Mouthwatering Sweet Potato Fry Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Butter

If you ask me, sweet potato fries belong on salads just as much as they belong on your plate next to a burger.

This hearty steak salad brings together crispy homemade sweet potato fries with juicy ribeye and a rich blue cheese butter that melts right into the warm ingredients. The chipotle-spiced fries add a nice kick, while the creamy gorgonzola butter brings everything together.

It’s topped with a simple honey-balsamic dressing that has just enough sweetness to balance the bold flavors. Fresh romaine, cherry tomatoes, and avocado keep things light and fresh.

It’s a filling dinner salad that feels a bit fancy but comes together without much fuss.

What Kind of Steak Should I Use?

Ribeye is my go-to for this recipe because it has great marbling that keeps the meat juicy and flavorful, but you can definitely swap in other cuts if that’s what you have on hand. Strip steak or sirloin are solid alternatives that will work just as well, though they’ll be a bit leaner than ribeye. If you’re watching your budget, even a good quality flank steak or flat iron will taste great here – just make sure to slice it against the grain after cooking. When picking out your steak at the store, look for one that’s at least an inch thick so you can get a nice sear on the outside while keeping the inside perfectly medium-rare.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Sweet potatoes: Regular russet potatoes or butternut squash work great if you’re not a sweet potato fan. Keep the same cooking method and seasoning.
• Ribeye steak: Any good steak cut works here – try sirloin, strip steak, or flank steak. Just adjust cooking time based on thickness. You could even use grilled chicken if you prefer.
• Gorgonzola: Not into blue cheese? Try feta, goat cheese, or even shredded parmesan. The butter will still be tasty with any of these options.
• Romaine: Mixed greens, arugula, or spinach all work well. Just pick something sturdy enough to hold up to the warm ingredients.
• Chipotle powder: Smoked paprika or regular chili powder can step in if you don’t have chipotle. Start with half the amount if using regular chili powder as it can be spicier.
• Balsamic vinegar: Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work in the dressing. You might want to add a touch more honey to balance the acidity.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this salad is not letting your steak come to room temperature before cooking, which leads to uneven cooking with a cold center and overcooked edges – pull it out of the fridge a full 30 minutes before you plan to cook.

Another common error is cutting into the steak right away to check doneness, but those juices you see running out are exactly what keeps your meat tender, so use an instant-read thermometer instead (aim for 130°F for medium-rare) and always let it rest for at least 5 minutes.

Don’t overcrowd your sweet potato fries on the baking sheet or they’ll steam instead of crisp up – spread them in a single layer with space between each piece, and if needed, use two sheets.

Finally, make sure your blue cheese butter is at room temperature before mixing so it spreads easily over the hot steak, and dress your greens right before serving to prevent them from getting soggy.

What to Serve With Sweet Potato Fry Steak Salad?

This salad is already pretty hearty with the steak and sweet potato fries, so you don’t need much else to make it a complete meal. A warm baguette or some crusty bread on the side is perfect for soaking up that balsamic dressing and any melted blue cheese butter. If you’re feeding a crowd, you could add a simple soup like French onion or a light vegetable broth to start things off. For drinks, this pairs really well with a bold red wine or even a cold beer if you want to keep things casual.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep the components separate for best results. Store the cooked steak and sweet potato fries in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The blue cheese butter can hang out in the fridge for about a week. Keep the greens and dressing separate until you’re ready to eat, otherwise things get soggy fast.

Prep Ahead: This salad is great for meal prep if you keep everything separate. Cook the sweet potato fries and steak ahead of time, make the blue cheese butter, and prep your dressing. When it’s time to eat, just warm up the fries and steak, toss your salad together, and you’re good to go.

Reheat: Warm the sweet potato fries in the oven at 400°F for about 5-7 minutes to crisp them back up. For the steak, let it come to room temperature first, then quickly sear it in a hot pan for about 30 seconds per side. The microwave works in a pinch, but you’ll lose some of that nice texture.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2050-2250
• Protein: 70-85 g
• Fat: 155-170 g
• Carbohydrates: 140-160 g

Ingredients

For the sweet potato fries:

• 3 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick matchsticks)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli for roasting)
• 1.5 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For the steak and blue cheese butter:

• 10 oz ribeye steak (rested at room temperature for 30 minutes)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 oz gorgonzola (crumbled into small bits for even melting)
• 2.5 tbsp fresh basil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2.5 tsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (I always use Grey Poupon)
• 1 shallot (finely minced, about 1/8-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

For the salad base:

• 6 cups romaine lettuce (chopped into 1-inch ribbons)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
• 1 avocado

Step 1: Prepare the Sweet Potato Fries

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch matchsticks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

While it heats, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch thick matchsticks—try to keep them uniform in size so they cook evenly.

In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato fries with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper until well coated.

Spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 15-20 minutes.

Flip or shake the fries and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes until golden and crispy at the edges.

Step 2: Make the Blue Cheese Butter and Balsamic Dressing

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 oz gorgonzola, crumbled
• 2.5 tbsp fresh basil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2.5 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

While the fries roast, prepare the blue cheese butter by combining the butter, crumbled gorgonzola, and fresh basil in a small bowl.

Mix until well combined and set aside at room temperature so it stays spreadable.

For the dressing, whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a jar or small bowl.

This vinaigrette is best shaken or whisked just before using to keep the emulsion intact.

Step 3: Sear and Rest the Ribeye Steak

• 10 oz ribeye steak
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Remove the ribeye from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking—this ensures even cooking from edge to center.

Heat a grill or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot.

Rub the steak with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

Sear the steak 5-8 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness and your heat source.

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes—I always rest my steak this way because it keeps the juices locked inside instead of running onto the plate.

Step 4: Assemble and Finish the Steak

• cooked ribeye steak from Step 3
• blue cheese butter mixture from Step 2

After the steak has rested, spread a generous amount of the blue cheese butter mixture from Step 2 over the top while it’s still warm—the residual heat will melt the butter slightly and create a rich glaze.

Slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch thick strips.

The melted cheese butter will coat each slice beautifully.

Step 5: Build the Salad Base

• 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped into 1-inch ribbons
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 avocado, sliced
• balsamic dressing from Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced avocado.

Whisk or shake the balsamic dressing from Step 2 one more time to emulsify, then pour it over the salad.

Toss gently to coat everything evenly without breaking up the avocado.

I always dress the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and the avocado from browning.

Step 6: Plate and Serve

• dressed salad from Step 5
• roasted sweet potato fries from Step 1
• sliced steak with blue cheese butter from Step 4

Divide the dressed salad between serving plates.

Top each salad with a portion of the golden sweet potato fries from Step 1 and the sliced blue cheese butter steak from Step 4.

Serve immediately while the fries are crispy and the steak is still warm.

Mouthwatering Sweet Potato Fry Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Butter

Delicious Mouthwatering Sweet Potato Fry Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Butter recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 2 servings

Calories 2150 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the sweet potato fries::

• 3 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick matchsticks)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (I prefer Bertolli for roasting)
• 1.5 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For the steak and blue cheese butter::

• 10 oz ribeye steak (rested at room temperature for 30 minutes)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 oz gorgonzola (crumbled into small bits for even melting)
• 2.5 tbsp fresh basil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette::

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2.5 tsp honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (I always use Grey Poupon)
• 1 shallot (finely minced, about 1/8-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

For the salad base::

• 6 cups romaine lettuce (chopped into 1-inch ribbons)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved lengthwise)
• 1 avocado

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 425°F. While it heats, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch thick matchsticks—try to keep them uniform in size so they cook evenly. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato fries with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper until well coated. Spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 15-20 minutes. Flip or shake the fries and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes until golden and crispy at the edges.
• While the fries roast, prepare the blue cheese butter by combining the butter, crumbled gorgonzola, and fresh basil in a small bowl. Mix until well combined and set aside at room temperature so it stays spreadable. For the dressing, whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a jar or small bowl. This vinaigrette is best shaken or whisked just before using to keep the emulsion intact.
• Remove the ribeye from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking—this ensures even cooking from edge to center. Heat a grill or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot. Rub the steak with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear the steak 5-8 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness and your heat source. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes—I always rest my steak this way because it keeps the juices locked inside instead of running onto the plate.
• After the steak has rested, spread a generous amount of the blue cheese butter mixture from Step 2 over the top while it's still warm—the residual heat will melt the butter slightly and create a rich glaze. Slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch thick strips. The melted cheese butter will coat each slice beautifully.
• In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced avocado. Whisk or shake the balsamic dressing from Step 2 one more time to emulsify, then pour it over the salad. Toss gently to coat everything evenly without breaking up the avocado. I always dress the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and the avocado from browning.
• Divide the dressed salad between serving plates. Top each salad with a portion of the golden sweet potato fries from Step 1 and the sliced blue cheese butter steak from Step 4. Serve immediately while the fries are crispy and the steak is still warm.