Healthy Steak Dinner: Flank Steak with Walnut-Scallion Pesto Bean Salad | Daphne Oz

Food & Fun - By Daphne Oz on

Mom of four Daphne Oz shares an easy flank steak dinner that's healthier AND way cheaper than eating out at a fancy restaurant.

Shopping Tip: Feel free to swap out flank steak for hanger, skirt, round cap or another inexpensive cut based on what's available or on sale at your grocery store.

Ingredients
For the flank steak:
  • 1 pound flank steak
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Flaky sea salt, for garnish
For the Walnut-Scallion Pesto Bean Salad:
  • 1 ½ cups toasted walnut halves
  • 2 scallions, white and light green parts roughly chopped
  • ½ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, plus ¼ cup fresh leaves
  • ½ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
  • ½ lemon, juiced and zested
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • Salt and pepper
  • One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • Sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
  • Arugula, for serving
Preparation

For the flank steak, season the steak on all sides with kosher salt and let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make the pesto bean salad: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse half the walnuts, the scallions and chopped parsley until smooth. Add olive oil, lemon juice and zest, remaining walnuts, the mint and capers and pulse for about 1 minute until nuts are roughly chopped and evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adding olive oil as needed to loosen the paste. 

Toss ½ cup pesto with the beans, adding more pesto if desired, and set aside while the steak cooks. (Refrigerate any leftover pesto in an airtight container or freeze in ice cube trays.)

In a cast iron or heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over high until it shimmers. Sear the steak on both sides, flipping a few times, until desired doneness or an instant-read thermometer registers 130˚F, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into 1- to 2-inch strips. 

To serve, toss the arugula with the pesto beans and, if needed, more pesto. Divide among 4 serving plates. Arrange steak alongside, then drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and garnish with remaining parsley leaves.