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RECIPE

Skirt Steak with Fregola-Orange Salad

Tender, flavorful skirt steak meets a bright, fresh salad of fregola, sweet navel oranges, crisp fennel, peppery arugula, and radishes. A chile-rubbed steak and savory black olive tapenade add depth, making this a vibrant, satisfying meal for a summer dinner or casual entertaining.

50 minutes Total Time
SERVES 6 People
Intermediate Difficulty
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Skirt Steak with Fregola-Orange Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pound skirt steak, cut crosswise into 6-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup fregola, or Israeli couscous
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ small onion, sliced into ¼-inch slabs
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2 medium navel oranges, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 5 ounces baby arugula
  • 4 large radishes, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup black olive tapenade
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How to Make It

  • Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the fregola and cook until al dente, about 20 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Shake off excess water and set aside.
  • Rub the skirt steak evenly with the ancho chile powder and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • For outdoor grilling, heat a grill to high. Alternatively, heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat in the kitchen. Add a small amount of oil if needed, then cook the steak and onion slabs for about 3–4 minutes per side, turning the onions as needed, until the steak is nicely browned and reaches 125–130°F internally for medium-rare. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
  • Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes. Allow the grilled onions to cool slightly, then coarsely chop.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice into the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Add the fennel, oranges, arugula, radishes, cooked fregola, and grilled onion to the bowl. Toss gently until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
  • Thinly slice the rested skirt steak across the grain. This is especially important with skirt steak, as slicing against the grain makes the meat noticeably more tender.
  • Arrange the sliced steak on serving plates and spoon the black olive tapenade over the meat. Mound the fregola-orange salad alongside and serve immediately.

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