Thai Beef Salad Recipe
This Thai Beef Salad features steak, vegetables, herbs, and a bold lime dressing for a refreshing Thai-inspired meal ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 8- ounce tender steaks, like filet mignon, sirloin, NY strip
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or other neutral-flavored oil
- 4 cups green or red leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn into bigger bite-sized pieces
- 2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
- 1 Persian cucumber, sliced in half and thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ½ shallot, peeled, thinly julienned, optional
- 2 green onions, cut into 2” long pieces
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Dressing:
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 1 seeded finely minced Thai chile, more if you like spice
- 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro
- Juice of 2 limes, about 4 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/3 cup avocado oil, or other neutral-flavored oil
Instructions
For the salad:
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, then season them on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Next, add the oil to a large carbon-steel or cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil begins to smoke very lightly, add the steaks and cook for 2 minutes per side for a rare internal temperature. Add 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Place the steaks on a rack to rest.
- Next, add the lettuce, sliced celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, shallots, green onions, cilantro leaves, and mint leaves, and set aside briefly.
For the Dressing:
- Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a small bowl until combined and combine, then set aside.
To Serve:
- Thinly slice the steak and add it to the bowl with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.
- Next, dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss using tongs until everything is coated.
- Serve the salad cold.
Notes
My biggest piece of advice is to follow the golden rules of searing a great steak: before cooking, bring the steak to room temperature, pat it completely dry, and wait until the oil begins to lightly smoke before placing it in the pan.
After cooking, let the steak rest on a wire rack so the juices redistribute throughout the meat. Afterward, slice it perpendicular to the muscle fibers into thin strips. Follow these rules, and every piece of steak will be melt-in-your-mouth tender with a rich, flavorful crust.
Rare or medium-rare steak: I recommend searing the steak to an internal temperature of 120°F to 125°F for rare or 130°F to 135°F for medium-rare. Anything past medium, and the steak will become tough and chewy.
Grilled steak option: When the weather is gorgeous, you’ll find me outside, grilling the steak over high, direct heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. The smoky char-grilled flavor pairs amazingly well with the zing in the dressing.
Budget-friendly beef options: Cheaper cuts of steak, like flank or skirt steak, also work here. I’d recommend marinating the meat for 2 to 4 hours in my Asian Chicken Marinade or in a mix of soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and sesame oil. This will tenderize the tougher fibers and infuse more umami flavor.
Variations and add-in ideas: You could easily do grilled chicken thighs or seared shrimp instead of steak. Or, customize it with extra mix-ins, like mango, avocado, red cabbage, carrots, green beans, edamame, or red bell pepper. Sprinkling crushed peanuts, cashews, or sesame seeds on top for crunch would also be great.
Make-Ahead: For the best texture, chop the veggies and herbs and sear the steak right before assembling the salad.
How to Store: Cover any leftovers and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. The lettuce and herbs will start to wilt the longer they sit in the dressing, but the salad will still taste good.
Nutrition
Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 17gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 408mgPotassium: 473mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2520IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg