Meat & Pork

Serving

Dijon Pesto Steak

Name: Dijon Pesto Steak
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Meat & Pork
Ingredients: 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, packed; 1/3 cup walnuts; 1 Tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard; 1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 top round steaks (about 1 1/2 lb total); Salt and pepper, to taste

Broiled top round steak topped with a fresh basil, walnut, and Dijon pesto.

30 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner

14 min prep

23 min cook

Contains common allergens

mustard Tree nut

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

5 steps

1
Preheat the broiler and position an oven rack so the steak will sit about 5 inches from the heat source. Season the top round steaks lightly with salt and pepper.
2
In a small bowl or food processor, combine the fresh basil, parsley, walnuts, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Pulse or stir into a coarse pesto-style paste.
3
Broil the steaks for about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until well browned on both sides.
4
Spread the basil-walnut pesto evenly over the tops of the steaks and broil for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the topping is lightly browned and the beef reaches your desired doneness (about 135°F for medium-rare).
5
Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes, then slice across the grain and serve with any pan juices.

Dijon Pesto Steak — plated and served — Serving moment. How Dijon Pesto Steak looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

65/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 50

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 44

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

Calories

2 g

Protein

2 g

Carbs

7 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

This pesto departs from the classic basil and pine nut version by folding in Dijon mustard and swapping walnuts for pine nuts, changes that turn a simple herb sauce into a sharper, more emulsified finish for grilled steak.

Listahan note

This version treats the mustard as an emulsifier that binds the pesto smoother than usual, and holds the sauce back until after the steak is off the heat so the fresh herbs stay bright.

Technique cues

Dijon mustard folded into this pesto acts as an emulsifier, helping bind the olive oil and chopped herbs into a smoother sauce than a classic basil pesto without mustard would hold.
Walnuts, toasted briefly before chopping, take the place of pine nuts in this pesto, adding a slightly more bitter, earthy note that stands up well against the mustard's sharpness.
The pesto is best made in a food processor with short pulses rather than a continuous puree, over-processing bruises the basil and turns the sauce dull green and slightly bitter.
This sauce is meant to finish the steak rather than cook alongside it, spooned or brushed on after the steak comes off the heat so the fresh herbs stay bright rather than wilting from residual heat.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Prep any side dishes while Dijon Pesto Steak finishes with the Grey Poupon Dijon mustard — the hands-off cook time is the window to use.
Make-ahead: Dijon Pesto Steak reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the Grey Poupon Dijon mustard.
Leftover move: Leftover Dijon Pesto Steak reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which can dry out a dish reheated this way faster than a covered, gentler reheat. This one leans on the Grey Poupon Dijon mustard. The cook step is what sets the pace here.
Cleanup rhythm: Deglaze the pan used for Dijon Pesto Steak with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the Grey Poupon Dijon mustard.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed

Flavor support

Purpose: cup fresh basil leaves, packed supports the balance of Dijon Pesto Steak and should taste integrated.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

1/2 cup fresh parsley, packed

Flavor support

Purpose: cup fresh parsley, packed supports the balance of Dijon Pesto Steak and should taste integrated.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

1/3 cup walnuts

Flavor support

Purpose: cup walnuts supports the balance of Dijon Pesto Steak and should taste integrated.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use verified safe seeds or omit the crunch when peanut or tree-nut safety matters.

1 Tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

Seasoning backbone

Purpose: Tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard gives the dish its recognizable flavor direction.

Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced

Aromatic base

Purpose: 1/2 cloves garlic, minced creates the savory foundation before stronger ingredients are added.

Handling: Wash, trim, and cut evenly so the pieces cook at the same pace.

Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.

Technique notes

Let the steak rest for five minutes or so after cooking before spooning on the pesto, resting keeps the juices in the meat instead of pooling out into the sauce.
Make the pesto ahead if you like, a day or two in the fridge doesn't hurt it, but add a fresh squeeze of lemon just before serving to brighten it back up.
Slice the steak against the grain before topping with pesto, so the sauce coats individual bite-sized pieces rather than sitting on top of one large cut.

Ingredient swaps

Nut-aware direction: Omit the nuts here; a seed garnish keeps the texture without the tree-nut or peanut concern. This one leans on the top round steaks.
Lower-sodium direction: Use a low-sodium or no-salt-added version of the Salt and pepper, then season to taste with fresh herbs, citrus, or vinegar at the end instead of more salt. This one leans on the top round steaks.
Weeknight shortcut: For a faster version, prep the longest-cooking component a day ahead so the night-of cook is mostly assembly and finishing. This one leans on the top round steaks.

Serve alongside

Fresh fruit
Cucumber slices
Plain rice crackers
Cold water
Sparkling water

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days when the drink is brewed, blended, or mixed ahead.
Stir or shake before serving over fresh ice.
Do not freeze unless the recipe is meant to become pops or granita.

Equipment

Pitcher or blender
Measuring cup
Long spoon

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