There’s truly nothing more satisfying than a loaded steak sandwich and this Tri-Tip Sandwich is no exception. Toasted ciabatta bread gets piled high with thin strips of steak, melty provolone, fresh pesto, roasted bell peppers and fresh spinach. With these 6 simple ingredients, this Italian steak sandwich is also a great way to use up leftover steak.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
As Tom Colicchio says, making simple food is much harder than making complicated food. And this sandwich is a study in simplicity. Let me tell you the secret to a really good steak sandwich is to use high quality ingredients and to execute every step well. Here are some important notes:
- Avoid overcooking the tri tip steak. This is one of the most important aspects of this sandwich. Be sure to cook to medium-rare, which is 135ºF on a meat thermometer. You’re in luck because I have a pro guide to cooking tri-tip steak.
- Perfect for leftover steak too. If you are trying to use up leftovers, then this sandwich is ideal for that too.
- Use the broiler for quick and easy cooking. To make this sandwich weeknight-friendly, we’re cooking everything under the broiler. Though if you prefer, you can grill the components.
- Fresh Italian ingredients. The other component—use the freshest ingredients when possible. Fresh red peppers and fresh pesto make a big difference in the final product.
What is Tri-Tip?
This piece of steak was made popular from the Santa Maria area of California. It’s a cut also called a triangle roast or bottom sirloin steak and comes from the very bottom tip of the sirloin.
The tri-tip is triangular in shape and is considered a lean cut. It doesn’t have high marbling when compared to a ribeye or filet, so it’s best to cook it medium rare and slice against the grain when serving.
Ingredients
- Roasted bell peppers: For this recipe we use two fresh bell peppers and roast them ourselves. (If you’ve never roasted peppers before, we’ve got a whole guide on how to do it.) You can also use jarred roasted red bell peppers, just drain and pat dry before layering on the sandwich.
- Tri-tip steak: This is our preferred type of steak, though top sirloin is also fantastic. Either work beautifully, but the key to tender steak is to thinly slice the cooked beef against the grain.
- Ciabatta bread: A bread that has the perfect light and airy inside while also having a nice outer crust to hold all the components together. It also browns and toasts up beautifully. Look for a large loaf that can easily be cut into two halves for a large four-person sandwich.
- Pesto: Homemade is always best and we love our pesto recipe for this sandwich. But to cut down on time, you can use prepared pesto. We always recommend seeking out fresh pesto sold in the refrigerated section as it’s far fresher and more flavorful. Rana or Buitoni are both great brands.
- Provolone Cheese: hit up the deli counter and purchase sliced provolone cheese. It’s perfect for this sandwich since it melts beautifully and has a mild flavor.
- Spinach: I like the soft, tenderness of spinach on this sandwich, but arugula would also be a great choice.
Test Kitchen Tips
- Both tri-tip and sirloin beef cuts are incredibly beefy in flavor and work beautifully on this sandwich. However, both can get quite tough when overcooked, so keep a close eye on the internal temperature and keep carry-over cooking in mind.
- This recipe calls for two types of oil—avocado oil and olive oil. Avocado oil is lightly brushed onto the steak before it gets a quick sear—its high smoke point makes it a great oil to use for browning the steak in a ripping hot cast-iron skillet. (Canola or vegetable oil can also be used for this step).
- Olive oil on the other hand, is used for brushing over the ciabatta because it’s far more flavorful and, of course, very Italian.
How to Make a Tri Tip Sandwich with Pesto
- Heat the broiler to high and set the rack 6-inches from element.
- Broil the bell peppers until charred on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic or a plate and let steam/cool.
- Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
- Brush steak with a thin layer of avocado oil, the season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
- Add the steak to preheat skillet and cook until deeply browned on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 3 minutes (it gets smoky, so a good vent if ideal) then transfer to top rack in the oven and broil until an instant-read thermometer reaches 125ºF (for medium-rare), about 5 to 6 more minutes.
- Transfer steak to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes.
- While the steak rests, remove and discard skins and seeds from bell peppers, then cut into thick strips.
- Place ciabatta halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Brush 2 teaspoons oil on each cut side of bread; season lightly with salt and pepper. Broil until lightly toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes, broiling halfway through to encourage even browning.
- Spread pesto on cut sides of ciabatta and top with provolone. Broil until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown, 1 to 1 ½ minutes.
- Slice steak against the grain, into very thin strips.
- Arrange half of peppers on bottom half of ciabatta, top with spinach, followed by steak slices, and finally remaining roasted peppers. Top with remaining half of ciabatta bread, press lightly to compress, then cut into 4 to 8 servings and enjoy.
Variations
- Mustard & Caramelized Onions: Instead of going an Italian route, swap the pesto for a mix of whole-grain mustard and mayonnaise, add some thinly sliced red onions (pickled onions or caramelized onions would also be great), and sharp Cheddar cheese.
- Steakhouse-style: You could also take this a steakhouse route by using a horseradish sauce or aioli (mayo + prepared horseradish + garlic + a dash of paprika), slices of tomato, pepper Jack cheese and green leafy lettuce.
- Serve the sandwich open-faced: Cut into thin strips, this would make a delicious appetizer or finger food. Just make sure the steak is cut into really thin slices for easier eating.
- Garlic butter: Consider brushing some garlic butter over the top of the bun right before serving for a savory finish.
What to Serve with Tri-Tip Sandwich
- We often serve these tri-tip sandwiches with our go-to garden salad. It’s reminiscent of a steakhouse salad—loaded with veggies and dressed with a tangy vinaigrette.
- Our grape salad would also be a great pairing—light, fresh and a little sweet to balance out the savory sando.
- For an ultra-light and crispy salad, try our celery salad.
Storing & Reheating
To store the leftover sandwiches, be sure to package each topping individually to prevent the sandwiches from becoming soggy. Refrigerate the necessary ingredients. You will want to reassemble the sandwiches using any leftovers to ensure the bread stays fresh. The best way to store the ciabatta bread is to wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature.
To reheat the tri tip steak, you can place in foil in the oven at 325ºF for about 10 minutes until just heated through. If you are in a hurry, then microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, just watch to make sure it doesn’t overcook.
Do not freeze the sandwiches, this will ruin their texture. You can freeze the steak and ciabatta by wrapping individual servings in plastic wrap and storing for 1 to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before reheating.
FAQs
Absolutely! Fresh arugula, butter lettuce or a mixture of spring greens are all great options. You could even sneak a few leaves of basil into the mix. Alternatively, you can use cooked spinach, Swiss chard or kale as well.
Look for ciabatta rolls which seem to be fairly common these days. You can also use a large loaf of focaccia.
Cast-iron is our preferred skillet for this recipe—it heats evenly and retains heat, which is ideal for searing and cooking the steak under the broiler. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet you can also use an oven-proof stainless steel skillet. Tri-tip roast tends to be fairly large, so you’ll definitely need a large skillet.
I love a good fresh salad or chips to pair with this sandwich.
The best way to cut is against the grain in very thin strips. This will keep the meat very tender.
This is because it has a bit more cartilage and sometimes more of a fat cap than other cuts of steak like ribeye or strip. Therefore it can be considered a tougher cut of steak.
This is because it’s a triangle in shape and comes from the the very tip of the sirloin.
Tri-Tip Sandwich with Pesto
Description
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 pounds tri-tip steak, trimmed
- Avocado oil
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
- 1 cup fresh pesto or refrigerated basil pesto, such as Rana or Buitoni
- 8 ounces sliced provolone cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- Heat a broiler to high with rack set 6-inches from element.
- Broil peppers until charred on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic or a plate and let steam/cool.
- Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
- Brush steak with a thin layer of avocado oil, then season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
- Add steak to preheated skillet and cook until deeply browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook another 3 minutes (it gets smoky, so a good vent if ideal) then transfer to top rack in oven and broil until an instant-read thermometer reaches 125ºF (for medium-rare); 5–6 more minutes.
- Transfer steak to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes.
- While steak rests, remove and discard skins and seeds from bell peppers, then cut into thick strips.
- Place ciabatta halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Brush 2 teaspoons oil on each cut side of bread; season lightly with salt and pepper. Broil until lightly toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes, broiling halfway through to encourage even browning.
- Spread pesto on cut sides of ciabatta and top with provolone. Broil until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown, 1–1 ½ minutes.
- Slice steak, against the grain, into very thin strips.
- Arrange half of peppers on bottom half of ciabatta, top with spinach, followed by steak slices, and finally remaining roasted peppers. Top with remaining half of ciabatta bread, press lightly to compress, then cut into 4 to 8 servings and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This sponsored post is in partnership with the Iowa Beef Council. As always the thoughts, opinions, recipe, photos and content are all my own.
