Flank Steak BLT with NO Bun – Whole30, Low Carb
Buckle up and get ready for a pretty epic Whole30/Keto/Gluten Free/Paleo sandwich. It’s Whole30 Flank Steak BLT made with grass fed flank steak, nitrate and sugar free bacon, smashed avocado, ranch, and hollowed out heads of iceberg lettuce. Trust your friend Laura — You won’t even miss the bread!
How it happened
Husband: What should we have for lunch?
Me, rifling through the fridge: We have nothing in the house. We have steak and bacon, and compliant mayo though…. OH MY GOODNESS I have an idea!!!
Sometimes it’s as simple as that! I had everything I need to make a BLT except one thing, bread. I had iceberg lettuce, and I’ve used iceberg to make lettuce wrap before (that’s actually the main reason I even buy it)… but I’m still a bread girl at heart.
So I just needed to get my mind in a new place and be creative. I’m trying to up my protein game too, and I had just gotten a delivery of grass fed beef, so I thought, ooh okay, let’s do this!
And the most super ultimate sandwich of all time was born (and it became the momma to this fabulous sandwich creation too!).
What you need
- Flank Steak. You can substitute skirt steak, because they’re generally interchangeable in recipes like this.
- Tomatoes: I prefer BIG beefy summer tomatoes.
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Avocado
- Ranch for those following Whole30, Bleu cheese for those following Keto, or Mayo. Use whichever you have and whichever you prefer.
WARNING: This sandwich gets messy
Just a quick note to self: Keep a fork & knife nearby when you eat this, and a few napkins too! Because the lettuce wrap is in place of bread, it becomes a drippy mess pretty quickly… and you know what? I’m 100% okay with that.
In fact, I think it’s even better when your sandwich is a little messy.
All the delicious goodness making a little mess on my plate, well – it’s part of the fun! You know what I’m talking about, right?
More healthy & delicious recipes
Be sure to check out a few of my other delightfully messy recipes, like my Whole30 Aloha Hawaiian Burger, my BBQ Chicken and Ranch Sliders, Garlic Butter Steak Bites, or my Thai Lettuce Wraps. Eating with your hands was never more delicious!
Like this recipe? I’d love to know what you think!
Drop a star rating below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Marinated Flank Steak BLT
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb Flank Steak or substitute skirt steak
- 4-8 slices sugar free/nitrate free bacon cooked & cooled
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 2 small tomatoes or one large
- 1 avocado smashed
- 3-4 tbsp ranch be sure it's compliant, or substitute mayo or bleu cheese (for keto)
Marinade
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
Instructions
Marinate the Steak
- Smash the garlic cloves, then whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour over the flank steak, cover, and marinate for an hour.
Cook the Steak
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season lightly on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Preheat your pan over high heat and grill the steak for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare. Once it's cooked, set it aside.
- Allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes, then slice it against the grain.
Assemble the Sandwich
- Slice the iceberg in half from the stem, and gently scoop out sections with your hands to make the bun. Slice the tomatoes. Scoop out the avocado and mash it with a fork.
- Layer the lettuce halves with smashed avocado, sliced tomato, bacon, and slices of the steak.
- Drizzle with ranch and season with salt and pepper to taste.
