Grill/Barbecue

Asian Inspired Beef Salad

by:
September  9, 2009
4.5
4 Ratings
Asian Inspired Beef Salad
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

This recipe is a combination of a few different recipes. I have adjusted it by using what we love to eat but with a bit of an Asian influence. —ChezUs

Test Kitchen Notes

We've come across a lot of Asian beef salads in our time (some good and some not so good), and we both agreed that this recipe knocks one out of the park. This fresh, light salad utilizes our favorite Southeast Asian flavors: fish sauce, soy, lime juice, chili, fresh herbs, and best of all -- lemongrass. The dressing is balanced, rather than overwhelmingly fishy or sweet, and the addition of tomatoes and red pepper adds both some pretty red color and juiciness. We also liked ChezUs's method of tossing the greens with just a fraction of the dressing and then drizzling the rest over the top at the end. This keeps the greens from getting limp but ensures that the salad is adequately dressed. We didn't have unrefined sugar on hand, so we substituted white sugar, using 2 tablespoons rather than 3 because it's sweeter and more dense. - A&M —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Dressing
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons unrefined sugar
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons lemongrass, microplaned
  • 1 tablespoon lime zest
  • 2 teaspoons serrano chili, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • Salad
  • 1 pound beef sirloin, grass fed preferred
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • kosher salt
  • fresh cracked black pepper
  • 2 cups red leafed baby romaine
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup basil, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup mint, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 vine ripe tomatoes, cut in quarters
Directions
  1. Dressing
  2. Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake until combined. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
  1. Salad
  2. Rub the beef with sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Combine lettuce, herbs, red onion and red pepper in a salad bowl, toss to combine.
  4. Heat a stove top grill pan and sear beef until cooked to your liking. We like ours medium rare, which is about 2 - 3 minutes each side depending on thickness of the cut of meat. Slice meat into thin strips.
  5. Toss the greens with 1/3 of the dressing.
  6. Divide salad greens onto serving plates. Top with the sliced beef and tomatoes. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top of each salad.
  7. Serve. Eat.
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12 Reviews

Lin
Lin May 12, 2020
Excellent flavors! I had bison steak on hand so that’s what I used & no fresh lemongrass so I used dried. Nothing else was fiddled with. I’m still on the lookout for fresh lemongrass, then I will make it again. And again.
 
Lin
Lin April 13, 2020
This is a fantastic recipe! I had almost all the ingredients (only dried lemongrass- will try to find fresh next time) for the dressing. Because of currant covid restrictions, I used bison & fresh salad ingredients on hand (Boston lettuce, cabbage thinly shaved with mandolin, cukes, red bell peppers & jalapeño). The dressing is the KEY to deliciousness; play with greens if needed; crunch of cabbage was a nice textural contrast.
I've already recommended this to our daughter & a friend.
 
Dominika U.
Dominika U. April 12, 2015
This recipe is delicious and simple! I added just a pinch of extra sugar to mellow out the fish sauce - and because I couldn't find lemongrass, I added some lemon zest and fresh ginger to the dressing. I was really impressed with how flavorful the steak is with just sesame oil and salt and pepper! I will be making this again!
 
LiquidSmoke
LiquidSmoke November 27, 2011
I made this salad a few days before Thanksgiving after spending the day making gallons of chicken/turkey stock. It was the perfect antidote to Thanksgiving/Americana cooking. A&M are right when they say the flavors knock this recipe out of the park.

I wasn't sure you could really microplane lemongrass but it was easy. I'll be making this recipe again and again.
 
ChezUs
ChezUs November 28, 2011
I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe. It is a favorite around here as well. The flavors are really great when you are feeling under the weather as well ... lots of protein, and good veggies to help you recover!
 
EmilyNunn
EmilyNunn October 20, 2009
Just made this for dinner for man and 10 year old; loved it. We had it with corn pudding for some crazy reason, and it was such a nice meal.
 
zeus
zeus October 8, 2009
i made this last week and the family loved it but had misread dressing as marinade. no matter. i used a vacuum sealer overnight to put the marinade deeper into the beef.
i made it last night using quail instead of sirloin.
equally great
 
Amanda H.
Amanda H. October 20, 2009
Quail? That's cool. Would never have thought of that.
 
nancy
nancy September 28, 2009
Can you please clarify what microplaned lemongrass means? Thanks!
 
Mike G.
Mike G. September 28, 2009
This link will explain what a microplane is and the recipe calls for you to process Lemongrass through this sweet little kitchen gadget. http://tinyurl.com/yebpnpt
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks September 21, 2009
Made a great, quick dinner, I had all the ingredients except the lemon grass, which I left out (sorry). The leftovers are going to school with my daughter tomorrow (dressing in a separate bottle).
I would never have thought to look for a recipe on a week night but because of the web site it was right in front of me.
Thanks!
 
lastnightsdinner
lastnightsdinner September 9, 2009
You had me at fish sauce. :D