Ciabatta Steak Sandwich with Balsamic Onions

A Ciabatta Steak Sandwich with Balsamic Onions is an absolutely delicious and affordable way to have a steak dinner at home! Caramelized onions with balsamic vinegar, fresh arugula and basil, goat cheese, and thinly sliced steak are piled on toasty ciabatta bread for an incredible sandwich night everyone will love!  It's all cooked in a cast iron skillet and ready in just 25 minutes!

Steak Night at Home

Ciabatta Steak Sandwiches are perfect for a simple steak dinner at home!  Putting a pound of steak in sandwiches stretches to feed more people, versus everyone getting their own steak.

And you don't need the best of the best cut of steak like a tenderloin, they're just sandwiches after all!

I usually go with a sirloin or strip steak for a good balance of quality and cost, but ask the butcher what they recommend for sandwiches, they are usually pretty helpful! Try my Grilled Steak Kabobs for an affordable steak night too!

Love sandwich night for dinner? Try these Italian Sub Giardiniera Sandwich on Ciabatta, Easy French Dip Sandwiches, Shaved Pork Roast Sandwiches or Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Just a few simple ingredients pack so much flavor to this humble steak night!

• Steak - You need about 1 pound of steak for a loaf of ciabatta bread and I like to use sirloin. For sandwiches, it's an affordable cut that is fairly tender when cooked to medium rare and thinly sliced. You can use any cut of steak, go with what looks the best!

• Salt and Pepper - The steak is simply seasoned, so salting it generously and evenly on all sides is really important.

• Olive Oil - I use olive oil as a simple cooking oil in my cast iron skillet. You want to sear the steaks over a high heat, so any oil with a high smoke point such as avocado, sunflower, or canola oil can also be used.

• Red Onion - The star of these sandwiches is truly the balsamic onions!  They start to caramelized alongside the steak to give you huge flavor as their sugars are released and slow cooked. Then they simmer with the balsamic vinegar for that gooey texture to melt right over the steak. Delicious! A yellow or white onion will also work just as well.

• Balsamic Vinegar - Balsamic is the big flavor in these sandwiches so don't skip it! If all you have is balsamic glaze, that will work too. Just add a good drizzle to the onions as they finish caramelizing.

• Honey - Onions have natural sugars that develop and sweeten when they are caramelized. Adding honey to the balsamic onions just enhances those flavors. The result is a sweet yet savory, tangy melt-in-your-mouth flavor, you might want to start adding these onions to everything!

• Goat Cheese - Steak with goat cheese is perfect for a ciabatta bread sandwich because it's spreadable. Coat the warm toasty bread with the goat cheese and it will melt slightly and be creamy and delicious! If you love goat cheese, try this Italian Sausage Gnocchi Skillet! And if you don't love goat cheese, try another spreadable cheese like Boursin or just some crumbled feta or blue cheese would be good too!

• Arugula and Basil - You need some bright freshness to counter all those bold savory flavors. A ciabatta steak and arugula sandwich adds spicy peppery flavor while a bit of basil balances with some sweetness. I love these two together, but if you don't have fresh basil, you can leave it out.

• Ciabatta Bread - A big hearty ciabatta bread steak sandwich makes such an easy weeknight meal! Ciabatta looks fancy, but you can buy pretty decent ciabatta bread anywhere, even Target! Buy an extra loaf and freeze it so an easy sandwich night is always ready.

Instructions

Step 1 - Slice open your ciabatta bread, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and bake it right on the oven rack for about 10 minutes until toasted.

Step 2 - Prepare and measure out your other ingredients. Cooking the steaks is a quick process and you want everything ready so you don't overcook them!

Season your steaks evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 3 - Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with olive oil and sear the steaks, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Step 4 - Flip the steaks to sear another 3 to 5 minutes on the second side. Right when you flip them, add the red onion alongside the steaks to begin caramelizing. Season the onion with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 5 - Use a thermometer to check your steaks internal temperature, 120° to 130° for medium rare. The onions will be starting to caramelize, toss them with tongs.

Step 6 - Remove the steaks to a cutting board, and continue cooking the onions over low heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey to the onions.

It will hiss and sizzle in the hot pan, give them a good stir to coat them.

Step 7 - Let your steak rest 10 minutes while your onions continue cooking on low.

Step 8 - Thinly slice the steak, removing any large fatty pieces.

Step 9 - Assemble your sandwiches. Spread the top of the loaf with goat cheese. Pile the ciabatta with the steak and then the honey balsamic onions.

Step 10 - Top it with lots of fresh arugula and chopped or torn basil leaves.

Step 11 - Put it together and slice into triangle wedges. Serve it right on the cutting board!

Equipment

A cast iron skillet is the best pan to use for these steak sandwiches, although any heavy skillet will work. Cast iron skillets are inexpensive, last a lifetime, and are extremely versatile.

I have the Lodge 10 inch cast iron skillet and find it to be the perfect size for basic everyday use. It acts as an indoor grill pan, usable on the stovetop and in the oven. If you love cast iron cooking, try these other recipes!

• Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast
• Skillet Burgers
• Cheesy Honey Skillet Cornbread
• Italian Sausage Gnocchi with Spinach and Tomatoes
• Shaved Pork Roast Sandwiches

Cleaning a cast iron skillet is easy, but different than cleaning a regular skillet. Read here on How To Clean A Cast Iron Skillet.

Chef Tips

• Make sure your skillet is hot before adding the steaks. You want them to sear and get a nice color on the outside, not warm up slowly or they will be a grey color!

• Pre-measure your ingredients! Once you start cooking the steaks, the whole process goes quickly and you don't want to overcook the steak!

• The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your steak. Start with 3 minutes per side and use a thermometer to check, unless you are good at checking doneness by feel!

• Let the steak rest before slicing! This will allow the juices to cool slightly and redistribute so they don't run out all over the cutting board when you slice it. If you do get a lot of juice on your cutting board, you can add it in with the cooking onions for extra flavor.

• Serve sandwiches immediately so the hot ciabatta melts the goat cheese, and the arugula is crisp and fresh!

What to Serve with Steak Sandwiches

We love steak sandwich night in our house! A big sandwich and an easy side dish make the perfect weeknight meal! Try them with:

• Roasted potatoes or oven fries
• A simple salad or try this Kale Apple Slaw
• Parmesan Kale Chips
• Tomato Feta White Bean Salad with Arugula
• Broccoli Salad
• Easy Charred Corn on the Cob
• Make it a soup and sandwich night with simple Tomato Soup with White Beans, Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup or Asparagus Soup.

If you made this recipe, I'd love to hear how you liked it! Be sure to leave a star rating by clicking the stars in the recipe card, or leave a comment below!

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