Marinated Pork Spinach Salad
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A fresh salad featuring marinated pork flank steak grilled to juicy medium-rare, paired with baby spinach, grilled nectarines, fresh raspberries, and toasted walnuts. The pork marinade blends smoky paprika with cumin and dry mustard powder. A tangy tarragon vinaigrette finishes the dish. Dairy, gluten, and egg free. Quick marinate plus grill, then assemble with fruits and nuts for contrasting textures. Emphasis on color, texture, and balancing acidity with fat.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
37 min
Servings:
4 servings
#pork
#salad
#grilling
#healthy
#dairy free
#gluten free
#quick marinade
Pork flank, that underrated cut. So lean but if treated right, tender and bursting with punch. I learned by trial and error, acid too long kills the texture — a quick soak suffices. Smoke from paprika, a hint of cumin blur that line between sweet and savory. Grilled, not seared in pan, those marks hold flavor better and you avoid chewiness. Nectarines swap peaches — firmer, less mushy, withstand heat of grill. Raspberries for acidic sweet burst. Toasted walnuts instead of pacanes for crunchy raw bite and deep nutty aroma. Tarragon vinaigrette lifts whole thing, complex herbaceous with brightness from lime. I rarely use mayonnaise or creamy dressings here — too heavy. This salad is about balance, freshness, texture contrast — that snap of spinach, tart little berries, fat nut crunch, robust pork. Vinaigrette emulsifies with rough whisking — somewhere I cheat, but that’s the rhythm of home cook. Recipes aren’t scripture; I tweak. Grilling times will change with thickness, don’t rely on ice-cold meat or timers, feel resistance under finger, look for that blush inside. Rest—the underrated step. No carryover juices lost. Taking shortcuts here? You lose bite and mouthfeel. Eat it fresh or spinach wilts and fruits juice runs. So, timing is all. The dance of assembling a salad that stays alive on the plate.
Ingredients
Pork Flank Marinade
- 25 ml oil (2 tsp) avocado or olive oil
- 20 ml fresh lime juice (1 tbsp plus 1 tsp)
- 3 ml dry mustard powder (½ tsp)
- 3 ml smoked paprika (½ tsp plus a pinch)
- A pinch ground cumin
- 420 g (14 oz) pork flank steak (one piece)
Tarragon Vinaigrette
- 30 ml fresh lime juice (2 tbsp)
- 15 ml Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 100 ml grapeseed oil
- 10 ml fresh tarragon chopped
- Salt and pepper freshly ground
Salad
- 300 g (about 10 cups) baby spinach
- 2 nectarines sliced (firm, ripe)
- 125 ml fresh raspberries
- 100 ml toasted walnuts roughly chopped
About the ingredients
Switching from regular olive oil to avocado or grapeseed oil here cuts harsh bitterness and raises smoke point—important on hot grill or in dressing emulsification. Ditch dry mustard powder? Use ground turmeric or a pinch of curry powder for that warm undertone, but mustard gives bite and tang essential to pork marinade. Nectarines stand up better than peaches; peaches can be too soft and crumble when grilled, nectarines hold shape and caramelize better. If raspberries are pricey or out of season, sub with blackberries or thinly sliced strawberries — acidity balance must remain. Toasted walnuts add deeper roasted flavor and texture compared to pacanes, which give a lighter crunch but can be oily. Tarragon is a must in dressing, but if unavailable, fresh dill or basil can add fresh herb notes. Keep garlic finely minced—not crushed—to avoid bitter bursts. Salt just before serving; coats spinach without wilting it prematurely. Acid too strong? Cut lime juice with small splash of mild apple cider vinegar.
Method
Pork Flank Marinade
- Mix oil, lime juice, smoked paprika, cumin, and mustard powder in bowl. Coat pork thoroughly. Cover, refrigerate 25 min — no longer or acid will start cooking meat.
Vinaigrette
- Whisk lime juice, Dijon, garlic. Slowly drizzle in grapeseed oil while whisking. Stir in tarragon. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Grill Pork
- Heat grill or grill pan high, oil grate. Shake off marinade from pork; discard excess marinade. Season pork with salt and pepper. Grill 6-7 min each side for medium-rare. Look for dark grill marks, slight resistance when pressed. Rest 7 min on board tented loosely, juices settle.
- Slice thin across grain; grain running lengthwise here, so perpendicular slicing keeps tenderness.
Assemble Salad
- Scatter spinach over plates. Arrange pork slices evenly on top. Add nectarine slices and raspberries. Drizzle with tarragon vinaigrette. Sprinkle toasted walnuts last. Finish with fresh black pepper.
- Eat immediately to keep spinach bright and crisp; vinaigrette on leaves wilts spinach slowly but adds necessary flavor.
Cooking tips
Marinate no more than 30 minutes—acid denatures surface protein which breaks down texture. I use a whisk to emulsify vinaigrette—slow oil drizzle while whisking vigorously creates better emulsion than just shaking. Grain direction matters; slicing across grain means shorter fibers, yields tenderness. After grilling, the meat resists slight push, juices bead at surface, and grill marks are crisp — signals done medium rare. Overcooked pork easily gets tough fast. Resting allows juices reabsorb evenly; tent loosely with foil so crust stays dry, not steamed. Assemble salad last minute; spinach wilts quickly with dressing. Toast nuts fresh or re-toast briefly in dry pan to revive aroma. Mistakes: don’t soak spinach in dressing hours in advance—nothing soggy here. Grill too hot? Pork chars outside raw inside. Grill too low? No sear, flat flavor. Test fire temperature with hand: 2-3 seconds feels too hot. If no grill, use heavy cast iron pan and cook undisturbed to get crust. Visual cues beat timers every time, trust your senses.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Marinate no longer than 25-30 min to avoid acid breaking down pork texture into mush. Watch clock or pork gets grainy, chewy. Marinade clings better if pork is dry-patted—not wet. Smoked paprika layered with cumin turns marinade smoky-sweet, skip paprika and lose depth. Mustard powder sharpens, but turmeric or curry powder can patch if missing. Shake off marinade well before grilling to stop flare-ups, uneven char.
- 💡 Heat grill hot and oil grates thoroughly. If temp too low, pork steams, no grill marks, flat taste. Too hot? Outer burns raw inside. Use fingers to test resistance while cooking. Medium-rare shows slight bounce, firm edges but soft center. Rest meat 7 minutes loosely tented—juices reabsorb, no steamed crust. Don’t skip resting or fork juice runs out whole salad dries. Slice across grain see visible muscle fibers short, bite tenderness leaps.
- 💡 Vinaigrette wins with slow oil drizzle, whisk frantic at same time—emulsifies thicker, clings to leaves better. Tarragon sharp but balanced by lime bright acid. Sub fresh dill or basil if no tarragon, changes flavor profile but keeps herbal pop. Garlic must be minced finely enough to disappear—too coarse turns bitter. Salt last minute; early salt wilts baby spinach into soggy mess. Add fresh cracked pepper for final punch.
- 💡 Nectarines chosen over peaches for grill firmness. Peaches often too soft, collapse under heat making texture dull. Raspberries best fresh, bursting tart contrast. Out of season? Blackberries or strawberries sliced thin work fine but try to keep acidic sharpness. Toast walnuts ahead on dry pan not too long—revive aroma without burning nuts oily. Nut aroma signals coat leaf crunch—skip if allergy, use toasts seeds instead.
- 💡 Assemble last second to keep spinach leaves bright, crisp. Dressing on leaves slowly wilts. Spinach soaking in vinaigrette too long becomes limp, loses structural snap. Timing from grill off to serving less than 10 min max. Black pepper last touch. Salad cold but pork still tender-warm; warm protein over cold greens gives balance. Juices resting in meat hit ripe fruit, nuts. Complex mouthfeel from textural play.
Common questions
How long to marinate pork flank?
20-30 min tops. Acid keeps breaking down texture after, turns mushy. Flavors in marinade seep quick enough. Thicker meat needs careful timing. Dry meat before marinade, coats better. Longer soak just ruining chew.
Can I use peaches instead of nectarines?
Peaches soften fast grilling, turn mushy. Nectarines hold shape better, crisp edges caramelize. If only peaches, grill fast on high heat, watch close. Or slice thin to speed cook through without collapse.
What if no grill for pork?
Use heavy cast iron pan, preheat well. Oil grate substitute with oil pan surface. No flipping too early, let crust build undisturbed. Visual cues like bubbling fat edges and smell replace grill marks. Heat well, don’t crowd pan.
How to store leftovers?
Keep dressing away from spinach till serving to avoid sogginess. Pork slices stored airtight in fridge 2-3 days max. Reheat lightly—dry pork kills texture fast. Nuts lose crunch if stored with moisture. Salad best fresh but separate components last hours fine.
