Grilled Za'atar Steak And Sweet Potato Bowl Recipe

A nice steak dinner doesn't have to mean going out to a fancy steakhouse and splurging on a filet mignon or ribeye. You can grill beef at home with just the right seasonings to give any restaurant a run for its money. Tasting Table recipe developer Julianne De Witt brings us this grilled za'atar steak and sweet potato bowl recipe, that easily answers the eternal "what's for dinner?" question. With some basic ingredients and a flavor-packed steak seasoning and salad vinaigrette, this recipe is everything you'd want from a main course. 

De Witt shares, "I like this because it's light, healthy, and delicious," and points out that it's "perfect for a weeknight dinner because it's so easy to put together." Since you're doing a few tasks at once, everything comes together smoothly, with no competition for oven or burner space. Roasted sweet potatoes infuse this dish with caramelized flavors, while a za'atar crust gives the sliced steak a richly savory taste. Paired with a mixed green salad, this simple meal checks all the boxes to satisfy your hunger.

For this recipe, get a medium sweet potato, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Next, you'll need fresh squeezed lime juice, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, honey, and sumac. De Witt calls for a juicy New York strip steak for this recipe, seasoned with za'atar. "I like using striploin (also known as a New York strip) for salads for the even marbling and beefy flavor," she comments.

For the salad, get mixed baby greens and microgreens, which De Witt likes due to their nutritious makeup and great taste. Or, use your favorite leafy greens to give the dish a personal touch. Finally, slice small radishes and halve some cherry tomatoes. 

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Peel the sweet potato and dice into 1-inch pieces.

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium sized bowl and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Place sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside when they're done baking.

Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by adding the remaining olive oil, lime juice, Dijon, shallots, honey, sumac, salt, and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

Coat steak on both sides with za'atar, salt, and pepper. Press spices into steak. Allow steak to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Add a drizzle of neutral oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Sear the steak for 3 minutes then flip and continue cooking for 4 to 6 minutes until desired temperature is reached. (125 F for rare and 135 F for medium-rare.)

Allow the steak to rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

Assemble the salads by dividing the greens between bowls. Top with sliced steak, sweet potatoes, radishes, and tomatoes. Serve with vinaigrette.

If you don't cook steak regularly, or if you're used to working with a different cut than a New York strip, it can be tricky to be sure it's done to your liking. For this reason, De Witt recommends, "Use a meat thermometer to take the guesswork out of cooking your steak." Depending on your desired doneness, the internal temperature will range from 118 F for a rare steak to 154 F for well done. Medium doneness is around 136 F, with a range of plus or minus 10 degrees for medium rare and medium well.

You might be tempted to slice into the steak right after you take it out of the pan, but the resting time is critical to retain the meat juices and guarantee a tender consistency. De Witt also notes, "Having the steak rest at room temperature with the spices gives some time for the flavors to be absorbed into the meat." You wouldn't want to miss out on all that succulent flavor!

Za'atar and sumac really make this dish pop with flavor, and they are seasoning stars you'll want to use in multiple dishes. As De Witt explains, "Sumac is ground dried berries from the sumac tree. The flavor has citrus and floral notes and lends itself well to vinaigrettes." It adds a pleasantly tangy zest that elevates the taste of the lime juice. 

Sumac is also a component of za'atar, a savory herb blend that brings earthiness and a rich touch to recipes. Typically, it contains dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, and salt, though there are variations depending on its country of origin in the Middle East. You can also combine the herbs yourself to make your own blend. 

"Za'atar is a very versatile spice mix," De Witt highlights and suggests using it as a rub for other proteins like chicken, fish, and lamb. Keep it simple by using it to garnish hummus or avocado toast, or try it in a fattoush salad. De Witt describes it as "a Lebanese dish containing toasted pita, greens tomatoes, and cucumbers tossed in vinaigrette," a fantastic side salad for any meal.