Easy Grilled Thai-Style Flank Steak Salad Recipe
Tired of the same old weeknight dinners? This Thai steak recipe bursts with vibrant flavors and a satisfying mix of textures. It’s inspired by the classic Thai dish but tailored for busy folks who want delicious meals without the fuss.
My love for Thai flavors began when my husband learned authentic cooking techniques from a Thai friend during college. This easy steak salad draws inspiration from those vibrant dishes.
The recipe we recreate most often is a simple sauce made from spicy peppers and floral mint leaves. This sauce is emblematic of Thai cooking, which is a balance of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy flavors hitting all the senses at once and goes beautifully with meat, vegetables and steamed Jasmine rice.
This sauce is the inspiration behind the dressing for this vibrant Thai-Style Flank Steak Salad bursting with tangy lime, fiery chilies, crunchy vegetables, and fresh herbs.
Have you ever tried Nam Tok, that incredible steak salad at your favorite Thai restaurant? The authentic version is mostly sliced steak with very little vegetables at all. This salad is a lighter version of that, made with easier to find ingredients.
I remember when I first started cooking – I was intimidated by unfamiliar cuisines. That’s why I’m passionate about making global flavors accessible for home cooks, helping you become happier and more confident in creating your own dishes.
My goal is to provide reliable, approachable recipes to cooks of all skill levels, empowering you to trust your gut and find joy in the kitchen.
So, are you ready to jazz up your week with a taste of Thailand?
Why Is This Thai Steak Recipe the Perfect Weeknight Hero?
- Fast Flavor: No marinade needed! All the flavor is in the dressing so everything comes together with very little cooking time.
- Easy-To-Find Ingredients: You likely have many of the pantry staples already, making it a budget-friendly option.
- Meal-Prep Friendly: Double the recipe and enjoy leftovers for easy lunches or another quick dinner.
- Super Versatile: Adapt this recipe to suit your tastes and what’s in your fridge.
Ingredients
- Fresh lime juice. From 3-4 limes.
- Fresh mint or Thai basil or cilantro or dill or green onion.
- Jalapeños. Remove seeds if you’d like it less spicy.
- Soy sauce. For a punch of saltiness.
- Granulated sugar or brown sugar or palm sugar or coconut sugar.
- Fish sauce. Funky on its own but great when combined with the other ingredients.
- Garlic. An essential aromatic in the dressing.
- Flank steak or chicken or tofu.
- Canola oil. For coating the steak for grilling.
- Kosher salt. I always use Morton kosher salt, unless otherwise specified.
- Freshly ground black pepper. Invest in a good Peppermill and use freshly cracked black peppercorns.
- Romaine lettuce or little gem lettuce or Bibb lettuce.
- Carrots. Grate on the large holes of the box grater or cut into thin matchstick pieces.
- Cucumber. Thinly sliced for crunch.
- Red bell pepper. Adds sweetness and color.
- Sugar snap peas. Cut into thin slices and enjoy the crunch of raw sweet peas.
How To Make This Recipe
step one
Make dressing. Remove the steak from the fridge to let it sit out at room temperature while you make the dressing. In a small bowl combine the canola oil, lime juice, mint, jalapeños, the 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce, and garlic. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Taste and add more sugar if you need to adjust the sweetness.
step two
Grill steak. Season steak with salt and pepper and rub with a bit of canola oil. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grill rack. Place steak on the hot grill. Let cook until nice grill marks have formed on one side. Flip and continue cooking on the other side until it is done to your likeness. I like a medium doneness for this salad or sometimes a medium-rare steak is nice.
step three
Slice steak. Remove from the grill to a cutting board and let the steak rest 5-10 minutes before slicing into thin strips against the grain.
step four
Assemble salad. In a large bowl combine the lettuce, carrots, cucumber, peppers, and peas. Arrange the sliced steak on top. Drizzle the dressing over everything, saving some as dipping sauce for the table.
Want to round out dinner with dessert? Make a batch of my best Cocoa Cookies!
Serving Suggestions
I think this is a meal all on its own but if you are feeding hungrier appetites, serve with Thai sticky rice, or if you want to recreate your favorite Thai restaurant experience, make this Pad Thai from Feasting At Home–it’s really good!
Thai Steak Recipe FAQ’s
What is the best cut of steak for a Thai steak recipe? Flank steak is the best cut of steak to use because it is quick-cooking, flavorful, and inexpensive. In Thai restaurants they often use other cuts of beef like brisket or sirloin beef steak but flank steak is the most common. If you want something fattier, go with rib eye.
What is a good substitute for fish sauce? Fish sauce is a very common ingredient in Thai food. If it is too strong for your tastes, cut the amount in half and substitute soy sauce for the rest.
Do I have to grill the steak for this Thai beef salad? You could easily pan-fry it in a hot cast iron skillet or grill pan.
Top 5 Most Popular Easy Dinner Recipes
- Quick and Easy Skirt Steak
- Ginger Hoisin Tofu Stir Fry
- Beef Stir Fry with Oyster Sauce and Mushrooms
- Penne with Spicy Vodka Sauce and Shallots
- Eggplant Bolognese with Pasta
This Is A Great Recipe That You Are Going To Love!
The best way to know is to try it. I’d be surprised if the whole family isn’t asking for the recipe. When you make it, let me know how it went by leaving a comment below! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @katesbestrecipes so that I can see (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating)! Also, sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter so you never miss a thing.
THAI-STYLE STEAK SALAD RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/3 cup finely shredded fresh mint, or Thai basil, cilantro, or dill
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 2 jalapeños, cored and thinly sliced (remove seeds if you'd like it less spicy)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 clove garlic. minced
- 1 pound flank steak
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small head Romaine lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces, washed and dried
- 2 carrots, shredded or julienne
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 medium Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Stir together the 1/2 cup lime juice, the 1/3 cup mint, 2 tablespoons of the canola oil, the 2 jalapeños, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and the 1 clove garlic until the sugar is dissolved.
- Rub the 1 pound of steak on all sides with the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and season on both sides with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Let meat sit out at room temperature while you heat the grill.
- Heat a grill to medium-high heat and grill steak to desired doneness; 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a plate and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. Then cut into very thin slices against the grain
- Arrange lettuce, carrots, pepper, cucumber and peas on a large platter and place steak on top. Drizzle dressing over salad, reserving some for spooning over each plate. Enjoy!
Notes
- Steak: Let the meat sit at room temperature while you make the dressing and let the grill heat up.
- Spice level: If you want the dressing less spicy, remove the seeds from the jalapeño and mince them instead of slice. Or simply, use less.
- Make-ahead: Everything can be made in advance and assembled when you are ready to eat. Keep steak, vegetables, and dressing separate until serving time.
- Variations: Substitute your favorite vegetables for the ones listed here. Some options might be, thinly sliced red onion, shallots, or scallions, radishes, avocado, or mushrooms.
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