Hands down fall has got to be my favorite season out there! The best weather, clothes, sights, activities and food come from this amazing season. I’m talking cloudy cool days, fuzzy socks, turning leaves, spectacular hiking and butternut squash. I mean I could go on for hours about all the things fall has to offer! Now we can add this Fall Steak Sandwich with a Goat Cheese Butternut Squash Spread to that lovely list!
While most people relegate sandwiches to summer time I think they have a place at the table all year long! This fall steak sandwich with goat cheese butternut squash spread gives you that warm comforting feeling of fall on the go. A deliciously seared steak pairs so well with crispy apples, earthy kale and a tangy sweet butternut squash spread.
Ingredients Needed
Goat Cheese Butternut Squash Spread
1/2 medium butternut squash
1 oz Laura Chenel orange honey blossom goat cheese
1/8 tsp cinnamon
olive oil
salt and pepper
Sandwich Fixins
1 inch tri tip steak
2 ciabatta rolls
1 apple
4 kale leaves
How to Make a Fall Steak Sandwich with a Goat Cheese Butternut Squash Spread
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating up peel, halve and deseed the butternut squash. Fun eco-friendly fact—you can actually roast the seeds in a butternut squash like a pumpkin! Super tasty healthy snack and reduces waste!
Cut half of the squash into 1/2 inch cubes. Try to keep them roughly the same size so that they will cook evenly and you won’t have any burnt pieces. Toss the cubes lightly in olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Space out the cubes on a sheet tray so that they are not touching and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are fork tender. They should be soft enough that you can easily smoosh them with a fork.
While the squash is baking heat another pan over medium heat. I prefer a cast iron skillet or my Dansk cast iron enamel pans for searing steak. The Dansk pan comes in handy when I do not want to clean up the grease splatter.
While the pan is heating sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the steak generously. I chose a tri tip steak because I prefer the flavor and think it has a great buttery texture perfect for eating in a sandwich. Sometimes they have tri tip steaks already precut at the store but if not you can always ask the butcher to slice up a tri tip into steaks for you. A sirloin steak or NY strip would also be a good cut for this sandwich.
Remember the key rule when cooking steak —hot pan and cold oil! This is how you will get a great crust on the steak. Once the pan is hot cover the bottom of the pan thinly with olive oil and place your steak in the pan. Sear to your desired tempurature. For a nice medium steak cook each side for about 5-6 minutes or until the internal tempurater reaches 140 degrees. Once the steak reaches the desired internal temperature pull the steak from the heat and set it aside to rest.
After the squash has cooled for 5 minutes add it to a food processer. The squash should be slightly warmer than room temp so that the cheese will melt into it but if it is too hot it will curdle the cheese. Along with the squash add the goat cheese, cinnamon and some salt and pepper to taste. Blend it all together until smooth and creamy. Alternatively if you are using plain goat cheese you can add about a Tablespoon of honey to flavor the spread.
Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and toast dry. While the rolls are toasting prep the other sandwich fixins by slicing the apple, removing the stems from the kale and slicing the steak thinly against the bias. I normally do not like kale but the kale I used is a homegrown dinosaur kale. It is a tender heirloom kale also know as Italian kale that does not need to be massaged to eat. Assemble the sandwich and enjoy while apple picking or at a pumpkin patch!
Fall Steak Sandwich with a Goat Cheese Butternut Squash Spread
Ingredients
Goat Cheese Butternut Squash Spread
- 1/2 medium butternut squash
- 1 oz Laura Chenel orange honey blossom goat cheese
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Sandwich Fixins
- 1 inch thick tri tip steak
- 2 ciabatta rolls
- 1 apple
- 4 kale leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating up peel, halve and deseed the butternut squash. Cut half of the squash into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss the cubes lightly in olive oil and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Space out the cubes on a sheet tray so that they are not touching and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are fork tender.
- While the squash is cooking heat a pan over medium heat. While the pan is heating salt and pepper both sides of your steak generously. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil and sear your steak to your desired tempurature. For a nice medium steak cook each side for about 5-6 minutes or until the internal tempurater reaches 140 degrees. Pull from the heat and let it rest.
- After the squash is cooked and has cooled for about 5 minutes add it along with the goat cheese, cinnamon and some salt and pepper to taste into a food processor. Blend it all together until smooth and creamy.
- Cut the ciabatta rolls in half and toast. Prep the other sandwich fixins by slicing the apple, removing the stems from the kale and slicing the steak thinly. Assemble the sandwich and enjoy while apple picking or at a pumpkin patch!
