Sugar Snap Peas with Sirloin and Pasta Salad with Gremolata Dressing

Seriously? Can you believe I made that… and took that picture?

This was one hearty salad that still felt light… and don’t you love all those veggies??? I sure do!

This week we’re moving into our second week of Texas beef goodness. Last week I shared Szechuan Beef Stir Fry as a protein-packed dinner.  This week your Texas beef blogging team is talking about Main Dish Salads.

We could choose between making any of these three:

1. Tenderloin, Cranberry and Pear Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
2. Sirloin with Sugar Snap Pea and Pasta Salad with Gremolata Dressing
3. Beef, Mango and Barley Salad

I am all about honey mustard and everything in the first salad, but I know my family wouldn’t go for it. (I know– crazy!) So I opted for the Sirloin with Sugar Snap Peas, as you can see from my picture at the top.

And I’m glad I did. The lemony flavor of the Gremolata dressing was refreshing and really enhanced the flavor of everything else in the salad. I think I’m going to be using that in a lot of new dishes. (It would be great with couscous, too!)

Okay, so on the the recipe:

 Sirloin with Sugar Snap Peas and Pasta Salad with Gremolata Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 3/4 inch thick
• 2 cups fresh sugar snap peas
• 2 cups cooked corkscrew pasta
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in halves
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Freshly grated lemon peel
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Gremolata Dressing

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring water to boil in large saucepan. Add peas; cook 2 – 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain; rinse under cold water. Combine peas, pasta and tomatoes in large bowl. Set aside.

This is a great recipe for helpers in the kitchen. My daughter loved combining the ingredients and whisking the dressing and stirring the pasta and veggies:

2. Whisk Gremolata Dressing ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Toss 2 tablespoons dressing with pasta mixture. Set aside.

(To get fresh lemon juice without the seeds and pulp, set a strainer over your bowl and squeeeeeeze that lemon:

3. Combine 3 cloves minced garlic and 1 teaspoon pepper; press evenly onto beef steak. Place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 – 3 inches from heat. Broil 9 – 12 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees) to medium (160 degrees) doneness, turning once.

When broiling, keep your oven open a bit to keep the air flowing. Once you are finished broiling, let the steak set for a few minutes before cutting it to help it to retain its juices.

4. Carve steak into thin slices; season with salt, as desired. Add steak slices and remaining dressing to pasta mixture; toss to coat evenly. Garnish with lemon peel and parsley, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Nutritional information per service: 369 calories; 12g fat (3g saturated fat; 7g monounsaturated fat); 5mg cholesterol; 216mg sodium; 31g carbohydrate; 4.2g fiber; 32g protein; 1mg niacin; 0.7mg vitamin B6; 1.4mcg B12; 4.4mg iron; 46.5mcg selenium; 5.3mg zinc.

Used with permission from The Healthy Beef Cookbook.

I really enjoyed this pasta salad. It was a great way to pack in nutrients through the beef, snap peas and tomatoes, and it was simple to make. Both are key for dinners in my house!

Looking to save money and eat healthy?

Here are a few tips on buying beef and keeping it lean:

80% ground beef is often less expensive than 95% lean. Buy the 80% lean and rinse it after you’ve browned it to clear out excess fat. Then season and add to your favorite recipes.

Watch the sales and buy your favorite cuts of beef when they go on sale. You can freeze beef in its original, transparent packaging for up to 2 weeks. If you plan to freeze it longer than that, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil or pop it in freezer bags.  Steaks and roasts can be stored for 6 to 12 months in the freezer. Ground beef can be stored frozen for 3 to 4 months.

What about your family?

Would they go for the gremolata  dressing? It was a reach for us, and I’m glad I gave it a try.

What are you planning to serve for dinner tonight? Do you tend to go with old faves or try something new?

Disclosure: I have been compensated to participate in this promotion with the Texas Beef Council. The opinions expressed, however, are my own.