Not just another Thai Beef Salad….This is made with one little change to create a dressing from an award winning Thai restaurant, arguably one of the best in the world outside of Thailand!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Thai Beef Salad
I’m probably completely biased, but I think that Asian salads are the best in the world. I love them because they are interesting and the dressings are so good.
The chances of me ordering a salad as a dish (not a side) at any restaurant other than an Asian one is almost zero.
However, at Asian restaurants, there is a good prospect of it happening!!
My favourite part is the zingy, fresh, strong flavoured dressings used in Asian salads. No mayo, no cream, no cheese, far less oil. Just pure fresh flavours – often with plenty of fresh chilli heat in it. I love it!
Along with Green Papaya Salad, I think Thai Beef Salad is probably one of the better known Asian salads. I eat it year round, rain, hail or shine, and it’s one of my favourite ways to use a good piece of steak because a little bit goes a long way.
I don’t know about where you live, but even though Australia is cattle country, beef is the most expensive protein and a good steaks cost $40+ per kg (that’s $20+ per pound).
For a Thai Beef salad for 2, you really only need around 7 to 8 oz / 200 – 250g of good quality steak. Cook it to your liking…..I won’t say it’s a sacrilege to cook quality beef more than medium rare but… OK, I can’t resist, I have to say it. I think it’s a crime to cook quality beef beyond medium rare!!!!!
What goes in Thai Beef Salad
Here’s what you need.
The unique thing about this recipe is the use of coriander/cilantro stems in the Dressing. The flavour it adds is terrific – and authentic!
In Thailand, the roots are traditionally used but in Western countries, coriander usually isn’t sold with long roots like it is in Thailand so it’s a total pain to get enough to make this Dressing.
Using the stem is a terrific fall back!
How to make Thai Beef Salad
The Dressing is the star here, and the key to getting truly great flavour in it is to grind up the coriander/cilantro stems, chilli and garlic in a mortar and pestle to form a paste before mixing in the other Dressing ingredients.
But don’t worry if you don’t have a mortar and pestle – you can finely mince the ingredients then shake the Dressing up in a jar!
The Dressing is the key
The dressing for this salad is the star, and it’s based on a recipe from this cookbook by Suet Saenkham, the genius Thai native behind the critically acclaimed Spice I Am restaurants in Sydney.
Spice I Am is said to be one of THE best Thai restaurants outside of Thailand. Everything I have tried from the cookbook is just so incredible, a step up from the run-of-the-mill Thai takeouts.
I adapted the dressing recipe a wee bit because I must admit I found the original recipe a little too strong flavored, which is saying something for me because I really like strong flavours! But the base recipe is the same.
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Thai Beef Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/2 tsp birds eye or Thai Chilli , deseeded and finely minced (Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp finely minced garlic (1/2 small clove)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro/coriander stems
- 2 1/4 tsp white sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
- 1 small pinch cooking / kosher salt
Salad
- 7 – 8 oz / 200 – 250 g good quality beef steak – sirloin , at room temperature (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp oil (vegetable, peanut or canola oil)
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 heaped cups mixed lettuce leaves
- 10 cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1/4 small red onion , very finely sliced
- 1/2 cucumber (optional deseed) , cut horizontally then cut into slices (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 cup cilantro/coriander leaves , lightly packed
- 1/4 cup mint leaves , lightly packed
Garnish
- 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts , roasted, unsalted
- Extra cilantro/coriander and mint leaves
Instructions
Dressing:
- Place the birds eye chili, garlic, cilantro stems and a small pinch of salt into a mortar and pestle. Grind until a smooth paste forms.
- Add the remaining Dressing ingredients. Adjust sugar, lime juice and fish sauce to taste. Set aside.
- Alternative: Finely mince garlic, coriander and chilli. Use side of knife to smear into paste on cutting board, then shake in jar with remaining ingredients.
Beef:
- Preheat a skillet over high heat until screaming hot and smoking.
- Drizzle the beef with 1/2 tbsp of oil on both sides, then sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the beef to your liking (Note 2).
- Cook times: for steak 2cm / 4/5” thick, 2 min on each side for medium rare (until internal temp is 52°C/125°F) OR 2 1/2 min each side for medium (internal temp 57°C/135°F).
- Remove the beef from the skillet onto a plate. Loosely tent with foil and set aside for 10 minutes to rest.
Salad:
- Place lettuce in a bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp Dressing and toss.
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain (Note 2) and place in a bowl with the remaining Salad ingredients. Dress with most remaining Dressing and toss gently.
- Pile dressed lettuce onto plate(s), pile over beef and other salad ingredients.
- Sprinkle with peanuts and garnish with extra cilantro/coriander and mint leaves if using, drizzle with remaining Dressing. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Remember: the steak will continue cooking when resting! And remember: you can cook a steak a bit more if needed but you can’t UNCOOK steak!
Cutting the beef against the grain produces the most tender slices. To do this, look at the piece of steak and you will notice that most of the fibres are going in one direction. Turn the steak so the fibres are going left to right directly in front of you. Then cut across the fibres – i.e. 90 degrees perpendicular to the direction of the fibres.
3. Adapted from the Spice I Am cookbook by Suet Saenkham, the genius behind the Spice I Am restaurants in Sydney, Australia, arguably one of the BEST Thai restaurants in the world outside of Thailand!
4. Nutrition per serving assuming 2 servings.Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2015. Updated August 2019 with new writing, new photos, brand new video, step photos and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Look what I brought back from Vietnam for him……… Toddler size fits him perfectly!
This is one of my favourite meals to cook. The dressing is so delicious we drink the leftovers off the plate! I used to only be able to find coriander roots at the markets but I’ve noticed woolies has started selling coriander with roots lately which is very exciting.
Yes I think the groceries have finally figured out that it lasts longer and tastes better with the roots on! N x
This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try! I was wondering whether the nutritional info includes the garnish?
It includes everything I have listed in the ingredients unless noted otherwise Faye! N x
I added sliced snow peas, and I used spring onion instead of red onion because that was all I had. I also used roasted & salted cashews, again, because that was what I had. I also used 100g of rice vermicelli noodles to ‘bulk’ it out. It was such a smash hit. Will definitely be adding this recipe to the salad rotation.
I’m going to be having a ‘Recipe Tin Eats’ week of meals… now the dilemma is, what to make next!?! 🤣
I am happy you liked it Michelle! N x
3 times now I have made your Thai Beef Salad. Just soo good. 2 of us clean up the whole amount. 🥰
This was an absolutely winner for the family – the dressing is spot on and works so well with the salad and steak!
I’m not a meat eater but I made this for my family yesterday and it was such a hit. The flavours were wonderful, and for the first time, I didn’t over cook the steak thanks to the cooking tips. Fabulous recipe, thanks.
That’s the key to a great beef salad! N x
Made this dish tonight, my husband who normally dislikes coriander and can’t withstand spicy food absolutely loved it! Thank you, it’s the most authentic recipe I’ve found.
Made this today ….So so tasty. Another winner from Nagi!
It tasted what you would get in a rated Thai restaurant. Very impressed
I am glad you liked it Kim!! N x
Amazing! The fish sauce smell is quite hectic, so glad it doesn’t taste like it smells! Will definitely be making this again.
It’s Thai cuisine week in our house and this was the first recipe!!
What a hit. So fresh and delicious, thank you for sharing. I added green beans and bean sprouts to help use up some the veg in the fridge. Perfection
I have so many readers eating theme nights!! Love it! N x
Yum!!!
Wow! Better than a restaurant, I will never be buying this again.
Thank you so much 🙏🏼
Hi Nagi, made this yesterday and it was super delish! Only small changes I made were to use a milder long red chilli minus the seeds, and I whizzed it up in the smoothie maker. Just the right amount of heat for us. A definite make again and again. Thank you!
Made this again and seriously contemplated licking the blades of the smoothie maker after I’d made the dressing!
Had to adapt the salad bits to use what I had, but still wonderful. I used a 200gm rump steak, and when it was thinly sliced and mixed in to everything else, even ‘himself’ didn’t notice there wasn’t a lot of meat in there 😋
Great tip whizzing it up in the smoothie maker – I do that for my curry pastes! N x
Best dressing ever!! I quadruple the recipe and keep it in the fridge for several days. It’s so good that I am now consistently disappointed by the Thai beef salads I get from restaurants.
The second time I make this I’m sure I will do better. Best advice – I undercooked the steak to our liking so just put it back. Yum 🤤
Yet again, I’ve come across THE BEST recipe on your website, Nagi. Your Thai Beef Salad was the best I’ve ever made. I added a steamed snow peas and extra peanuts to bulk it up – and didn’t see the mint inclusion – but it still received compliments. Thanks again for all you do xx
Hi Nagi! Love your recipes and desperate to snuggle Dozer! Please could you let me know if I can use dried birds eye chili for the dressing and how would I do it? Can’t find fresh…waaaaahh!
I am sure dried Birds eye would work if you find that – just rehydrate in some warm water then chop and use as per the recipe. N x
Best Thai beef salad around. Love your recipes, Nagi, they’re always five star!
Hi Nagi, you hit the nail on the head with this dressing! So good! I had specifically planted cilantro just so that I can use the roots for this recipe. I followed the recipe to the T but did not have mint so I grabbed some Vietnamese perilla from my garden. Soooo good! Thank you for sharing!
Making this for 6 people – should I double or triple the recipe?
Hi Beth, I would at least double the recipe. It’s that good! I would not double the fish sauce though as it may be too salty.