This Vietnamese grilled beef salad is made with beef simply marinated in lime juice, salt, and pepper. That’s it. No oil. No-fuss. You’re going to love this fresh and easy Vietnamese beef salad recipe!
A friend of mine recently emailed me looking for creative salad ideas. Salad ideas? Who me? I thought you’d never ask.
This Vietnamese Grilled Beef Salad is in honor of Mr. Lee, the man who owned a local Vietnamese restaurant that my family frequented most Sundays of my childhood.
While my friends were home having a traditional Sunday Supper of meat loaf or spaghetti, we were out on the west side of the city eating fresh rolls with shrimp and cilantro, vermicelli bowls with pork meatballs, pho soup and of course an order of the beef salad appetizer, also known as “loc lac.”
These days, I try to avoid bowls of vermicelli noodles with pork meatballs and egg rolls. But don’t think I skip Vietnamese food all together.
As in usual Liz fashion, I am at home creating a healthier version of my favorite dishes. From my experience, Vietnamese food is all about fresh herbs (mint, basil, cilantro, etc.) and sauces that are salty, spicy, sour and sweet all at the same time. If you keep that formula in mind, it is hard to mess up.
Today I am sharing my healthy version of a Vietnamese Beef Salad. The beef is simply marinaded in lime juice, salt and pepper. That’s it. No oil. No fuss. While the beef is cooking, I prepare a large salad with fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market.
The meat will taste delicious on anything but this time I used local red leaf lettuce and romaine as well as tomatoes, red onion and cucumber. Fresh basil, cilantro and mint are the perfect herbs to complement the tender beef and tangy salad dressing.
Your fork is waiting.
Vietnamese Beef Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef (I used sirloin but filet would also work well)
- 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 cups mixed lettuces (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup carrots (shredded)
- ½ cup red onion (sliced)
- 1 large tomato (cubed)
- 1 cucumber (peeled and thinly sliced)
- ½ cup cilantro (chopped)
- ¼ cup mint (chopped)
- ¼ cup basil (chopped)
Dressing
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large plastic resealable bag, combine beef, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes or longer to marinade.
- Preheat grill on High (or turn on broiler if cooking indoors.) Make salad dressing by combining soy sauce through brown sugar in a small glass bowl. Set aside.
- In a large salad bowl, combine greens, carrots, onion, cucumber, tomato and fresh herbs.
- Cook beef on hot grill about 6 minutes per side for medium rare (longer if you prefer.) When beef is done cooking, take off the grill and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Do not slice, poke or cut the beef until it has rested for 10 minutes.
- After meat has rested, thinly slice against the grain. Gently pour salad dressing around the edge of the salad bowl and toss together gently with tongs or your hands.
- Serve with sliced beef on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Want more Asian inspired recipes? Check out my Pinterest board!
Mr Lee was the greatest Vietnamese chef ever……until Liz!
She learned at his table.
vein
hahahah truth!! Love you.
Those red onions look gloriously pickled. Did you pickle them first? Whole recipe looks divine!
Just let them sit in a little lime juice and salt!! :)