This Cast Iron Steak Dinner is a balanced, nutritious, and tasty meal for two. It’s packed with high quality protein, fat, and fiber to keep you full and satisfied.
Having been in quarantine for about 3 weeks, I’m desperate for a little variety in my diet. I can only eat chicken, Brussel sprouts, and sweet potato so often. Don’t get me wrong, I love those foods, but I’m always trying to create new recipes to keep my taste buds guessing.
Blake and I recently make Gluten Free Sourdough Pizzas, which was a fun way to mix it up, but I can’t stop there! I recently bought a slab or London broil steak at Sprouts, which I haven’t had in years. I forgot how delicious (and affordable) it is! I cooked the steak in a cast iron skillet with fresh Swiss chard and quickly realized it was a new favorite dinner of mine!
Cooking with a Cast Iron Skillet
I literally use my cast iron skillet to cook everything- breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can use it on the stove or in the oven. Bake with it, sauté in it, you name it. Benefits of cooking with a cast iron skillet include:
- non-stick material
- easy to clean
- source of iron
- affordable
- durable
If you don’t cook with a cast iron skillet yet, you’re missing out! You can get one on Amazon, here, for about $20. I mean, why not?
It’s important to season your cast iron pan properly after use. And honestly, it’s way easier than it sounds! I procrastinated on properly seasoning my cast iron pan and it always resulted in food sticking to the pan. No good. The Kitchen has a great, easy tutorial on how to properly season your cast iron skillet, but I’ll give you a quick run down on how I take care of mine:
- After use, let the skillet cool until it’s cool enough to handle. Use a metal scrubber and a little bit of warm water to remove food residue. Wipe dry with a clean towel.
- Use avocado oil , coconut oil, or another cooking fat to lightly coat the pan. I prefer to use an avocado oil spray because it’s so easy. Always make sure the oil is the ONLY ingredient in any cooking spray you use!
- If you just used the oven, place the skillet in the warm oven. Otherwise, turn on the oven to 350F and place the skillet inside. After ten minutes, turn off the oven. Let the skillet sit in the oven until it cools down.
- And, that’s it. Your skillet it ready to reuse!
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Cast Iron Skillet
I use my cast iron skillet to cook almost anything and everything. It’s key to cooking the perfect steak at home! You can get my cast iron skillet, here.
London Broil Steak
I haven’t eaten London broil steak since I was a kid. It was a frequent in our home!
I get this hefty slab of grass-fed beef from Sprouts. It’s affordable, tasty, and nutritious! You can try making this recipe with a different cut of beef. However, I recommend looking up cooking temperatures and times for that specific cut.
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a new favorite for me! I usually stick with kale because it’s familiar and I know I like it. But, while Swiss chard is in season, I decided to give it a try, and to my surprise, I love it. The texture and taste is similar to kale, yet slightly different. I love cooking the chard in the same skillet as the steak (or any meat, really) because it soaks up the delicious and nutritious juice and seasonings!
Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is a diet staple for me. I often roast cubed butternut squash and eat it with eggs for breakfast. But, it’s also a great nutrient-dense, low-carb replacement for potatoes at dinner. You can make it savory with sea salt and garlic. Or, try it sweet with cinnamon and local honey. I’ve eaten it both ways in this recipe. Personally, I have a thing for sweets, so the sweet version is my pick. But, you really can’t go wrong with either!
Cast Iron Steak Dinner
This Cast Iron Steak is a balanced, nutritious, and tasty meal for two. It's packed with high quality protein, fat, and fiber.
Ingredients
- 8-10 ounces London broil steak
- 4 cups fresh Swiss chard, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Butternut Squash Mash
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Optional:
- Make it sweet with: cinnamon and honey
- Make it savory with: garlic and black pepper
Instructions
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400F. Carefully cut off the ends of the squash and slice in half long ways.
- Place the squash on the baking dish, flesh side down. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until you can easily pierce the flesh with a fork.
- Meanwhile, season both sides of the steak with sea salt and black pepper. Place in a cast iron pan and set aside.
- Once the squash is done, remove it from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- While the squash is cooling, sear both sides of the steak (about 1 minute per side) over medium-high heat on the stove. Remove from heat and add the chopped swiss chard around the steak.
- Using hot pads, place the pan in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes at 400F.
- While the steak is in the oven, use a spoon to remove the seeds from the squash and discard. Then, scoop out the flesh from the skin and place in a bowl. Add coconut oil and sea salt. Use a fork, whisk, or masher to thoroughly mash the squash. Set aside.
- Once done, remove the steak from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Slice into thin slices. Serve the steak and chard over the mashed squash.
