Thai Beef Salad

Oh, how we love Thai cuisine.  And this Thai Beef Salad recipe is one of our very favorites.

No doubt, the steak is the hands-down star of this dish.  But the flavor profile of the steak, combined with the vegetables, herbs and spices is spectacular.  

Thai cuisine at its best is always so perfectly balanced, with usually an interesting mix of ingredients and aromatics that play perfectly off each other.

And almost always there is some heat. You can adjust the heat to your own tastes, but the heat in this salad is just enough to give you a warm tingly feeling.

Absolutely wonderful.

Shallots, cilantro, and colorful cherry tomatoes are combined with a hot and sour (with a touch of sweetness) dressing.

The perfect ingredients for an amazingly delicious steak salad.

So good.

Skirt steak is one of our most favorites cuts of meat to cook with because it’s so marbled and becomes almost “melt-in-your mouth” when prepared correctly.

This cut of meat stands up perfectly against the robust dressing.

And don’t forget to cut against the grain. If you cut along the grain, you’re more likely to get tough slices. Slicing against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, and produces a much more tender and juicy piece of meat.

This salad comes together quickly, too. Usually in half hour, or so.

Once the steak is cooked and sliced, you’ll mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and then plate for a beautiful presentation.

And the smell is intoxicating.

So often a steak salad means a bland plate full of green lettuce topped with a pile of meat.

In Thailand, steak salad means just that: STEAK salad!

This is wonderful served warm,  but its also really good at room temperature, too. Which means this is the perfect salad to set out for a nice buffet or gathering of friends and family.

Are you hungry for an amazing steak salad yet?

We thought so! Go make this incredible Thai Beef Salad recipe!

Thai Beef Salad

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian / Thai

Keyword: Beef salad, Skirt steak

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 386 kcal

Author: Kris Longwell, adapted from Jean Pierre Gabriel

This Thai Beef Salad recipe is absolutely one of our favorites. If you like steak that is literally exploding with flavor, then this is the salad for you. Not a big green leafy salad at all. A delicious mix of hot, sour and a little sweet. The beautiful presentation (in addition to the taste) makes it the perfect salad to serve at a brunch or gathering of friends, family or co-workers.

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Ingredients

• 1 large shallot sliced into thin rings
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 4 tsp brown sugar divided
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 one 1 1/2 (or, 1.5) lbs skirt steak, cut into 2 or 3 pieces
• Canola oil if using a skillet
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce*
• 1 ts[ red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped, plus a few extra sprigs for garnish
• 1/2 cup fresh mint roughly chopped
• *Available in the Asian section of well-stock supermarkets or at Asian food markets

Instructions

1. Combine the shallots and the lime juice in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring a couple times every now and then.
2. In a small bowl, combine together 2 teaspoons of the brown sugar with the salt and pepper.
3. Rub the sugar-salt mixture all over the steak.
4. Prepare your grill to high heat. If using a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon canola oil over medium-high heat until smoking, about 4 - 5 minutes.
5. Cook the meat until nicely charred on the outside, and still a bit pink on the inside. About 2 - 4 minutes per side. (This will most likely need to be done in 2 batches when using a skillet)
6. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
7. Stir into the shallot and lime mixture the fish sauce, pepper flakes and remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar. Mix until smooth and sugar has dissolved.
8. Slice the steak thinly against the grain, then place into the large bowl along with accumulated juices.
9. Toss in the tomatoes, cilantro and mint. Gently stir until all ingredients are well coated.
10. Transfer to a platter and garnish with cilantro, if desired.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.