Marry Me Steak Sandwich
Juicy seared flank steak piled into toasted ciabatta with a rich sun-dried tomato Parmesan cream sauce, peppery arugula and tangy quick-pickled red onions. The "marry me" treatment, sandwich edition — one bite explains the name.
Prep
25 min
Cook
20 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4
Ingredients
Quick-pickled red onions
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Steak
- 1 1/2 lbs flank or sirloin steak
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
Creamy sun-dried tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Assembly
- 4 large ciabatta rolls
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 tbsp olive oil, for toasting
Method
- 1
Stir the sliced red onion with the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small bowl and let sit 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pat the steak dry and season generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high until almost smoking, then sear the steak 3–5 minutes per side for medium-rare (130–135°F). Rest the steak on a board, tented loosely with foil, at least 10 minutes — resting is what keeps it juicy. In the same unwashed skillet over medium-low, melt the butter and sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer 1–2 minutes. Stir in the cream and red pepper flakes and simmer gently 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened, then take off the heat and stir in the Parmesan and basil until smooth. Season to taste. Split and lightly oil the ciabatta rolls, then toast until golden — a couple of minutes in the skillet or under the broiler. Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain.
- 2
Spread sauce generously on both halves of each roll, layer arugula on the bottom, pile on the steak, top with drained pickled onions, close and serve immediately.
- 3
Bon appetit
Tips
- Slicing against the grain is the whole game with flank steak — thin cross-grain slices eat tender, with-the-grain slices eat like rope.
- Don't clean the steak skillet before making the sauce; the fond is flavor money in the bank.
- The pickled onions can be made hours ahead and get better as they sit.
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