For this healthy Mexican grilled flank steak recipe, medium-rare slices of beer-marinated beef mingle with romaine lettuce, canned black beans, cherry tomatoes, avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro in an avocado-yogurt dressing.

  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 10 mins 
  • Active: 25 mins

Ingredients (20)

Steak marinade:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds skirt or flap steak, cut into 4-inch lengths
  • ½ cup lager beer

Dressing:

  • 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into chunks
  • ½ cup plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Juice of 2 limes

Salad:

  • 12 ounces romaine hearts, trimmed and chopped
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into chunks
  • About 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. To marinate the steak, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread the paste all over the steak and place in a zippered plastic bag. Pour the beer into the bag and seal the bag. Let the steak stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to overnight.
  2. To make the dressing, put the avocado, yogurt, cilantro, and lime zest and juice into a blender and process until smooth. Add water by the tbsp. to get it to the consistency you like (it should be pourable). Set aside if making the salad right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
  3. To cook the steak, let the steak sit at room temperature for 1 hour if refrigerated. Place a large stovetop grill pan over medium high heat, or prepare a medium-high fire in a charcoal grill or turn on the burners of a gas grill to medium-high. Spray the grill with cooking spray. Remove the steak from the marinade and shake off the excess. Place the steak on the grill and cook, turning once, until nicely browned, 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut the steak into 2-inch lengths, then across the grain into thin, 1/4-inch strips.
  4. In a large wide serving bowl, toss together the romaine, beans, and tomatoes. Drizzle with some of the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the avocado, steak, and queso. Drizzle with a little more dressing, garnish with cilantro, season with salt, and serve.