Thai-Inspired Spicy Beef Salad

5 — Votes 2 votes

Thai-Inspired Spicy Beef Salad

This Thai-inspired beef salad is, quite literally, the lunch recipe of your dreams! Marinated, tender, perfectly-cooked steak gets nestled into a bed of salad greens, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and then topped with crushed peanuts, fresh mint, Thai basil, spicy serrano peppers, and the most delicious Thai-inspired peanut (or almond) dressing you've ever had.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Inactive Time1

Total Time1 25

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: thai-inspired

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: Servings

Author: Cassy Joy Garcia

Ingredients

For the Steak

½ cup coconut aminos
¼ cup fish sauce
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lime, juice and zest
1½ pounds flank steak
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Dressing

⅓ cup almond or peanut butter
¼ cup coconut aminos
¼ cup honey
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 lime, juice and zest
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Salads

mixed greens
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
3 mini cucumbers, sliced into half moons
½ cup fresh mint, thinly sliced
½ cup Thai basil
2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced

Instructions

Whisk the marinade ingredients together until smooth, then add your flank steak. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (up to 1 full day).
Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium/high heat. Once hot, add the steak, and cook for 3-4 minutes on one side. Flip the steak and cook for 3-4 minutes on the other side, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Remove the steak from the skillet, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain into bite-sized pieces.
While the steak rests, make the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisking them together. You can also use a blender or immersion blender to get the dressing smoother, faster.
Assemble the salads with a base of mixed greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Top with the sliced steak, followed by the dressing, crushed peanuts, thinly sliced mint, Thai basil, and slices of spicy peppers. Enjoy right away or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

- Cut the spice - serrano peppers are pretty spicy, so if you need to lower the spice level of your salad, go for it! A jalapeno pepper will also work beautifully, and if that's too spicy, use mini bell peppers to get all of the crunch with none of the spice.
- Top with toasted rice - a lot of Thai beef salad recipes call for toasted rice as the crunchy topping (vs. crushed peanuts). We went for crushed peanuts because they're easier to find at the local grocery store, but if you know of a specialty market that sells toasted rice (or you want to make your own), feel free to use that instead!
- Serve over rice or quinoa - want to add more starch to this recipe? Swap the mixed greens for fluffy white rice or nutty quinoa!
- Don't overcook your steak - grab a meat thermometer if you don't have one already (we love this thermometer that can be used WHILE you cook vs. having to manually check the temperature every so often). Using a thermometer will ensure that your steak is perfectly cooked and not tough or dry.

Nutrition