Herbed Steak with Orzo Caprese Salad

So meal subscriptions are kind of all the rage right now. When people find out that I get a meal subscription box every week, they’re kind of like, “Ummm…aren’t you supposed to be helping other people figure out what to cook?” And it’s true. I am. But dinner is hard, y’all. I know I need all the help I can get. That’s why we have our meal plans. Anything that helps me get dinner on the table every night is a win for me.

Anyway, the meals are usually good. There have been a few stinkers. But every once in awhile, something completely blows me away (I have another one we made a couple of weeks ago where I literally ate the leftovers every day for one or more meals. And I’m not super into leftovers. I’ll share it soon.) This recipe for Herbed Steak with Orzo Caprese Salad was one that everyone in my family loved. It’s good cold. It’s good hot. It’s simple and easy, but it’s also fancy and delicious enough that you could serve it for company. You can do it on the grill, but you can also make it inside. Also, you can use lean, less expensive cuts of steak like sirloin or flank steak (more about that later), making it a good choice for feeding a crowd.

You’re going to need 8-10 ounces of grape tomatoes, some fresh parsley, fresh mozzarella (I like the pearls because they’re pretty and then I don’t have to cut up the ball of mozzarella), garlic, orzo pasta (if you’re having a hard time finding it at the grocery store, check the ethnic foods or specialty foods aisles), Herbes de Provence (sounds fancy, but it’s widely available in grocery stores just with the herbs and spices), some olive oil for the salad and also for cooking, and balsamic vinegar. You’ll also need 24 ounces of steak. Lean cuts like sirloin or flank steak work great, but if you prefer a juicier cut like a ribeye, that would work, too. Save your money and skip the tenderloin–I don’t want to say it would be wasted here because it would still be delicious, but I feel like it’s kind of silly to spend that kind of money when it’s not going to be the star. Also, if you’d rather cook this on the grill to avoid turning on the oven, feel free!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat oven to 400 F.

You’ll need about 1/4 ounce of parsley, which sounds oddly specific and kind of hard to measure, so really, think of it like a small bouquet.

Chop the parsley, discarding the stems. Wash the tomatoes. Mince or grate the garlic (I love using my Microplane for this.)

If you bought a single ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2″ cubes.

Set steaks out on a plate or plastic cutting board to rest at room temperature. Season both side with salt and pepper

and Herbes de Provence.

Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Once the water is boiling, add the orzo to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (about 9-11 minutes). Drain in a fine mesh strainer (you’ll lose the pasta if you use a regular colander.)

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan (cast iron if you have one) over medium-high heat. When hot, add the prepared steak and sear 2-3 minutes per side, using tongs instead of a fork to turn the steak. After they have seared on both sides, transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until desired doneness is reached, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest about 5 minutes.

While the steak is roasting, reduce the heat to the pan you seared the steaks in and add a little more olive oil to the pan. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring gently, for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove the pan from heat.

Add the pasta, balsamic vinegar, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (this is a great time to use flavors like garlic or lemon), parsley, and mozzarella to the pan with the tomatoes. Stir gently to combine and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

After the steak has rested for a few minutes, slice it thinly against the grain. Divide the pasta salad between plates (you may have some pasta salad leftover–it’s delicious cold the next day!) and top with the sliced steak. Garnish with additional minced parsley and serve.

Herbed Steak with Orzo Caprese Salad

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• Author: Our Best Bites
• Total Time: 40 minutes

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Description

This meal is so elegant and delicious you can serve it to guests, but it’s also super quick, perfect for busy weeknights

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Ingredients

• 24 ounces steak*
• 8 ounces grape tomatoes
• 1/4 ounce parsley (a small bouquet)
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella (mozzarella pearls work great)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 12 ounces orzo pasta (if you’re having a hard time finding it with the pasta, look for it in the ethnic foods)
• 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1–2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for the salad, plus more for cooking

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Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Chop the parsley, discarding the stems. Wash the tomatoes. Mince or grate the garlic (I love using my Microplane for this.) If you bought a single ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2″ cubes.
3. Set steaks out on a plate or plastic cutting board to rest at room temperature. Season both side with salt and pepper and Herbes de Provence. Set aside.
4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
5. Once the water is boiling, add the orzo to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (about 9-11 minutes). Drain in a fine mesh strainer (you’ll lose the pasta if you use a regular colander.)
6. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan (cast iron if you have one) over medium-high heat. When hot, add the prepared steak and sear 2-3 minutes per side, using tongs instead of a fork to turn the steak. After they have seared on both sides, transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until desired doneness is reached, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest about 5 minutes.
7. While the steak is roasting, reduce the heat to the pan you seared the steaks in and add a little more olive oil to the pan. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring gently, for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove the pan from heat.
8. Add the pasta, balsamic vinegar, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (this is a great time to use flavors like garlic or lemon), parsley, and mozzarella to the pan with the tomatoes. Stir gently to combine and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. After the steak has rested for a few minutes, slice it thinly against the grain. Divide the pasta salad between plates (you may have some salad leftover–just serve it cold the next day!) and top with the sliced steak. Garnish with additional minced parsley and serve.

Notes

• Lean cuts like sirloin or flank steak work great, but if you prefer a juicier cut like a ribeye, that would work, too. Save your money and skip the tenderloin–it’s better for when it can be the star. If you’d rather cook this on the grill to avoid turning on the oven, feel free!

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 30

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6