry Vinaigrette - you can make a batch to use on salads or as a marinade for meats and veggies. It will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge. Making vinaigrette from scratch allows you to control the amount of sugar, and know the exact ingredients that your family is consuming, but you can always use your favorite store-bought vinaigrette to save time.
We recommend reading through the full recipe before starting to cook.
DIY Steak or Portobello Mushroom Salad Sandwich
For 4 Servings - 2 adults and 2 kids
One Potato Kitchen Tools: large bowl, 2 baking sheets, large skillet or sauté pan, chef’s knife, cutting board, steak knife, bread knife
From Your Pantry: salt (kosher or sea), pepper, olive oil;
Dried herbs from your pantry to make One Potato Steak Seasoning Rub: onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, cumin, coriander, thyme, cayenne (optional)
Ingredients:
1.5 - 2 lbs top sirloin steak
OR
3-4 large portobello mushrooms (cleaned - remove gills)
1 lb fingerling potatoes
1.5-2 tbs One Potato Steak Rub (good for veggies too)
4 demi baguettes
1 avocado (sliced)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
10 oz baby gem & arugula salad mix
marinated piquillo peppers
aioli (optional)
caramelized sweet onion jam (optional)
shaved parmesan (to taste)
One Potato Red Wine Cherry Vinaigrette or your favorite salad vinaigrette
Choose your favorite caramelized onion jam or aioli flavor!
Here is some great-tasting vegan aioli.
Directions:
Prepare the Fingerling Potatoes & Tomato Confit:
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 300˚F.
Prep Potatoes: Halve the fingerling potatoes lengthwise and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with powdered garlic and dried rosemary, and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on parchment paper, silicon mat or a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Prep Tomatoes: In a separate bowl, drizzle the cherry tomatoes with olive oil, add fresh thyme sprigs, and toss to coat. Arrange on the same baking sheet (if space allows) or on a second lightly oiled baking sheet.
Bake: Bake the potatoes until golden brown and crisp, and the tomatoes until they start to split but remain plump, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with salt to taste, and cover to keep warm.
Prepare the Steak:
Prep Steak & One Potato’s Steak Rub: Let steak sit at room temperature, covered, for 20 minutes before cooking (skillet or grill). To prep the steak rub, combine 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt plus ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp coriander, ½ tsp thyme, cayenne (optional) in a bowl. Add more/less salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne for a bit of a kick if you want.
Season Steak: Place the steak on a plate and season all sides with the One Potato Steak Rub.
Cook Steak: Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a light coating of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the steak. Cook for 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, 4 minutes per side for medium, 5 minutes per side for medium-well, and 7 minutes per side for well-done. Remove the steak from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steak lengthwise against the grain. Cover to keep warm.
Grill Steak: Brush steaks with oil and season with One Potato Steak Rub, as above. Heat your grill to high, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140 degrees F) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150 degrees F). Same as above, remove the steak from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steak lengthwise against the grain. Cover to keep warm.
Vegetarian Option:
Prepare Mushrooms: Lightly coat the portobello mushrooms with olive oil and season with One Potato’s Steak Rub. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook until they begin to brown, then flip and cook the other side until tender. Alternatively, you can also grill the mushrooms. See our Pro Tips about cleaning your portobello mushrooms.
Prepare the Baguettes:
Toast Baguettes: Halve the demi baguettes lengthwise and lay them on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until golden, about 5 minutes. For croutons, cut the baguettes into cubes, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake until golden. Option: rub the baguettes with half a clove of garlic to add a rich flavor.
Assemble the Sandwiches:
Build Sandwiches: Let the toasted baguettes cool for 2 minutes. Spread aioli (optional) on the bottom half, then add caramelized onion jam (optional). Layer with salad mix, piquillo pepper slices, tomato confit (cut into smaller pieces if desired), sliced steak or portobello mushrooms, and avocado slices. Sprinkle with shaved parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt. Cover with the top half of the baguette.
Serve: Serve the sandwiches with fingerling potatoes and a side salad of the remaining salad mix, topped with tomato confit and drizzled with One Potato Red Wine Cherry Vinaigrette or your preferred vinaigrette.
OR Assemble the Salads:
Build Salads: Place the salad mix and shaved parmesan in a large bowl. Cut the roasted fingerling potatoes into bite-size pieces and add them to the bowl. Drizzle One Potato Red Wine Cherry Vinaigrette or your preferred vinaigrette, toss to coat. Top with tomato confit, sliced steak or portobello mushrooms, avocado slices, and croutons. Drizzle with aioli (if desired) and top with caramelized onion jam for extra flavor.
Serve and Enjoy!
BONUS!
Make our One Potato Aioli to flavor your steak sandwich, or our One Potato Horseradish Dipping Sauce. These can be kept in your fridge for up to 1 week. These are the measurements we recommend to make approximately ½ cup, but you can flavor to taste as you combine. Naturally GF, you can easily substitute vegan mayo and vegan sour cream in the below ingredients to make this vegan and dairy-free.
Flavored aioli: Stir or whisk together your favorite store-bought mayonnaise (½ cup) with ¼ cup minced garlic, 1 tsp paprika, and 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional or to taste).
Horseradish dipping sauce: Stir or whisk together equal parts creamed horseradish, mayonnaise, and sour cream
Substitutions and Dietary Considerations
Dairy free: Use a vegan aioli, make a homemade vegan aioli (see above), or omit the aioli entirely.
Gluten-free: Use your favorite GF bread, we recommend Udi’s demi baguettes.
Vegetarian: Substitute steak with portobello mushrooms or tofu (ensure it’s drained and dried).
Ultimate Time-Saving Hacks:
Buy Pre-Made Aioli: Use store-bought garlic or lemon aioli.
Skip making the tomato confit: Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan while you’re searing the steak. This will bring out the flavors while eliminating a step.
Substitute Side: Use pre-made potato salad or French fries instead of roasted fingerling potatoes.
Getting Kids Involved
Let kids sprinkle the potatoes with the seasoning and toss with their hands, mash the avocados (instead of using slices) and assemble their own meal. They may just surprise you with their creation!
Pro Tips
Picky Eaters?
If your kids think that all peppers are spicy, encourage them to try the piquillo peppers. They’re totally mild and even a bit sweet.
There are a lot of flavors and ingredients in this recipe, from the aioli, to the caramelized onion jam, to the tomato confit. Give your kids the chance to taste each ingredient separately, and then they can decide which ones to use on their sandwich.
Steak Tips & Tricks:
Searing: Don't touch the steak while it's searing to ensure a perfect crust.
Resting: Let steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing to redistribute juices.
Save your homemade Steak Rub seasoning blend: Or make extra to have on hand whenever you want it. Store leftover seasoning in airtight containers, labeled and dated, in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months.
Cleaning Portobello Mushrooms: The feathery underside of the portobello mushroom are called gills, or lamellae, and yes, they are edible. However, they have a spongey texture, can trap dirt, and give off a dark hue to the finished dish. To remove them, simply use a spoon to scrape around the underside of the large mushroom cap.
Keep your Avocado fresh: If you’re not going to be serving your meal immediately, squeeze a bit of lemon or lime juice on the avocado flesh to make sure it doesn’t brown.
Tips for using our online Shopping List
Remember: In our linked Shopping List, the cart might have multiple brands of the same ingredient listed - in case you want the sugar free or organic version, for example. All you need to do to have the ingredients quickly delivered is
Verify your location
Choose your preferred store and delivery service (Instacart will show you how many items in the list are available at your preferred store; if the item we’ve recommended is not available they should show you an alternative item)
Confirm the items and quantities that you want to purchase - Click the “Add” button next to the ingredient you want to add to your cart
Check out and schedule your delivery
Feel free to message us with any questions