Name: Thai Beef Salad Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 10 oz. good quality beef ((sirloin, tenderloin, etc.)); 2 cups spring mix salad ((1 bag)); 1/4 red onion (sliced); 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes; 1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped); 1/8 cup mint leaves (roughly chopped); 1/8 cup fried shallots ((for garnish)); 1/8 cup crushed peanuts ((for garnish)); 1/4 tsp. diced Thai chili; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 2 tsp. sugar; 2 tbsp. fish sauce; 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice; 2 tsp. cilantro stems; 1 tbsp. Lemongrass paste; 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

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This Thai Beef Salad Recipe is super easy to make, and on the table in 15 minutes. It is packed with Thai flavors such as fish sauce, lime, lemongrass, chilies and garlic and is absolutely incredible!

thai beef salad in a bowl with tomatoes and red onions

You can't beat a flavor packed dish that is on the table in 15 minutes. I mean seriously. Just 15 minutes to a healthy protein and vitamin packed meal, like this Thai basil pork or this ultra easy Instant Pot pad thai that we love so much.

This Thai Beef Salad recipe really is the s***. I mean, it's got juicy beef, bright, fresh greens and vegetables, and a dressing that will bring you to your knees - we love this almost as much as this crying tiger!

And I can't reiterate how easy it is to make this spicy Thai Beef Salad. The most difficult part is throwing the beef on the grill for 5 minutes....yes, that's the hardest part of this meal.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Step By Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Variations
Frequently Asked Questions
What Goes with Thai Beef Salad?
More Thai Recipes
Recipe
💬 Comments

Ingredients

My favorite ingredient in this Thai beef salad recipe is the fish sauce. If you've never tried fish sauce before, don't be put off by the name. While it is made with fish, a good quality fish sauce used in the right way does not taste fishy.

It just tastes delicious. I use Red Boat 40 fish sauce for all my fish sauce needs (affiliate link - I earn a small commission from Amazon if you buy through this link or the links below).

A full list of ingredients is found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Check out these substitutes for Bird's eye chilis

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Why This Recipe Works

Beef quickly seared at a high temperature leaves the inside rare and juicy;
The dressing comes together quickly and is made with spicy, flavor packed ingredients;
Fresh greens and vegetables lighten up the rich grilled beef and offset the spiciness of the dressing.
It's perfect for a hot summer day as a main meal, or as an appetizer course.
It's both healthy AND delicious, which is always a bonus in my book.

For ultra tender beef, you can use the sous vide method to cook your flank steak like in this sous vide flank steak recipe. Just marinade the steak, cook it sous vide, then throw it on the grill for 1 minute a side. perfection!

You could also use this sous vide filet mignon for an ultra tender option as well!

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: First, let the beef come to room temperature. This helps it to cook more evenly on grill. Season it with the salt and pepper and let it sit for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.

Step 2: Grind the cilantro stems, chili, garlic, and lemongrass in a food processor.

ingredients for dressing in a food processor

Blend it until it's smooth and set aside.

Step 3: Heat the grill to 500+ degrees (it should be searing hot). Sear the beef for about 2 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reads 125 degrees (for rare). Read more about recommended grilling temperatures.

Step 4: Remove from heat and let rest for about 10 minutes. Letting it rest lets the juices redistribute through the meat before slicing it.

Step 5: While the meat is resting, combine the greens, onion, tomato, cilantro and mint in a large bowl.

greens, tomatoes and red onions in a bowl

Step 6: Slice the beef against the grain and layer it on top of the salad. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with the fried shallots and crushed peanuts.

Expert Tips

I recommend cooking the beef rare (125 degrees) for the best results. For medium rare, cook it to 135 degrees, and for medium 145 degrees. But really, try it rare guys.
To let the flavors meld, you can make the dressing the day before. The dressing is even better on the second/third day.
Don't put the dressing on until you're ready to eat. The dressing can make the greens soggy if left on too long.
A good quality beef will work the best for this recipe. I use Choice sirloin, but tenderloin or strip would also be good. I don't recommend tougher cuts as we are not marinating the beef to tenderize it.
Slicing the beef against the grain helps to keep it tender.
Lemongrass paste is used for convenience, but fresh lemongrass can be substituted if you have it.

Variations

Add additional thinly sliced Thai chilies directly to the salad for some extra spice.
Any kind of lettuce or greens can be used. I use a spring mix, but a butter lettuce, spinach or any other kind would work great as well.
Top the salad with a sprinkle of fried garlic, shoestring potatoes, fried onions or toasted rice in place (or in addition to) the fried shallots.
Replace the beef with fried tofu, chicken (be sure to season the chicken well with salt and pepper before cooking), shrimp or ground meat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Thai Beef Salad healthy? Packed full of protein, greens and vegetables, and low in carbs, this is a very health conscious salad.
Is Thai Beef Salad spicy? This version has a little spice, but it is not overly spicy. You can add spice by adding additional Thai chilies to the dressing and the salad, or reduce spice by removing the Thai chilies. Note that this salad is meant to have some spice, so removing all spice will have an impact on the flavor.

What Goes with Thai Beef Salad?

Serve alongside sticky rice to quell the heat - Get a great Sticky Rice recipe from The Splendid Table.
Make dinner and serve it with this Thai Green Curry, Thai Chicken Flatbread, or Thai Cornish Game Hens.
Make it a lunch and serve it with this Tom Kha Gai soup from 40 Aprons.
Don't forget to try this Mango Sticky Rice from Rasa Malaysia for dessert.