A Quick and Easy Dinner That's Packed With Flavor

The new year is a time to reset, especially in the kitchen. To help you get there, we've partnered with Eggland's Best to highlight dishes that are satisfying and nourishing, but light enough that they won't feel over-indulgent. All are made even more delicious with EB eggs.

It can be a balancing act to land on a comforting, January-appropriate dish that's both light and flavorful. Sometimes it feels like all the light, quick foods are in the summer camp—salads, chilled soups, simple grilled meats and vegetables—while their winter counterparts are drowned in cheese and cream (bubbling casseroles) and can feel overly hearty (braises and stews). Not to mention the fact that all of them take forever to prepare.

But maybe I've been looking to the wrong part of the world for inspiration. For example, many Southeast Asian dishes are packed with flavor and freshness, and are filling without being too heavy. Inspired by a classic, one of my new favorites—Laotian Beef Salad (Larb) with Omelette Noodles—hits all those notes. Even though it's protein-heavy, I don't feel like I need a two hour nap after this meal. And the best part? It comes together super quickly.

There are two main components to the dish. The first is an omelette noodle, a brilliant, low-carb hack that provides the base: Eggs are mixed with splash of water and some salt, then poured into a heated nonstick pan. Really, the motion here is as simple as making a crepe. But (unlike a crepe) it's actually pretty easy, because there’s no need to flip this baby—it’s thin enough to cook all the way through on one side. Repeat three more times, stacking the omelettes on top of each other as you go. Then roll them up like a cigar (you know, those things you’ve sworn off until next December), and slice them crosswise into half-inch strips. Et voila: omelette noodles!

Step two is making the larb, which combines sautéed ground meat with aromatics and fish sauce before it's loaded up with bright garnishes. This particular recipe uses the inexpensive cut of skirt steak, which is finely sliced, then minced and thrown into a hot wok. To speed up the preparation, you could use any type of ground meat—beef, chicken, or pork, or even seitan if you want to keep it vegetarian.

Flavor is added in every step of the dish. The mince is mixed with chopped lemongrass, garlic, shallot, and Thai bird chiles before cooking. It's deglazed with fish sauce and soy sauce (there’s that umami), and then finished with chopped cilantro, mint, and green onion for brightness and bite. A few crushed peanuts and a squeeze of lime round out the dish, making sure every bite is balanced.

It’s not an exaggeration to say I could eat this dish every day. It’s fun to cook and it’s a refreshing addition to my January repertoire. Plus, it’s totally craveable—and I’m not alone in my ardent passion for this larb. As Food52 community member banahsohs commented, "quite certain this is my favorite food52 recipe yet. Next time I plan on eating it out of a plate instead of straight outta the pan." I couldn’t have said it better myself.

We're sharing dishes that are as good as they are good for you, all made more delicious and nutritious with EB eggs. Eggland's Best credits the extra vitamins and minerals in their eggs (like ten times more vitamin E and six times more vitamin D) to an all-vegetarian hen feed.