Ditch the delivery in favor of a light and refreshing recipe for Thai Beef Salad with Lime Dressing.
Thin crust pizza, soup dumplings and chicken tikka masala all have their spots on my Takeout Hall of Fame roster. But when it comes to getting food delivered to my door, I just can’t wrap my mind around ordering a salad.
Call me crazy, but raw veggies are best straight from the fridge crisper drawer, when they’re ice-cold and oh-so-fresh.
And that leads me to this lettuce-less take on a traditional Thai Beef Salad starring your steak cut-of-choice, cucumber, fresh herbs and toasted peanuts, all tossed in a citrusy, sweet lime dressing.
But before we get to assembly, would you check out that meat?!
Your choice of a ribeye or top sirloin steak is marinated in the perfect mix of lime juice, brown sugar and soy sauce to complete the sour-sweet-salty trifecta.
And then it’s on to the dressing. That same trifecta of flavors gets a hint of heat, courtesy of very thinly sliced Thai chilies.
Not a fan of spice? Simply omit them before moving on to the rainbow of veggies and herbs that awaits your plate…
If you look closely, you’ll notice there’s not a lettuce leaf in sight. Cucumbers, shallots, tomatoes, cilantro and mint make up the base of this spruced up Thai Beef Salad, where the tender slices of beef are tossed together with the dressing to ensure they soak up every ounce of flavor.
Feeling extra authentic? Toast up some rice then give it a good crush before sprinkling it atop your salad for a touch of crouton-less crunch in every bite.
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Ingredients
For the steak marinade:
- 1 1/2 pounds ribeye or top sirloin steak
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 4 stalks lemongrass, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
For the lime dressing:
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 - 3 Thai chilies, thinly sliced (optional)
For the salad:
- 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 2 cups fresh mint leaves
- 2 cups cilantro
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup toasted peanuts, chopped
Instructions
Marinate the steak:
- In a sealable plastic bag, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, lemongrass and garlic. Add the steak, seal the bag and shake it around to coat the steak. Refrigerate the steak for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
Make the lime dressing:
- In medium mixing bowl whisk together the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, olive oil and Thai chilies (optional).
Cook the steak:
- Preheat the grill or grill pan and cook the steak for 5 minutes on each side. Transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes while you assemble the salad.
Assemble the salad:
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together cucumber, shallots, mint, cilantro, cherry tomatoes and nuts.
- Dress the salad with the prepared vinaigrette then slice the steak and arrange it atop the salad.
- Garnish with chopped peanuts and serve immediately.
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Nutrition
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Recipe by Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Delicious! I didn’t marinate the steak (no time), but the dressing was superb and the husband loved it! Next time, I’ll definitely add the marinade step…
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Dawn!
Very good ! Will keep it in my monthly rotation !
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Julie!