Grass-Fed Filet Steaks + Spicy Thai Cucumber Tomato Salad

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option & High-Protein

Balsamic marinated grass-fed & finished filet steaks with the freshest spicy Thai cucumber tomato salad! This is exactly the kind of dinner I LOVE making when tomatoes and cucumbers are in season. The steaks are marinated in balsamic, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh cilantro, garlic, shallot, coconut aminos and fish sauce, which gives them the most incredible sweet, savoury and slightly tangy flavour once they hit a hot grill.

And the salad might honestly be my favourite part. Local cherry tomatoes, super crisp cucumber, red Thai chilies, lime, fish sauce, a little Manuka honey and A LOT of fresh cilantro. It’s fresh, crunchy, spicy and so simple, but SO good alongside the rich filet steaks. This is one of those meals that looks and tastes impressive but is actually incredibly easy to throw together!

What You Need

Marinated Filet Steaks

2 grass-fed & finished filet steaks from Meridian Meats
½ cup good-quality balsamic vinegar, no added sugar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or melted ghee
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 shallot, peeled and halved
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper 

Spicy Thai Cucumber Tomato Salad

2 cups local cherry tomatoes, halved
2 local crisp cucumbers, chopped
½ red onion, very thinly sliced
1 shallot, very thinly sliced
2 red Thai chilies, finely sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped — LOTS of cilantro
Juice of 1 small lime
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp fish sauce
1–2 tsp Manuka honey
1 tbsp sesame seeds 

Method

Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, shallot, coconut aminos, fish sauce, sea salt, and black pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth.

Place the filet steaks in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour the marinade over top. Coat well and marinate in the refrigerator for 1–4 hours.

Remove the steaks from the marinade and allow them to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Grill or sear over high heat until beautifully caramelized and cooked to your preferred doneness. Allow to rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.

While the steaks rest, make the salad. Combine the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, shallot, Thai chilies, and LOTS of fresh cilantro in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and Manuka honey. Pour over the salad and toss gently to combine. Finish with sesame seeds and additional fresh cilantro.

Serve the filet steaks alongside the fresh spicy Thai cucumber tomato salad and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this exactly as it is for a fresh, high-protein summer dinner. If you want to add a carbohydrate, it would also be SO good with coconut jasmine rice, crispy roasted potatoes or grilled sourdough to soak up all of those extra juices from the steak and salad.

Notes

For the best flavour, allow the steaks to marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

If using ghee instead of extra-virgin olive oil, melt it before adding it to the marinade.

Adjust the Thai chilies depending on how spicy you like your food. Two gives the salad a really good kick, but you can easily use less.

Use good-quality balsamic vinegar without added sugar since it makes up a large part of the marinade.

The salad is best tossed with the dressing shortly before serving so the cucumber stays really crisp and fresh.

Always allow the steaks to rest for 5–10 minutes after cooking before slicing to help keep them juicy.

Recipe by Taylor Robinson | Holistic Health & Wellness Chef | Dishing with Tay