Best Low Sodium Steak Caesar Salad Recipe

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This Low Sodium Steak Caesar Salad has it all—tender steak, crunchy lettuce, homemade croutons, and a creamy dressing you’ll want on everything. It has all the flavor of a classic Caesar with a fraction of the sodium!

When you’re on a low sodium diet, enjoying any dish with steak in it might seem like an off-limits indulgence, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is moderation and making mindful choices. Since we transitioned to a low sodium lifestyle, we’ve made a conscious decision to eat less red meat. It’s typically higher in saturated fat, which can lead to high cholesterol. But when we crave a steak, we have a steak prepared as healthfully as possible. 

One way I manage our family’s steak cravings is by adding it to a salad, like this Steak Caesar salad. You get the amazing taste of a classic caesar salad with a meaty bonus! It delivers all the flavor, juiciness, and satisfaction of steak—just in a lighter, more balanced way. Instead of eating an entire steak, a few slices on a bed of crispy romaine lettuce with crunchy homemade croutons, shaved parmesan cheese, and a homemade Caesar dressing hits the spot. You get the flavor and texture of red meat, just less of it.

You should always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet, but enjoying red meat occasionally isn’t all bad. It can be part of a healthy diet, when it’s consumed in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends choosing lean steaks and limiting your portion size to three ounces. I recommend making this Low Sodium Steak Caesar salad the next time you’re jonesing for a steak.

Ingredients

Steak – Ribeyes are our favorite steak for a splurge. They’re delicious and you can find them with no added sodium, but they can be fatty. You can choose leaner beef steaks, like a top sirloin, strip, tenderloin or skirt steak. 

The Best Salt Free Rub for Steaks — I used to love Montreal Steak Seasoning in the Before Times – before my family went low sodium. This rub is what I developed to replace it once the store-bought version was no longer an option. Just 1/4 teaspoon of Montreal Steak Seasoning contains 250mg sodium! I developed the recipe specifically for steaks, but I put it on everything!

Romaine Lettuce – Romaine lettuce is the traditional lettuce for Caesar Salad. I love using romaine hearts for the biggest crunch.

Parmesan Cheese – Look for the parm with the lowest sodium. The brand I used contained about 135mg in ¼ cup.  Instead of grating the cheese finely, I prefer to use a vegetable peeler to shave off curls of cheese.

Low Sodium Air Fryer Croutons — These croutons are delicious and so easy to make with low sodium bread. You can also swap them for your favorite croutons. (If you’ve found a low sodium store bought crouton that’s tasty, please share!) If you don’t have an air fryer you can make croutons by tossing cubed bread with olive oil and seasonings, placing them on a baking sheet or sheet pan in a single layer and baking them in the oven until they’re crisp and golden brown.

Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies 

Tools:

Air Fryer — Cooking steak in an air fryer is a breeze! This is a wonderful option that can save time and minimize your kitchen mess. Make sure your air fryer is large enough to comfortably hold a steak. Check out my Air Fryer Ribeye for step-by-step instructions.

Large Sauté Pan 

Tongs — Use tongs with silicon tips to avoid piercing the crust on the steak once they’re cooked.

Large Bowl

How to Make Low Sodium Steak Caesar Salad 

You can get this salad on the table quickly if you’ve already prepared the make ahead components, the salad dressing and the croutons, but even if you’re starting from scratch, this dinner salad can be on your table in a jiffy. Whisk your spice rub together in a small bowl and while your steak cooks, you can blitz the dressing ingredients together in your blender and prep the lettuce. If you’ve prepped these items already, all that’s left to do is to cook and slice your steak and combine it with the rest of the salad. 

I use my Air Fryer Ribeye for this salad, but you can also cook your pan on your stovetop in a large pan or skillet or using a grill pan. For the air fryer, brush both sides of the steak with olive oil then season generously with a salt free rub or your favorite no salt seasoning. You can also spray your steak with nonstick spray. Place steak in preheated air fryer basket and air fry it for 4-5 minutes. Flip it , and cook an additional 4-5 minutes for medium rare. Let steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

For the stovetop, start by preheating a teaspoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the seasoned steak to the pan — you should hear a big sizzle — and cook it for five to six minutes per side for a medium rare steak. Remove it from the pan or air fryer and let the steak rest for 5-6 minutes. To assemble the salad, place the lettuce in a large bowl or on a large platter. Cut the steak into thin slices or bite-size pieces, whichever you prefer. Add it to the lettuce with the homemade croutons, shaved parm and creamy caesar dressing and you’re ready to eat!

Variations on a Delicious Theme

It’s easy to switch this recipe up. You can use any cut of steak, from flank steak to skirt steak for this salad. Romaine is the traditional choice for a Caesar Salad, but swapping the romaine for another crisp green like Bibb lettuce or Boston lettuce or Little Gem lettuce will produce an equally delicious salad. I love this salad when I get a hankering for a steak, but you could easily turn this into a chicken caesar salad by topping it with sliced or shredded chicken. No croutons? No problem! Toast some bread crumbs and season them with your favorite salt-free seasoning. A sprinkle of these over your salad will give you a flavorful, tasty crunch. You can break away from tradition all together and toss in a handful of sliced cherry tomatoes or other veggies,

Steak Caesar Salad FAQs 

How much sodium is in this recipe?

This recipe contains 139.9 mg sodium per serving.

Do I have to use a rub on the steak?

Technically, no, but you’ll be missing out on a ton of flavor. A dry spice rub is an easy and effective way to season your steak. coating the surface of the steak with a rub also creates the a delicious, slightly crunchy crust when the steak is cooked. If you’re purchasing a rub, check the sodium count. Most store-bought spice blends are loaded with salt. Mixing your own is the best way to control the sodium content. My Salt Free Rub for Steaks is perfect for this recipe.

Do I have to preheat my air fryer or the pan?

Absolutely! You should treat your air fryer just like you would your frying pan or skillet and allow it to preheat for 1-2 minutes before adding your steak. You need a hot pan – medium high heat is best – or air fryer to cook the steak properly. A cool or warm pan won’t brown your steak properly or give it a nice, crispy surface. If you’ve used your air fryer to make 

Low Sodium Air Fryer Croutons, it should already be hot enough for your steak.

Do I have to let my steak rest after cooking?

Technically, no, but you’ll be making a huge mistake if you skip this step! When steak cooks, all of the moisture and juices inside bubble up to the surface. If you slice your steak when it’s fresh out of the hot pan or air fryer, all those juices will spill out onto your cutting board. Letting the steak rest, just for a minute or two, gives the juices time to redistribute themselves throughout the steak, resulting in a juicy, tender steak. 

When should I add the dressing to the salad?

Add the dressing just before serving. Even hardy romaine lettuce will become soggy if it sits in the dressing too long. 

Do I have to make the salad dressing from scratch?

I’m partial to my homemade Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing without Anchovies, but you can substitute a low sodium store-bought version. Check out my list of store-bought low sodium salad dressings here. 

More Recipes Like This One

If you like this recipe, try my Low Sodium Air Fryer Ribeye, Low Sodium Air Fryer Croutons, and Low Sodium Caesar Salad Dressing.

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