One Tuesday night, I pulled the marinade I’d made that morning off the fridge door and told Sam I wasn’t going to fight the grill about it. An hour later we were eating sliced honey-soy steak over a bowl of cherry tomato salad, passing grilled ciabatta around like it was the main event. Our daughter asked for seconds. Biscuit got a piece of bread. Nobody complained about a single thing, which in this house is basically a five-star review.
I make some version of this meal every other week. If it’s not this exact recipe, it’s a variation of it. I made it again the night before this and served it with a pot of broccoli rice pilaf, and everyone loved it. It’s one of those dinners that feels a little special but comes together with very little effort. I think that’s the whole trick: the steak does the working, the salad is five ingredients, and the bread just shows up late and soaks up everything.
Summer here has been wonderfully busy. There have been slower days, but somehow the calendar fills back up again. Because of that, I’ve been leaning into dinners with parts I can prep ahead. It makes the evening feel less rushed, and it gives me more time to actually enjoy sitting down to eat. This recipe is exactly that kind of meal: easy enough for a weeknight, but good enough to serve when friends come over. Add a couple of sides for a dinner party, or keep it simple with just the steak, salad, and bread.
Why This Dish Works
The steak is marinated in a mix of tamari, ponzu, honey, citrus, and shallot, so it comes off the grill incredibly flavorful and tender. The real surprise, though, is the cherry tomato salad. Sweet summer tomatoes, fresh basil, and creamy, salty feta tossed with a bright champagne vinaigrette. It adds so much freshness, color, and flavor against the savory meat.
I always serve it with thick slices of grilled ciabatta. That bread is perfect for soaking up the steak juices and the vinaigrette, and it is usually the first thing to disappear from the table.
What You’ll Need
You can use any cut you like. I’ve made this with flank steak, beef tenderloin fillets, and boneless beef short ribs, and I’ve swapped in grilled chicken when I had it on hand. Here’s the full list:
Steak and Marinade
- 2 pounds (~907 g) flank steak, 4–6 beef tenderloin fillets, or 4 pounds (~1.8 kg) boneless beef short ribs
- 1 loaf ciabatta, thickly sliced
- 1/2 cup (~120 ml) tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (~120 ml) ponzu sauce
- 1/3 cup (~80 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- black pepper
Cherry Tomato Salad
- 1/3 cup (~80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup (~80 ml) champagne vinegar
- 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 cups (~1 kg) mixed sungold and red cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup (~100 g) baby basil
- 2 cups (~200 g) watercress or arugula
- 1 cup (~113 g) crumbled feta or goat cheese
- flaky sea salt and black pepper
Total time is about 30 minutes (20 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook), and it serves 6. Each serving comes in around 516 calories, give or take with your cut of meat. That’s an estimate, not a promise, but it’s a solid dinner.
The Steps
1. Marinate the Steak
In a glass baking dish or a large zip-top bag, whisk together the tamari, ponzu, rice vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, honey, olive oil, shallot, and plenty of black pepper. Reserve about one-third of the marinade for serving, then add the steak to the rest. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes, but if you have the time, overnight is even better. The longer it sits, the more flavorful and tender the steak becomes.
If you’re using flank steak or short ribs, I almost always marinate them the night before or first thing in the morning. Our favorite cuts, though, are New York strip (my sister’s favorite), ribeye, and tenderloin filets.
2. Grill the Steak
Take the steak out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking so it can come to room temperature. Grill over high heat or sear it in a hot cast iron skillet until it’s cooked just the way you like it. Let the steak rest for about 10 minutes, then slice it thinly against the grain and spoon the reserved marinade over the warm slices just before serving.
Always slice against the grain. It makes every bite much more tender. That single habit is the difference between a good steak and a one that gets chewed out on the back porch.
3. Grill the Bread
Brush the ciabatta slices with olive oil, then grill until lightly charred with crisp edges and proper grill marks. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Grill a few extra slices. They always disappear first, and they’re perfect for soaking up the steak juices and the tomato vinaigrette.
4. Make the Cherry Tomato Salad
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, champagne vinegar, and shallot. Season with flaky sea salt and black pepper. Add the cherry tomatoes and basil, then gently toss everything together. Finish with plenty of crumbled feta or goat cheese.
If you can find sungold tomatoes, use them. They’re extra sweet and make the salad even more special. A mix of red and golden tomatoes also makes the plate look like it’s trying to have a good time.
5. Assemble and Serve
Arrange the sliced steak on a serving platter and spoon the tomato salad over the top. Finish with extra basil, black pepper, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if you’re feeling like it. Serve immediately, with the grilled ciabatta alongside.
I love serving this with broccoli rice pilaf, grilled corn, or crispy potatoes, or simply as is. It’s just as good for a quiet weeknight as it is for having people over, and a glass of chilled white wine or rosé next to it makes the evening feel put-together without any effort.
A Few Tips
- Marinate the steak for as long as you can. Twenty minutes works in a pinch, but overnight gives you the most flavor. If you’re using tenderloin, New York strip, or ribeye, 10–20 minutes will do the trick.
- Always slice the steak against the grain. It makes every bite more tender.
- Use a mix of colorful cherry tomatoes if you can. Sungolds add incredible sweetness and make the salad more vibrant.
- Don’t skip the grilled bread. It’s the best part for soaking up the juices and the vinaigrette.
The original recipe I worked from is here if you want to see more of it: this honey soy steak post. I kept the ratios and just made the whole thing fit how our weeknights actually go.
This is exactly the kind of dinner I crave in late summer. I love how the sweet tomatoes and fresh basil balance the savory steak, and I’ll keep making this marinade long after tomato season ends. It’s simple, it’s colorful, and it tastes like summer every time.
A Note From Nora
Our first attempt at this came out a little sad. I under-marinated the flank, the tomatoes were mealy, and the bread went from charred to charcoal in about four seconds of not watching it. The fix was boring and effective: marinade earlier, halve the tomatoes, and actually stand there while the bread is on the grill. This is the version that works, the one I’ve made again and again since. If I can make it on a Tuesday, it’s a keeper.
Leave a Reply