Keto Steak Salad Recipe (4g Net Carbs)
Seared sirloin over mixed greens with a sesame mayonnaise dressing at 4g net carbs per serving. Ready in 20 minutes. Serves 2 with 520 calories, 38g protein, and 38g fat each. Built for keto, low-carb, and high-protein eaters who want a full meal salad that hits macros without a bread bowl or a fruit-loaded vinaigrette.
Why This Works on Keto
The typical steak salad in a restaurant runs 25-40g of carbs from candied nuts, dried cranberries, croutons, or a sweet balsamic glaze.
This build removes every one of those elements and holds the veg selection to arugula, mixed greens, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes, which total 3g of carbs across the whole plate. The sesame mayonnaise dressing (mayo, toasted sesame oil, coconut aminos, rice vinegar) adds another 1g.
Sirloin at 4 oz per portion delivers a strong 32g of protein hit with the fat needed to stay in ketosis. Macro split lands near 65% fat, 30% protein, 5% carbs.
Combining acid-forward dressing with a rested medium-rare steak gives the same satisfying mouthfeel of a heavier salad without the sugar creep.
For related tips, check out our full guide on keto chicken recipes.
For more on this topic, check out our guide on keto avocado smoothie.
Keto Steak Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- Steak 10 1/2 ounces or 300g
Steak Marination
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. chili flakes
- 1 tbsp. fresh ginger chopped – optional
- 1 tbsp. fish sauce optional
Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup iceberg shredded
- 1/2 cucumber chopped
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 small onion chopped – optional
Mayo Sauce
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 3 tbsp. mayo
- 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
Instructions
- Let’s start by marinating the steak, so it has time to rest in the fridge. Place the steak in a freezer bag and drizzle olive oil over it. Optionally, add fish sauce and 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger. Finally, add the chili flakes, close the bag, and mix everything well. Then refrigerate it to use in the last step.
- Take the mayonnaise into a bowl and add 1 tbsp of lemon juice, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set it aside to use in the topping stage.
- Heat a small pan and roast 1 tbsp (or more, depending on your preference) of sesame seeds in it for a short time. Keep them aside to use in the topping stage.
- Recommendation: Sesame seeds burn fast. For this reason, roast them in a controlled manner and turn off the stove before the colors change.
- Chop the iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers. Take a serving bowl and place the chopped iceberg on its bottom. Add chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and optionally some fresh cilantro. You can also add a few slices of red onion if desired.
- Add some olive oil to the skillet where you will fry the steak. Once the oil is heated, place the whole steak in the skillet and fry both sides. You can add salt at this step.
- Transfer the fried steak to a cutting board and slice it into strips. Arrange the steak slices on the salad and sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds on top.
- Finally, place the prepared mayonnaise sauce in the middle of the salad. Enjoy your delicious keto steak salad!
Video
Notes
- For a rare steak, fry both sides for 1 1/2 minutes.
- For a medium-rare steak, fry both sides for 2 minutes.
- For a medium steak, fry both sides for 3 minutes.
- Fry both sides for about 5 minutes for a well-done steak.
Nutrition
Ingredient Notes
Sirloin, ribeye, or flank steak all work. Sirloin is the leaner choice at 6g fat per 4 oz; ribeye pushes closer to 20g fat if you want to run higher on fat. Salt the steak 40 minutes before cooking (dry brine) for the best crust.
Mixed greens should include peppery arugula for contrast; iceberg alone lacks structure. English cucumber has fewer seeds and less water than standard slicing cucumber. Cherry tomatoes hold at 3g carbs per 1/2 cup; skip larger heirlooms which push higher.
For the dressing, use avocado-oil mayo (Primal Kitchen, Chosen Foods) at 0g carbs per tbsp. Coconut aminos are a soy sauce substitute with lower sodium and a slightly sweet edge; Bragg or Coconut Secret keep the count at 1g per tsp. Toasted sesame oil, not raw, for aroma.
Rice vinegar unseasoned; seasoned rice vinegar contains sugar.
Our article on keto guacamole recipe covers related ground and is worth a look.
Tips and Variations
Get the pan smoking hot before the steak lands. Cast iron with 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp avocado oil (higher smoke point than pure butter). Sear 3 minutes per side for a 1-inch sirloin to hit medium-rare (130F internal). Rest 5 minutes before slicing across the grain into 1/4-inch strips.
Assemble with greens on the bottom, cucumber and tomato scattered, steak fanned across the top, dressing drizzled last. For a dairy-free version, this recipe is already dairy-free. For a higher-protein build, scale steak to 6 oz per portion for 48g protein.
For a spicier variation, whisk 1 tsp sriracha (verify under 1g carbs per tsp) or a pinch of Aleppo pepper into the dressing. For a vegetarian keto version, replace steak with 6 oz seared halloumi cubes or 4 oz sliced marinated tempeh (check tempeh label; some brands are up to 6g carbs per 3 oz).
Add 1 sliced avocado for another 2g carbs and 15g fat.
Storage and Reheating
Store components separately in the fridge for up to 2 days: sliced steak in one container, greens in another, dressing in a jar. Assembled salad wilts within hours. Reheat steak briefly in a hot skillet (60 seconds per side) or eat cold sliced. Not suitable for freezing.
