Steak Tagliata, plus Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Juicy, chargrilled Steak Tagliata served with a fresh, bright and zingy tomato, herb salad with creamy buffalo mozzarella cheese. If you're looking for a fresh and good way to serve steak that's suited to summer, this is it!

Tagliata di Manzo (cut or sliced beef) is a popular way to serve steak in Italy. It's a thick-cut steak, chargrilled to perfection then sliced up for sharing.

For our steak tagliata recipe, we used thick-cut sirloin but boneless ribeye or flank steak would work well too. We served it with a fresh tomato salad with parsley, basil and creamy buffalo mozzarella cheese.

It's insanely good and SO suited to summer when ripe and juicy tomatoes are in season. We like our steak cooked rare but we've provided cooking times in the recipe so you can serve yours how you like it, Buon Appetito!

Ingredients – what you need

See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make steak tagliata plus some important tips on ingredients!

• Steak – we used thick cut sirloin steak at 1 inch thick (see photos & video) but you could also use boneless ribeye, flank steak, or even fillet.
• Tomatoes – cherry tomatoes work great because they add sweetness but feel to use any fresh and ripe tomatoes you like.
• Herbs – we used fresh parsely and basil, always, always use fresh herbs and not dried.
• Capers & anchovies – if you don't like anchovies it's no big deal you can leave them out but they add SO much flavour (there's no fishy taste in the salad).
• Red wine vinegar – this helps to lift and brighten all the flavours!
• Arugula – arugula/rocket is a nice peppery salad green but you can use any kind of salad you prefer.
• Buffalo mozzarella – Buffalo mozzarella is extra rich and creamy but you can use any good quality mozzarella you like.

Cut the tomatoes into quarters and add to a large mixing bowl. Finely chop the parsley, basil, capers and anchovies and add them to the bowl with the red wine vinegar. Mix to combine and set aside (photos 1 & 2).

Heat a grill or griddle pan until smoking hot. Season each side of the steak with a good pinch of salt and pepper and rub lightly in olive oil (photo 3).

Using tongs, place one steak at a time fat side down to sear the fat until golden brown (about 1 minute). If your steak doesn't have fat on one side, skip this step (photo 4).

Next, fry the steaks on each side for 3.5 minutes (rare) or 4 minutes (medium-rare) See notes for more cooking times (photos 5 & 6).

Once cooked, transfer the steaks to a clean cutting board to rest for a couple of minutes.

Divide the arugula between two plates, cut the steak into strips and add to the plates. Add torn pieces of mozzarella then top with the tomato salad. Drizzle over a little olive oil and serve (photos 7 & 8).

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Steak cooking times – for a thick-cut steak (1 inch thickness) you want to cook the steak on a hot grill for 3.5 minutes each side for rare, 4 minutes each side for medium-rare and 4.5 minutes each side for medium. Times will vary depending on the thickness of your steak.
• Let the steak rest before cutting – it's important to let the steak rest for a couple of minutes before cutting to allow the juices and flavour to absorb back into the meat.
• Serving suggestions – if you'd like to add some extra sides Italian Roast PotatoesItalian Green Beans or White Bean Mash With Rosemary And Lemon are great options.

What cut of meat is tagliata?

Although a common question, tagliata is not a cut of meat. It comes from the verb 'tagliare' which means 'to cut' in Italian.

More Italian recipes you might like

• Steak Pizzaiola – (Carne alla Pizzaiola)
• Florentine Steak – Porterhouse Chargrilled
• Arugula Salad with lemon and Parmesan
• Easy Green Bean Salad with Mustard and Garlic Dressing

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

• 2 1 inch thick-cut sirloin steaks ((flank or ribeye will also work))
• 2 cups arugula/rocket ((50g))
• 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes ((200g))
• ½ cup fresh parsley ((small handful))
• 6-7 basil leaves
• 1 tbsp capers in brine (drained)
• 2 anchovies
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 ball buffalo mozzarella ((125g/4.4oz))
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and add to a large mixing bowl. Finely chop the parsley, basil, capers and anchovies and add them to the bowl with the red wine vinegar. Mix to combine and set aside.

2. Heat a grill or griddle pan until smoking hot. Season each side of the steak with a good pinch of salt and pepper and rub lightly in olive oil.

3. Using tongs, place one steak at a time fat side down to sear the fat until golden brown (about 1 minute). If your steak doesn't have fat on one side, skip this step.

4. Next, fry the steaks on each side for 3.5 minutes (rare), 4 minutes (medium rare) or to your preference. Cooking times will vary depending on thickness.

5. Once cooked, transfer the steaks to a clean cutting board to rest for a couple of minutes.

6. Divide the arugula between two plates, cut the steak into strips and add to the plates. Add torn pieces of mozzarella then top with the tomato salad. Drizzle over a little olive oil and serve.

Kitchen notes

• Let the steak rest before cutting it's important to let the steak rest for a couple of minutes before cutting to allow the juices and flavour to absorb back into the meat.
• Serving suggestions if you'd like to add some extra sides Italian Roast PotatoesItalian Green Beans or White Bean Mash With Rosemary And Lemon are great options.
• Storage and leftovers the steak and tomato salad will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The steak can be reheated if prefered.