One of my new favorite summer dinners is a pan-seared flank steak with fresh yellow corn, feta, and spinach sauce. It’s a complete, well-balanced meal that stands perfectly on its own, and you'll be amazed by how simple yet flavorful the recipe is! You can easily prep this recipe ahead of time, and it's bound to impress your family, friends, or guests!
Steak with corn
This recipe brings together all of my favorite summer ingredients: pan-seared flank steak, sweet yellow corn, tangy feta, and a zesty spinach sauce! It’s a true summer feast. I’ve been making this spinach sauce for years, but I’ve never actually shared it—until now! It’s kind of like chimichurri sauce but with spinach instead of herbs, giving it a milder flavor. I almost always pair it with flank steak and veggies, and it’s been a go-to recipe in our house (well, condo) for ages. Everyone loves it—family, friends, and especially my husband.
With all the fresh corn in season here in Colorado, I decided to mix things up by adding corn and feta to our favorite flank steak and spinach sauce combo. It was such a hit that it’s now officially a new family favorite. My husband insisted I put it on the blog ASAP—so here it is! My other summer time dinner favorites made with fresh corn are Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Corn and a delicious Sausage and Veggies Skillet with Bell Pepper, Zucchini, and Corn.
Brief overview of the recipe
You’ll find all the details—ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions—down in the recipe card. But this quick overview will give you a good sense of what this dish is all about!
- Cook the Corn: Boil 3 ears of corn for about 5 minutes (or grill for extra flavor). Once cooled, slice the kernels off the cob and set them aside.
- Make the Spinach Sauce: In a food processor, blend spinach, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cumin, chili powder, and salt until smooth. Set it aside for later.
- Cook the Steak: Rub your flank steak with chili powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Sear it in a hot cast-iron skillet—about 5 minutes per side, depending on your desired doneness (130°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium). Slice the steak into thin strips.
- Finish in the Skillet: Toss the sliced steak back into the skillet with some olive oil to warm through. Add the corn to the pan to reheat as well.
- Assemble: Plate the steak and corn, drizzle with spinach sauce, sprinkle with crumbled feta, and top with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley. Done!
How to slice flank steak
Always slice the flank steak against the grain. Here is how to do it:
- The grain normally runs along the length of the meat cut. When you look at your meat, notice the long strands of fiber running parallel along the length of the meat.
- Cut the meat across the grain (against the strands of fiber running along the length of the meat).
- The slices should be around 1 inch wide and as long as you want them. Long flank steak slices that are about 1 inch wide make an appealing presentation.
- In this recipe, I cook the whole flank steak first and only then slice it against the grain.
Why slice the flank steak against the grain?
- It shortens the fibers. When you slice the flank steak against the grain, you cut those tough fibers that run along the length of the meat into shorter sizes.
- It results in tender meat, which is less tough and chewy when you eat it. Sliced flank steak this way will be much more tender and easier to chew than sliced steak along the grain (the fiber strands).
- A beautiful presentation. It is also much easier to slice the flank steak against the grain and it looks much better on a plate!
How to grill the corn on the cob
Grilling corn is super easy and takes no time!
- First, preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
- Prepare the corn. Peel the husks and remove the silks.
- Then, brush corn with olive oil, salt, and pepper all over. I used 3 ears of corn on the cob.
- Grill until lightly charred for about 10 or 15 minutes (depending on your grill). Rotate the corn frequently while grilling.
Side dishes to serve with flank steak
Even though this flank steak with corn is a complete, well-balanced meal, you can add more side dishes if you like. Here are some ideas:
- Mashed potatoes
- Mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice
- Regular rice or wild rice
- Bread. Garlic bread, olive bread, or Italian bread will work well here!
- Roasted vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, or green beans.
Storage and reheating tips
- Fridge. Store steak and corn in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. This recipe freezes well! For best results, freeze the spinach sauce separately from the rest of the ingredients.
- Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat gently in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Taste and reheat for 30 seconds more, if needed. If possible, keep the spinach sauce separate and do not reheat it.
- Reheat on the stovetop. Heat the leftovers in a large, high-sided skillet on the stovetop on low-medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Make-ahead tips
This recipe is great for prepping ahead! You can easily do most of the work a day before. Here’s how:
- Cook the corn a day in advance, slice off the kernels, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Prepare the spinach sauce up to 2 days ahead, keeping it chilled in a mason jar.
- On the day of, all that’s left is pan-searing the steak, warming up the corn, and serving it all with crumbled feta and a drizzle of that delicious spinach sauce. Easy, right?
Other flank steak recipes you might like
- Flank Steak with Creamy Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo
- Garlic Butter Steak with Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
More recipes with fresh corn
- Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta with Bacon
- Sausage and Veggies Skillet with Bell Pepper, Zucchini, and Corn
- Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Creamy Pesto Dressing
- Mexican Street Corn Black Bean Chicken Bake
- Garlic Butter Chicken with Zucchini and Corn (One-Pan, 30-Minute Meal)
- 30-Minute Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Corn
- Mexican Street Corn and Shrimp
Flank Steak with Corn, Feta, and Spinach Sauce
Ingredients
Corn
- 3 ears corn on the cob (or 2 cups of cooked corn kernels)
Spinach Sauce
- 5 oz fresh baby spinach
- 1 large clove garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Steak
- 1 lb flank steak
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
- chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
Prepare corn
- Boil 3 ears of corn in a large pot of boiling water for about 5 - 10 minutes. Drain.
- Optionally, you can grill the corn.
- Once the corn is cool enough to handle, place it lengthwise on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife slice corn kernels off the cob. Repeat with the remaining 2 ears of corn. Set aside.
Make spinach sauce
- While you boil the corn, prepare the spinach sauce.
- In a food processor, combine spinach, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Close with the lid.
- Process/blend for about 3 or 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth. (⬆️ To see the consistency of the spinach sauce - refer to the photos above this recipe card - scroll up ⬆️).
- Turn off the food processor and remove the sharp centerpiece. Using a flexible spatula, pour the sauce from the food processor into a medium-deep bowl. Set aside.
Steak
- Season the flank steak on both sides with chili powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, using 1 tablespoon of olive oil to rub the spices in. Add more seasoning to taste.
- Heat an empty large (at least 12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. This allows the cast-iron skillet to heat through. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the whole flank steak and cook on one side on medium heat for a total of 5 minutes. Move the steak slightly around the pan in the first minute so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
- Flip the flank steak over to the other side, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 minutes or more until the steak is cooked to your liking. As a guidance, the meat thermometer should register 130°F for medium-rare, and 145°F for medium in the thickest part of the steak (FDA-recommended safe internal cooking temperature for steak is 145°F).
- Remove the steak from the skillet and put it on a plate. Slice the steak against the grain into thin strips about 1-inch wide.
- To the same, now empty, cast-iron skillet, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Add cooked and sliced flank steak, and reheat it coating thoroughly with the olive oil sauce (and all the juices and spices in the pan) on medium heat for a minute or two. If your steak looks too undercooked to your tastes, you can cook it more thoroughly in this step. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from heat.
- Scoop the steak to one side of the skillet, and add the corn to the other side. Gently reheat.
Assembly
- Divide pan-seared flank steak and corn among 4 serving plates. Drizzle the steak with the spinach sauce in some spots. Top both the steak and the corn with crumbled feta cheese.
- Top with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
O my goodness, that looks absolutely amazing. Trying it very soon!!
Let me know if you try it, Veronika! 🙂
I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner, and of course, he said steak. Neither of us grills, he doesn't, and I can’t stand it, so I saw this on Facebook right after a big corn haul from the store. Guess what we just had for dinner? Happy campers over here!
I am so glad this recipe was a hit, Susanna! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! ❤️❤️
Once again you've done it, Julia! This looks fantastic.
Aw, thank you, Vicky! ❤️