For a quick flavorful dinner, turn on the grill and prepare this Asian steak with scallion walnut sauce. A satisfying meal that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
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What makes this dish special
A couple of years ago, the local market a few blocks from me closed and reopened as an Asian market, 99 Ranch. Most of the 99 Ranch markets I've been to aren't the cleanest but this one was brand spanking new. I loved it. With more space, this market offered a better selection of produce, seafood, and meat.
The first time I saw rib-eye on sale for $5.99 per pound, I jumped at the chance to buy several steaks. Tired of the classic American-style steaks with horseradish cream (or A1!), I decided to mix it up today. An Asian steak with scallion walnut sauce was calling my name and I'm sure glad I listened! This dinner comes together in 30 minutes and is perfectly seasoned with a savory, nutty, slightly tart sauce. Delicious! And for another fantastic Asian steak, check out this triple pepper crusted steak!
Ingredients
- Rib eye steak: The main protein of the dish, providing rich flavor and tender texture. You can use other cuts like sirloin, New York strip, or flank steak.
- Soy sauce: Adds umami flavor and saltiness to the marinade, enhancing the steak's taste.
- Sake: Tenderizes the meat and adds subtle sweetness to the marinade.
- Scallions: Provides the base for the sauce, adding a mild onion flavor and freshness.
- Walnuts: Adds texture and a nutty flavor to the sauce, complementing the scallions. You can substitute the walnuts with pine nuts or almonds if desired.
- Sherry vinegar: Adds acidity and depth to the sauce, balancing the richness of the steak and nuts.
Substitutions and variations
- Spicy: Add chopped Thai chilies in the scallion walnut sauce for a spicy kick.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Marinade steak
Whenever I buy steak, I always look for signs of marbling in the meat. Certain cuts tend to be leaner than others which means you have to extra cautious not to overcook it. Fattier cuts can be a little more forgiving since it will be more tender.
Ribeye is my standard go-to but New York strip, tenderloin, and top sirloin are also great choices. Hanger steak and skirt steak are also incredibly delicious and tender on its own; imagine how much better it will be with this recipe!
To prepare the steak, first let it marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, sake, black pepper, and granulated garlic. You only need 20 minutes to infuse the steak with enough flavor. However, you can marinate it for up to 1 hour.
I don't recommend letting it sit overnight because it can get too salty from the soy sauce.
Step 2: Make scallion walnut sauce
While the meat is marinating, make the scallion walnut sauce. Since we're grilling the steaks, we're going to use the same heat source to prepare the scallions.
If you're cooking the steaks on the stovetop, you can char the scallions in a pan over medium-high heat.
Toss the scallions in olive oil and cook on the grill until beautifully charred on both sides.
Remove the scallions from the grill and combine them with toasted walnuts, garlic, sherry vinegar, sugar, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Puree the mixture until a paste forms and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Feel free to prepare the sauce the day before but just be aware that the color will dull as it sits.
Step 3: Cook steaks
By now the steak should be ready to be cooked. Remove them from the marinade and cook them on the heated grill until your desired degree of doneness.
Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes to let the juices permeate before slicing.
Serve the Asian steak with scallion walnut sauce and dig in while it's hot! I put a generous helping of the sauce on the steaks for extra nutty, savory, herby goodness. Quick and satisfying to say the least!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can make the marinade and scallion walnut sauce the day before.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely. You can use a grill pan or cast-iron skillet on the stovetop, or use the reverse-sear method for the oven.
For medium-rare, cook about 4-5 minutes per side for a 1-inch thick steak. The internal temperature for a medium-rare steak is 130-135 degrees F.
More Asian beef recipes
Looking for more Asian beef ideas? Try these:
Recipe
Asian Steak with Scallion Walnut Sauce
Ingredients
Rib eye steaks
- 1 pound rib eye steak boneless
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sake
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Charred scallion sauce
- 8 scallions
- 7 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ⅓ cup toasted chopped walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Combine soy sauce with sake, granulated garlic, and black pepper for the steak. Add the steak and marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Toss scallions in 1 tablespoon oil and lay in one layer on the grill. Cook until lightly charred on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the grill and roughly chop scallions.
- Combine scallions with walnuts, 6 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, sherry vinegar, and sugar in a food processor or blender. Puree until the mixture becomes a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Lay steaks on the grill and cook until the desired degree of doneness.
- Remove steaks from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with scallion sauce.
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