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Steak with Oven-Baked Fries & Simple Green Salad
Recipe

Steak with Oven-Baked Fries & Simple Green Salad

Lunch • South Africa

Pan-seared steak served with crisp oven-baked potato fries and a lemony green salad. A practical weekday version of steak & chips.

Why smarter

Oven-baked fries use far less oil than takeaway chips, and a leaner steak portion plus a fresh salad keeps the plate balanced without losing the familiar flavour.

Chef tip

For crispier fries, spread them out well (no overlapping) and let them steam-dry for a minute after draining before tossing with oil and seasoning.

Soft line

All the steak-and-chips vibes, just a bit fresher.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into fries 450.000 g Potatoes About 2 medium
2 Canola oil 2.000 tsp Canola oil For oven fries
3 Paprika (optional) 1.000 tsp Paprika
4 Fine salt 0.500 tsp Salt To taste
5 Black pepper Black pepper To taste
6 Lean steak (sirloin or rump), patted dry 300.000 g Beef steak 2 small steaks
7 Canola oil 2.000 tsp Canola oil For searing steak
8 Garlic, crushed (optional) 1.000 clove Garlic
9 Mixed salad leaves (or lettuce), rinsed and dried 80.000 g Mixed salad leaves
10 Cucumber, sliced 0.500 Cucumber Half a medium cucumber
11 Tomatoes, cut into wedges 2.000 Tomatoes Small to medium
12 Lemon juice or white wine vinegar 1.000 tbsp Lemon juice Use what you have
13 Extra canola oil 2.000 tsp Canola oil For dressing
14 Dijon mustard (optional) 1.000 tsp Dijon mustard Adds flavour to the dressing

Method

  1. Heat oven to 220°C (or 200°C fan). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the potato fries and parboil for 6–7 minutes until just starting to soften. Drain well and let steam-dry for 1 minute.
  3. Toss fries with 2 tsp canola oil, paprika (if using), salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer and bake 25–30 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp.
  4. While fries bake, season the steak with salt and pepper.
  5. Heat a large non-stick or cast-iron pan over high heat. Add 2 tsp canola oil. Sear steaks 2–4 minutes per side (depending on thickness) for medium-rare to medium. Add crushed garlic for the last minute if using.
  6. Transfer steak to a plate and rest 5 minutes before slicing.
  7. Make the salad: toss salad leaves, cucumber and tomato. Whisk lemon juice (or vinegar) with 2 tsp canola oil, mustard (if using), a pinch of salt and pepper, then toss through.
  8. Serve steak with oven fries and the green salad. Add an extra squeeze of lemon over the steak if you like.