Mediterranean Super Green Salad

Vibrant green hues, homemade pickled onion, hummus, tahini, and skirt steak? Oh my! This Mediterranean super green salad is a flavor-packed show-stopper!

I’m a huge fan of hearty, healthy salads you can serve as meals and feel full for hours after eating. Kale and brussels sprouts create a nutritious base for this Mediterranean super green salad, while seared skirt steak, hummus, and a rich dressing give it its bulk. This is the recipe I reach for when I find myself in a mid-day slump and know that I need a nutritional boost to power through the rest of the day (or when I need a sugar detox). The green salad has fiber, protein, and a long list of micronutrients. And you know what’s incredibly awesome? It is packed with so many flavorful layers you’ll forget it is good for you.

Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Super Green Salad

Multi-layers – That’s why Mediterranean-inspired meals are such standouts. There are layers and layers of mouthwatering flavors and textures that never come across as heavy or overwhelming, and this salad is no different. Every forkful is bright and fresh, with several other flavor notes to create depth.

Perfect for meal prep – The salad has several components, so this recipe is well suited for meal prep. You can have everything ready and waiting in the fridge until it’s time for your next meal. Prepare everything, or most of what you need for the salad, store it, and bring it all together when you’re ready to eat. So easy!

Inexpensive – Mediterranean super green salad definitely won’t put a significant dent in your budget. Even the steak is economical.  

Healthy – The greens have tons of vitamin K, you get iron from the steak, protein, hummus is just about the healthiest spread out there (it is packed with fiber), and the tahini dressing is equally nutritious!

Mediterranean Super Green Salad Ingredients Notes

• Kale: Lacinato kale is best for salads since the leaves are thinner; however, you can use any kale you like if you massage it beforehand. To massage kale, transfer it to a large bowl, drizzle lemon juice and oil on top, then massage with clean hands for 3 minutes to soften the leaves. Add a pinch of salt at the end for more flavor if desired.
• Brussels sprouts: Brussel sprouts bring an earthy bitterness to the Mediterranean super green salad—slice using the slicing blade on your food processor, a mandoline, or a sharp knife.
• Skirt steak: Select the more desirable outside skirt instead of the inside skirt steak since it is very tender. The outer skirt is longer and more narrow.
• Garbanzo beans: Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, are needed for hummus. You can always boil your own, but the recipe uses canned for ease and convenience.
• Yogurt: Greek yogurt joins tahini, garlic, cilantro, and lemon to make a lemon herb dressing that is bright and tangy.
• Tahini: The sesame seed paste is a vital ingredient for the dressing. For the best result, make sure you use good quality tahini. Good tahini has a rich, luxurious texture and a milky, nutty, savory flavor, whereas the low-quality stuff is bitter and astringent with a chalky mouthfeel.
• Lemon: They may not be native to the region, but lemon and other citrus fruits are staples of Mediterranean cuisine.

The complete ingredients list with amounts is in the recipe card below!

How to Make Mediterranean Super Green Salad

1. Make the harissa: The spicy red pepper sauce is used to marinate the skirt steak for this Mediterranean super green salad.
2. Prepare the pickle: Blanch the onions, cold shock them, then top with the pickling liquid. They’ll be ready in an hour.
3. Chop and slice the greens: You want to chop the kale and thinly slice the brussels sprouts. Whether you use a food processor or a sharp knife is up to you.
4. Sear the steak: Once it has time to soak up the flavors from the harissa, sear and cook to your desired doneness. I wouldn’t suggest taking skirt steak past medium doneness because it will get dry and chewy.
5. Time for hummus: Briefly boil the beans, then process with the other ingredients (garlic, lemon, oil, tahini). It is so good!
6. Don’t forget the dressing: It is as easy as processing the ingredients until smooth.
7. Bring it all together: Thinly slice the steak, layer the Mediterranean super green salad components as you see fit, and serve.

Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips

Replace the vinegar – You can pickle red onions in lemon juice if you’re not fond of vinegar or don’t have it.

Use different greens – Swiss chard, spinach, and arugula are also pretty super!

Try a different protein – Chicken or white fish would work equally well in the salad, as would shrimp.

Build on the dressing – You can add fresh herbs, Mediterranean spices, sesame seeds for texture, and more. Make it your own!

Mediterranean Super Green Salad

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Vibrant green hues, homemade pickled onion, hummus, tahini, and skirt steak? Oh my! This Mediterranean super green salad is a flavor-packed show-stopper!

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Ingredients

Pickled Onion

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Skirt Steak

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 16 oz skirt steak

Super Greens

• 1 head of fresh kale
• 6 Brussels Sprouts

Hummus

• 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
• 3 garlic cloves
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup tahini

Lemon-Herb-Tahini Dressing

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tbs cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Pickled Onion

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Add the thinly sliced onion and let cook for about 20 seconds.
3. Remove from the heat and immediately submerge in an ice bath.
4. Then transfer to a container and add the white wine vinegar, sugar and salt and place in the fridge for at least an hour.

Skirt Steak

1. In a large bowl, add the crushed garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and the skirt steak. Toss together with your hands, making sure to coat the entire surface of the meat.
2. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Add the marinated skirt steak to a hot heavy-bottomed pan and sear on all sides (about 5-10 minutes) then reduce the temperature and let cook with the lid on for 10-15 minutes (or until cooked through).

Greens

1. Add the kale to a food processor and pulse until the leaves are in small bite-sized pieces.
2. Place in a large bowl. Switch the attachment to the slicing blade and add the Brussels Sprouts. Once they have been sliced, add to the kale mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Hummus

1. Add the garbanzo beans and a 1/2 cup water to a medium-sized pot and heat until they begin to boil (about 5 minutes).
2. Remove from heat, and add to a food processor or blender along with the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini and blend until smooth.
3. Place in a bowl and set aside until ready to serve.

Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing

1. Add the greek yogurt, tahini, garlic, cilantro, lemon juice and salt to the food processor and blend until smooth.

Salad Assembly

1. Layer the ingredients as you see fit! I served mine with fresh na'an.

Notes

Make a quicker version of this recipe with store bought pickled onions, hummus and dressing.

Try these delicious salads next!

• Black Fig, Farro and Golden Beet Salad
• Summer Salad with Watermelon, Raspberries, Nectarines, and Bleu Cheese
• Warm Spinach Orzo Salad with Tomatoes & Mozzarella
• Southwestern Salad With Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Beet and Kale Salad