Thai Beef Salad
A bright, tangy Thai-style beef salad with herbs, shallots, cherry tomatoes, and a lime-fish sauce dressing.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb top sirloin or trimmed rib eye steak grilled or pan-seared
- 1 tsp cooking oil a tiny bit for searing
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 6-8 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup fish sauce about 5 tablespoons
- sugar to taste
- 1-2 red bird's eye chilies finely chopped, adjust for heat preference
Instructions
- Bring the steak to room temperature if possible, then preheat a large skillet or grill pan over high heat until very hot.
- Lightly oil the pan with a small amount of cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Sear the steak on the hot pan for about 1 minute without moving to form a crust, then flip and sear the other side for about 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until the steak reaches your desired doneness (time will vary by thickness).
- Remove the steak, wrap it loosely in aluminum foil, and rest for 5–10 minutes, then thinly slice across the grain.
- While the steak rests, make the dressing: whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, chopped bird's eye chilies, and sugar to taste in a mixing bowl.
- Add the mint, cilantro, thinly sliced shallots, and halved cherry tomatoes to the dressing and toss to combine.
- Arrange the spinach on a serving platter or plates, top with the sliced steak, then spoon the herb-and-shallot mixture over the steak and spinach. Drizzle with extra dressing as desired and serve.
Equipment
- Large skillet or grill pan
- Tongs
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Aluminum Foil
Notes
- Grilling the steak gives a smokier flavor if available.
- Adjust cooking time based on steak thickness and preferred doneness.
- Use milder red chilies for a less spicy salad.
- Let steak sit at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking for more even doneness.