Tender pieces of marinated beef grilled on skewers, this Indonesian beef satay is easy to make and perfect served with a creamy, tangy peanut sauce.
Tangy tamarind, umami packed fish sauce and soy sauce, citrusy lemongrass and spices is what gives this Beef Satay recipe it's incredible flavor. Savory and tangy, with just a touch of sweet, these beef skewers are just plain incredible.
Using a slightly fibrous cut of beef (see below for some recommendations), the marinade breaks down the fibers and makes for ultra tender, juicy pieces of flavorful beef. Dip it in a SUPER easy to make homemade peanut sauce, and this meal will leave a smile on your face that lasts for days.
This has been one of our favorite meals in a while. Not that we haven't enjoyed others, but this is the kind of meal that leaves you eyeing the plate of skewers to make sure no one else gets to them before you. Kind of the same way we felt about this Malaysian beef rendang.
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What is Beef Satay?
Beef satay is a popular dish throughout Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Indonesia, most popularly served by street vendors. It is bite sized pieces of beef (or chicken, pork, tofu, etc.) marinated in spices and seasoning, skewered then grilled. You may also like these Thai shrimp skewers.
Traditional satay recipes are served with a fresh peanut sauce for dipping. It's perfect as an appetizer, but also great served as a main dish.
This bak kut teh (pork ribs soup) and Singapore seafood laksa are a couple more popular street foods served in Southeast Asia.
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Why this recipe works
- The marinade helps make the beef ultra tender and perfect for grilling on skewers.
- It works great as an appetizer or snack, as well as a full meal served with nasi goreng kampung.
Ingredients
I recommend using a fibrous beef cut such as flank steak or skirt steak. Tri-tip or high quality sirloin will also work well. The marinade will help break down the fibers in the beef, making it incredible tender.
Other ingredients such as fish sauce, lemongrass, soy sauce and tamarind are used in the marinade as well as the peanut sauce.
Peanut sauce ingredients
Tamarind is another important ingredient in this recipe that will likely be difficult to find at your local grocery store. Tamarind is a seed pod that contains a tart, sweet and sour pulp. It is used to flavor many Southeast Asian dishes like these pad Thai egg rolls.
The full list of ingredients is found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Substitutions and variations
- Substitute the beef with pork, chicken, tofu or shrimp if desired.
- You can serve with instant pot basmati rice, instant pot jasmine rice, brown rice, or any other rice you prefer.
- Add additional chilies to the peanut sauce for added spice.
Step by step instructions
- Slice the beef into 1 inch cubes and set aside.
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine.
- Add the beef and mix to fully coat it. Refrigerate for 24 hours (or overnight).
PRO-TIP: You may need to use the back of a spoon to break up the tamarind pulp. You can also use a blender if you'd like the marinade to be more uniform.
- Remove the beef from the fridge and put on bamboo skewers.
- Heat the grill to about 400°F. Add the skewers and grill for about 10-15 minutes (depending how large you cut the pieces), flipping every couple minutes to ensure even cooking. Remove and let them rest for 5 minutes.
PRO TIP: **to prevent the bamboo skewers from burning, soak them in water for 20 minutes before skewering the beef. You can also use metal skewers - just note they will be hot when you remove them from the grill.
Serve with basmati rice and spicy peanut dipping sauce.
How to make peanut dipping sauce
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add more water if the sauce is too thick.
This peanut sauce would also be incredible on these Vietnamese chicken summer rolls or these sticky Thai chicken wings.
Expert tips
- It is more traditional to cut the beef in strips, but I find it easier to use pieces. Feel free to cut it in 1" strips instead of pieces if desired.
- Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes before using the. This helps to prevent the ends from burning. You can also use metal skewers.
- If the peanut sauce is too thick, add additional water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
More Southeast Asian recipes
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Recipe
Indonesian Beef Satay
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak (substitute skirt steak or tri-tip)
- 15 bamboo skewers
Marinade:
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass
- 2 tablespoons oil (canola, peanut, vegetable)
Peanut Dipping Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp (soaked in 1 tablespoon water)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons canola oil (substitute vegetable or peanut oil)
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar (substitute honey)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 Thai chili stem removed
Instructions
- Slice the beef into 1 inch cubes and set aside.
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. You may need to use the back of a spoon to break up the tamarind pulp. You can also use a blender if you'd like the marinade to be more uniform.
- Add beef, mix and refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight.
- Remove the beef from the fridge and put on bamboo skewers. **to prevent the bamboo skewers from burning, soak them in water for 20 minutes before skewering the beef.
- Heat grill to 400°F. Cook beef skewers about 10-15 minutes, flipping every couple of minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with basmati rice and peanut dipping sauce.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add additional water if the sauce is too thick.
Expert Tips:
- It is more traditional to cut the beef in strips, but I find it easier to use pieces. Feel free to cut it in 1" strips instead of pieces if desired.
- Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes before using the. This helps to prevent the ends from burning. You can also use metal skewers.
- If the peanut sauce is too thick, add additional water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
Nutrition
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