Yum Nua is a Thai beef salad made with marinated steak, a zippy lime dressing, and an abundance of fresh herbs and vegetables. This is a restaurant-quality dish that requires minimal effort on your part!
This Salad is SO Much Better Than Takeout
Thai food is one of my favorites, and while I love to eat out, I like making fresh, herby Thai salads like this one at home just as much. The flavors of citrusy ponzu, fresh lime juice, and salty fish sauce will trick your tastebuds into thinking this salad was made with lots of hard-to-find ingredients, but nope! Everything can be found at your local grocery store and the steak marinade, salad dressing, and fresh veggies are all super easy to prepare.
In a perfect world, you’d use an actual outdoor grill to grill the beef for this salad, but I often use my stovetop grill pan to save me some time and effort.
Even though it’s made with beef, this is actually a fantastic summer salad thanks to all the light and fresh flavors from the herbs and veggies. You can serve this salad as an appetizer for pad Thai or curry, or you can eat it as a main dish and pair it with a vermicelli noodle salad.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Making Thai Beef Salad
- The best cut of beef: I tested this recipe with a few different cuts of beef … and they all worked! Rib-eye is my favorite, but chuck steak or hanger steak are also great. You can also skip the marinade and just use whatever leftover steak you have on hand from last night’s dinner. The flavor won’t be the same, but it’ll still be a delicious salad.
- Marinate time: The longer you marinate the beef, the more flavorful and tender it will turn out. If you’re in a rush, just 15 minutes of marinating will work, but a couple hours or overnight would be even better (especially if you’re using a tougher cut of beef).
- Serving temp: Yum Nua salad is meant to be served cold or at room temperature. This keeps the herbs from wilting and makes for a more refreshing salad overall.
The Flavor Builders in the Marinade and Dressing
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
Marinade
A blend of canola and sesame oil keeps the steak moist, while rice wine vinegar and ponzu help to break down some of the tough muscle fibers and make for a more tender bite.
For the freshest flavor, use actual garlic cloves and freshly grated ginger rather than their dried counterparts. As a final finishing touch, add a little brown sugar and red chili flakes for some sweet-yet-spicy heat.
Dressing
The dressing is very simple, but it’s what makes this salad so good! All you need is lime juice (freshly squeezed, please!), a neutral flavored oil like canola or vegetable, some sugar, and fish sauce.
Heidi’s Tip: If you’re unfamiliar with fish sauce, it doesn’t actually taste like fish. It’s more savory and earthy than anything else, and buying a good quality brand is essential (I like Red Boat). Cheaper fish sauces taste overwhelmingly of salt and can ruin a simple dish like this yum nua salad!
Here’s How to Make Thai Beef Salad at Home
- Marinate the steak. I like to whisk together the marinade in a separate bowl before transferring it to a zip-top bag with the steak. 15 minutes is the absolute minimum amount of time you can marinate the steak, but try to aim for a couple of hours if you have the time to do so.
- Cook the steak. I suggest letting any excess marinade drip off of the steak before cooking it in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan. This will ensure the steak sears when it comes into contact with the hot pan rather than steam. Or, grill the steak on an outdoor grill.
- Let rest, then slice. As with any larger cut of meat, the steak needs to rest for about 10 minutes to give the juices time to redistribute before it can be sliced.
- Assemble. I like to toss together the steak slices, red onion, tomato, and cucumber with the dressing before topping with the herbs and lettuce.
Heidi’s Tip: Fresh herbs are key to making a beef salad that tastes like what you get in a Thai restaurant. Don’t be shy when adding the cilantro and mint, they balance out the rich steak so perfectly!
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Thai Beef Salad Recipe (Yum Nua)
Steak is marinated in a savory-sweet marinade before being grilled, sliced, and tossed with various fresh herbs and veggies. This salad is intended to be served cold or at room temperature, so it’s perfect for hot days.
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Servings 4
Calories 538kcal
Ingredients
For the marinated steak:
- ½ cup ponzu*
- 3 tablespoons canola oil divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, optional
- 1 pound rib-eye steak, chuck steak, or hanger steak
For the dressing:
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, nam pla
- 2 tablespoons sugar
For the salad:
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
- ½ English cucumber, halved, seeded, scored with a fork, and sliced
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Little gem lettuce leaves, torn, for serving
Instructions
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Prepare the steak marinade (or use leftover cooked steak). In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup ponzu, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 3 cloves pressed garlic, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes. Pour into a gallon freezer bag and add 1 pound of steak. Marinate for at least 15 minutes up to overnight.
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Cook the steak (or use leftover cooked steak). Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a grill pan or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Remove the steak from the freezer bag and let the marinade drip from the meat. Discard the marinade. Add the steak to the pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked to medium-rare, about 8-12 minutes. Transfer the steak to a bowl or platter and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
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Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk ½ cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth.
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Assemble the salad. To the bowl with the dressing, add the sliced steak, ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, 2 tomatoes cut into wedges, and ½ sliced English cucumber, and toss to coat. Top with ½ cup cilantro, ¼ cup mint, and green onions, toss, and serve with lettuce leaves on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 1447mg | Potassium: 597mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 713IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg
What to Serve With Thai Beef Salad
Storage Tips
Store the marinated and cooked beef, salad fixings, and dressing in separate containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
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