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!
Really delicious! I used three crab fish sauce for this and it turned out beautiful. I also added some rice vermicelli noodles as I wanted a bit more bit for mine – everything turned out so well and the dressing being shook in a jar is such a great idea to emulsify the flavours of that gorgeous dressing!
Looks divine. Making it tomorrow!
I made this for lunch today and it was delicious.
This is so tasty, fresh & delicious. I used kangaroo steak (the leanest & most sustainable red meat available, in Oz at least). It was tender & delicious.
Sa wa de kop!
At loi mak…I love Thai food spicy been to Thailand 7 times visiting my wife (then) parents the people are so hospitable.
Lagoon
Terry in Fort Worth, Texas🙂
Nagi, words cannot describe. It was phenomenal.
Very tasty and refreshing. I had it with cold vermicelli for dinner.
Sounds perfect Shinko! N x
I cannot believe how delicious this was!!!! So refreshing and filling. This recipe has got me into salads!!
I made the Thai beef salad it was unreal will definitely make it again out of this world
I need to tell you, Nagi! I made this tonight for my adult daughters and I. We loved every bit of it. Older daughter ask if it was one of your recipes and when I said yes, she said I would marry Nagi if I can. Because I just love all your recipes and it just gets better! Thank you so much from a Boomer mum that can still impress her adult children!
Wahoo, that’s the best compliment Marieta!!! ❤️ N x
love thai food just need to substitute salt and sugar due to some health problems
Oh my word. We eat salad almost every night, and the words out of my mouth after the first bite were “this is the best salad I have ever made.” Nagi, this is spectacular. The mint sends it over the top. I added about 1-2 tsp. sweet chili sauce to the dressing, which made it just a little more sweet and spicy. We recently moved to a part of the states where authentic Asian flavors (my favorite) are elusive. This was everything I’ve been missing! 10/10 recommend.
Forgot to give it all the stars!
Quick, easy and totally delicious!
Going to try this today.
Question, would the dressing keep in the fridge for any length of time, pls?
I’m a boy, I’m lazy. Making it for multiple meals would be better than making it each time.
Admittedly, as I haven’t yet made it, I don’t know how tricky it will be, but surely making it in amounts large enough for a few portions is easier.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Innes, as the dressing has garlic in it, I generally only keep it up to 3 days in the fridge. N x
Many thanks.
A little too salty for me. I did one tsp. For the two servings.
One of my favorite Thai dishes. Fresh, tangy, infused with chili’s, I’m incurably in love with this dish.
This has become my absolute fave Thai salad. I have made it several times over the last few years and it never disappoints. The only variation is more salad, ie, julienned carrot and red capsicum and bean sprouts. Also I use palm sugar. Delish!
Monday night winner. Made with left over sirloin roast and left over salad from another of your recipes from Saturday’s dinner. the dressing was a bit wild for us so I added a scant tbsp of sweet chilli sauce to tame it. Thank you for yet another gorgeous dinner. Started to feel like you are actually living with us
So deeeeelish and, as you said, so interesting. A very unique and special salad. We loved it and we will make it again…Also, who doesn’t love bragging “oh, I just had a SALAD for dinner”…lol
Not a big salad fan UNTIL I tried this recipe!!! You’ve done it again Nagi! Thank you for another great recipe.
We made this exactly following the instructions and it was INCREDIBLE!!! We have dreamed of this salad ever since our stay at Amatara in Cape Panwa but never attempted it out of fear of disappointment. You made our year!!!! First time we tried the recipe at home and we are lifers now. I don’t like fish/fish flavor but wanted to try the recipe as is and modify from there if it was too fishy for me, it was not at all fishy! The fish sauce is a must and added such great flavor!!!! We don’t have a mortar and pestle so I threw all of the dressing ingredients in our NutriBullet. Thanks for an incredible recipe!!! ❤️