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large white platter filled with lettuce greens and herbs, topped with slices of steak, thin slices of shallot, and chopped peanuts

Spicy Thai Beef Salad

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Yield 4 servings
Category Entrée, Salad
Cuisine Thai
Author Lauren Grant

Description

This Thai Steak Salad recipe is loaded with fresh flavor! Tender slices of steak get piled onto buttery lettuce leaves and tons of fresh herbs seasoned with a light and salty vinaigrette.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons long grain rice optional
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts
  • 1 english cucumber
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 (1-pound) top sirloin steak
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 serrano chili, minced*
  • 4 cups Bibb lettuce leaves, torn
  • 1 ½ cups cilantro leaves
  • ¾ cup torn mint leaves

Instructions

  • Preheat a cast iron-skillet over medium-low for 3 minutes. Add rice (if using) and toast until deeply golden, about 10 minutes; transfer to a bowl to cool. Add peanuts to skillet and toast until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a second bowl and let cool.
  • Grind rice into a fine powder in a spice grinder. Transfer to a bowl. Pulse nuts in spice grinder until roughly chopped.
  • Halve cucumber lengthwise, placed halves, cut side down on cutting board, and smash with back of hand until cracked and lightly smashed. Cut smashed cucumbers into chunks.
  • Toss cucumber chunks with ½ teaspoon salt in a colander set over a bow; set aside until ready to serve. Add sliced shallot to a small bowl; cover with cold water and set aside.
  • Preheat cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Season steak with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
  • Place steak in skillet and cook until charred and beads of moisture begin to form around edges of steak, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 125ºF for medium-rare, about 3 more minutes. For medium cook to an internal temperature is 135ºF, about 4 minutes per side.
  • Transfer steak to a clean plate, tent loosely with foil or parchment paper and let rest 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, honey, and chili in a medium bowl. Thinly slice steak (¼ inch thick) across the grain, add to bowl with dressing and toss to coat.
  • When ready to serve, toss bibb lettuce and herbs together on a large platter. Top with salted and drained cucumbers. Drain shallots then add to platter.
  • Arrange steak slices over top then drizzle dressing over salad. Sprinkle with toasted rice powder and peanuts; serve.

Notes

For a less-spicy vinaigrette, de-seed and de-rib the serrano before mincing.
If you can’t find Top Sirloin steak, there are a few cuts you can use including flat iron steak, top blade steak, top round, or flank steak. 
If you want the dressing to be a little thicker, whisk some of the rice powder into the vinaigrette. 
Feel free to swap the honey out for palm sugar (more authentic) or even brown sugar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 recipeCalories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 38gFat: 9.5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 1064mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5g
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