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Tri-Tip Sandwich with Pesto

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4.25 from 8 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Yield 4 servings
Category Main Course
Cuisine Italian

Description

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.

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

Many tri-tip steak (often labeled as tri-tip roast) will weigh about two pounds. Once trimmed, it should weigh about 1¾ pounds.
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. 
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.
This recipe is adapted from a steak sandwich recipe published by the magazine I used to work for, Cuisine at Home. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the sandwichCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 25gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 860mgFiber: 5g
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