Black Pepper Steak Kale Salad
with Crispy Breadcrumbs
fancy without the work
This is the kind of salad that makes you forget you’re eating kale.
Juicy black pepper steak, salty feta, briny olives, crispy olive oil breadcrumbs, and lemon garlic kale all piled together into one ridiculously good bowl that somehow feels fresh and comforting at the same time.
And honestly?
The breadcrumbs alone deserve attention.
Why this salad works
- Gluten free
- High protein
- Great for lunch or dinner
- Loaded with texture
- Meal prep friendly
- Doesn’t taste like “healthy food”
Lets talk about the kale
Kale needs a little help sometimes. That’s where the dressing comes in.
A simple mixture of:
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- garlic
- salt
…gets massaged into thinly sliced kale until it softens and becomes tender instead of aggressively crunchy.
This step changes everything.
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The Breadcrumbs might be the best part.
Honestly… they probably are. Take:
- gluten-free bread
- olive oil
- salt
Roast until deeply golden and crispy, then crumble into small pieces using your hands or a food processor.
They become these crunchy, salty little bits that taste ridiculously good on the kale and soak up the dressing perfectly.
Make extra. You’ll snack on them standing in the kitchen. Guaranteed. Or save them in a container in your refrigerator for your next salad.
Perfect for...
- weeknight dinners
- meal prep lunches
- summer grilling season
- I need vegetables but also want steak” situations
Bottom Line
If you think kale salads are boring…This one might change your mind.
Because when steak, feta, olives, and crispy breadcrumbs are involved?
Pro Tip: Slice the kale thin. Like really thin. It softens faster, absorbs the dressing better, and makes the salad way easier to eat.
And don’t skip massaging it.
Trust me.
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I use all of the products that I link and reccommend them because they are high quality products that I trust.
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Black Pepper Steak Kale Salad with Crispy Breadcrumbs
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Description
This black pepper steak kale salad is gluten free and packed with feta, olives, red onions, and crispy olive oil breadcrumbs for the perfect hearty salad.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Olive Oil Breadcrumbs
- 4 sliced of gluten free bread, 1/2-1/4 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Steak and Salad
- 1/2 lb. flat iron steak
- 1 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 bunch of curly kale, stems trimmed and thinly cut (shredded)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
- 1 pinch of each sea salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup olives, sliced in half
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 inch red onion, sliced thinly
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- To make the breadcrumbs, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the cubed bread on a small baking sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil. Use a spoon or your hands to toss together. Place in your oven for 12 minutes or until the bread cubes are dark brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- With your hands or a food processor (I used a food processor to make the breadcrumbs more like a crumb and less like cubes or chunks) – personal perference, crumble the bread cubes into they are very small or to your desired size and texture. Set aside until ready to use.
- To make the steak, either grill it or use a small skillet on your stove top over high heat. When your plan is super hot, add the steak and don’t move it for 6 minutes. Flip over when the underside is toasty brown. Repeat on the other side or until the center is cooked to your taste. Remove from the skillet (or grill) and let rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes.
- To assemble the salad, place the shredded kale in a mixing bowl or your serving bowl or individual shallow bowls. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the shredded kale and mix together with your hands (yes, your hands) – lightly massage the dressing into the kale.
- Top with the olives, feta cheese and red onion. Slice your steak thinly and serve on top of your salad.
Notes
For the breadcrumbs – I used a food processor to get the crumb texture. If you want more bread crumbs leave them larger in size and maybe just use your hands to make them smaller. You also don’t have to do anything at all to them after you remove from the oven.
I like to have my steak sit out on my counter for 30 minutes before I cook it. Steaks that are room temperature just cook better and in my opinion taste better.
Also for the steak, let it rest as long as possible. Since this is a salad, you don’t need to serve it warm. Plus, letting it sit and rest for as long as possible allows the juices to settle and not run out. You will get the maximum flavor of the steak after letting it rest – promise.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, salad, Side Dish
- Method: Grilling, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Greek
Hi, I'm Kat.
Thanks for being here.
Hi, I’m Kat — a Colorado-based Personal Chef and the heart behind White Sparrow Food Company. As a business owner, a soccer Mom to two daughters and always being asked “What’s for dinner?” – I get the challenges of everyday life.
Here, I share the same easy, wholesome, gluten free recipes I cook for my clients, made simple for real life at home. All recipes that YOU can make in your kitchen.
Take a look around, get inspired, and stay awhile — I’m so happy you’re here.
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