• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Best Beef Recipes logo
  • Home
  • Find A Recipe
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About Best Beef Recipes
  • Follow Us!

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Asian Beef Recipes

    Vietnamese Beef Salad

    Published: Jan 31, 2023 Modified: Jan 31, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

    Share

    Share
    Pin1.2K
    Tweet
    Email

    Best Beef Recipes is an Amazon Associate. We receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    You are going to love this easy rice noodle salad! Vietnamese Beef Salad is made with delicious thinly sliced steak over a bed of healthy rice noodles with an aromatic, zesty lime Asian salad dressing and colorful fresh veggies.

    With its nutritious ingredients and bright flavors, including a pop of mint, this Asian beef salad is guaranteed to become a healthy favorite weeknight meal or even a perfect Sunday dinner.

    Vietnamese beef salad with thinly sliced steak in a bowl over a blue kitchen towel

    Jump to:
    • Beef Salad
    • Vietnamese Beef Salad Ingredients
    • Beef Salad Marinade Ingredients
    • Vietnamese Salad Dressing
    • How to Make Beef Salad
    • Beef Salad Tips
    • Beef Salad Recipes FAQs
    • How to Cut Cucumbers into Ribbons
    • Garlic Ginger Paste Substitute
    • Asian Beef Recipes
    • 📌 Pin it for later!
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Beef Salad

    Salads are so much better when you add a little extra "something, something" with vibrant, fresh ingredients. Asian flavors tend to be aromatic and spicy, like our Keto Beef and Broccoli.

    For this vermicelli bowl with steak, the zesty flavors work perfectly in a simple Asian marinade for thinly sliced beef. Plus, an easy Asian dressing with fresh lime for drizzling on top! What could be better?

    Three bowls of Vietnamese beef salad on a table with a small pitcher of salad dressing

    Vietnamese Beef Salad Ingredients

    • Sirloin steaks
    • Carrots, peeled and cut into julienne strips
    • Cucumber, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
    • Butter lettuce or gem lettuce*, roughly chopped
    • A handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
    • Fresh mint leaves, torn
    • Red chili, finely sliced with seeds left in
    • Rice noodles

    Beef Salad Marinade Ingredients

    • Juice of limes
    • Fish sauce
    • Garlic ginger paste

    You can follow my step-by-step instructions for making the perfect Asian Marinade.

    Vietnamese Salad Dressing

    • sesame oil
    • Juice of lime
    • fish sauce
    • honey

    Our Asian salad dressing uses just four ingredients. For that classic sweet and sour flavor, simply combine sesame oil, lime juice, fish sauce, and honey. Stir well until well blended.

    Asian salad dressing tip: The dressing will separate if left to sit - so remember to give it a final stir before pouring.

    How to Make Beef Salad

    1. In a small dish, make the steak marinade by mixing together the juice of limes, fish sauce, and garlic ginger paste.
    2. Pour the steak marinade over the steaks. Cover, and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes up to overnight. Pouring the steak marinade over rump steak
    3. Cook rice noodles by placing them in a bowl and covering them with boiling water. Let them sit for 1 minute, then carefully drain and rinse under cold water.
    4. Peel and cut 2 medium carrots into strips.
    5. Slice 1 large cucumber into ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
    6. Roughly chop 2 baby gem lettuce heads, a handful of fresh coriander, and 10 to 15 fresh mint leaves.
    7. Finely slice a red chili with the seeds left in.
    8. Finally, place these salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the cooked rice noodles to the bowl with the salad ingredients, cover them, and place them in the fridge.Cooking the rice noodles in boiling water
    9. Place a griddle pan or skillet over medium heat. (the steak can also be grilled) When the pan is hot, carefully add the marinated steaks. Cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes for a pink middle.
    10. Remove the steaks from the pan and wrap them loosely in foil to rest for at least 8 minutes before slicing and serving.Pan frying steak for Vietnamese beef salad
    11. In the meantime, prepare the Asian salad dressing.
    12. Mix together sesame oil, the juice of 1 lime, fish sauce, and honey. Mix well.Creating the Asian salad dressing for Vietnamese beef salad
    13. Assemble the salad by removing the salad bowl from the fridge and tossing it together to mix with the noodles. Divide it even between four bowls, if feeding four.
    14. Unwrap the steak from the foil and transfer it to a cutting board. Thinly slice the steak and place the beef strips on top of the salad in each bowl.
    15. Pour over the Vietnamese salad dressing, serve, and enjoy!Mixing the Vietnamese beef salad and adding the steak and dressing

    Beef Salad Tips

    • Remove the steaks from the fridge and place them in a bowl at least a half an hour before you plan to cook them. This allows time for the marinade to soak in and for the steaks to come up to room temperature.
    • Don't move the steaks or flip them during the 4 minutes on each side cooking time. If they begin to smoke a lot, reduce the heat slightly.
    • It is very important to let your steaks rest after pan frying. Keep them loosely wrapped in foil for the 8 minutes of resting time. This will keep them hot but allow them to rest as necessary.
    • The Asian salad dressing will separate if left to sit. Give it a stir before pouring it over your salad.

    Beef Salad Recipes FAQs

    What is gem lettuce?

    Gem lettuce, also known as Little Gem Lettuce and Baby Gems Lettuce, is a miniature variety of Romaine lettuce. It is like a mix of Romaine lettuce and butter lettuce in texture and flavor. You can find it in the produce section of your grocery store, and it looks like a tiny version of Romaine lettuce. It's sweet like butter lettuce but crisp like Romaine, and so delicious!

    What is the best beef to use in Vietnamese Salad?

    Tender, juicy beefsteaks like sirloin steaks pan-fry in minutes. They're perfect for delicious strips of beef to top Vietnamese vermicelli salad! But honestly, any type of steak works well in this recipe. I have even made it using inexpensive cuts of beef like London broil.

    Is Vietnamese Salad gluten-free?

    Use rice or rice noodles in this zesty Asian dish and it is entirely gluten-free.

    A bowl of steak salad with Vietnamese salad dressing and rice noodles

    How to Cut Cucumbers into Ribbons

    1. Using a knife, cut off both ends of a whole cucumber. Discard the ends.
    2. Carefully slice the length of the cucumber into long, thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
    3. When you reach the seeds, turn the cucumber a quarter of the way and repeat. Do this as many times as necessary to cut the cucumber entirely into ribbons.

    You can use a straight vegetable peeler or a Y-peeler, whichever you have on hand. Cucumber ribbons make every dish look prettier!

    Garlic Ginger Paste Substitute

    If you have trouble finding garlic ginger paste, you can make your own by mixing equal parts minced garlic and ginger. Add a little olive oil if the paste is too thick and there you go!

    Easy Asian recipes like this are quick and simple to make thanks to the short cooking time and prep! This simple salad with beef is great for serving up a quick and easy meal.

    Two large bowls of Vietnamese steak salad and one small bowl

    Asian Beef Recipes

    • Keto Beef and Broccoli
    • Instant Pot Beef Pho
    • Easy Pepper Steak Stir Fry Recipe
    • Korean Short Ribs
    Two bowls of Vietnamese beef salad with a small pitcher of Asian salad dressing

    This is one of my favorite recipes to make using leftover steak! Try making more of our best Leftover Steak Recipes.

    Try more of the best beef cuts according to your needs and budget by following my guide on the Best Cuts of Beef and our popular Beef Dishes!

    📌 Pin it for later!

    Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!

    Share

    Pin

    📋 Recipe

    Close up of Vietnamese beef salad in a bowl
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.83 from 28 votes

    Best Beef Salad

    You are going to love this easy rice noodle salad. With its nutritious ingredients and bright flavors, Vietnamese beef salad is guaranteed to put a smile on your face!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Asian Beef Recipes
    Cuisine: Vietnamese
    Keyword: beef salad, beef salad recipe, vietnamese beef salad, vietnamese salad
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 272kcal
    Author: Isabel Laessig

    Equipment

    • Skillet

    Ingredients

    For the salad

    • 2 sirloin steaks 8oz. each
    • 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into julienne strips
    • 1 large cucumber sliced into ribbons with a veg peeler
    • 1 butter lettuce roughly chopped, or 2 baby gem lettuce
    • A handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped
    • 10-15 fresh mint leaves torn
    • Red chili finely sliced with seeds left in
    • 1 cup dried rice noodles

    For the beef marinade

    • Juice of 2 limes
    • 1 tsp. fish sauce
    • 1 tsp. garlic ginger paste

    For the Asian salad dressing

    • 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
    • Juice of 1 lime
    • 1 tsp. fish sauce
    • 1 Tbsp. honey

    See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!

    Instructions

    • In a small dish, make the steak marinade by mixing together the juice of 2 limes, 1 tsp. fish sauce, and 1 tsp. garlic ginger paste.
      Pour the steak marinade over 2 room temperature 8 oz. rump or sirloin steaks. Cover, and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes.
      Pouring the steak marinade over sirloin steak
    • Cook 1 cup dried rice noodles by placing them in a bowl and covering them with boiling water. Let them sit for 1 minute, then carefully drain and rinse under cold water.
      Peel and cut 2 medium carrots into strips. Slice 1 large cucumber into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Roughly chop 2 baby gem lettuce heads, a handful of fresh coriander, and 10 to 15 fresh mint leaves. Finely slice a red chili with the seeds left in.
      Finally, place these salad ingredients in a large bowl.
      Add the cooked rice noodles to the bowl with the salad ingredients, cover, and place in the fridge.
      Cooking the rice noodles in boiling water
    • Place a griddle pan or skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, carefully add the marinated steaks. Cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes for a pink middle. Remove the steaks from the pan and wrap them loosely in foil to rest for at least 8 minutes before slicing and serving.
      Pan frying steak for Vietnamese beef salad
    • In the meantime, prepare the Asian salad dressing. Mix together 2 Tbsp. sesame oil, the juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp. fish sauce, and 1 Tbsp. honey. Mix well.
      Creating the Asian salad dressing for Vietnamese beef salad
    • Assemble the salad by removing the salad bowl from the fridge and tossing it together to mix with the noodles. Divide it even between four bowls, if feeding four.
      Unwrap the steak from foil and transfer to a cutting board. Thinly slice the steak and place the beef strips on top of the salad in each bowl.Pour over the Vietnamese salad dressing, serve, and enjoy!
      Mixing the Vietnamese beef salad and adding the steak and dressing

    Video

    Notes

    • Remove the steaks from the fridge and place them in a bowl a half an hour before cooking them.
    • Don't move the steaks while they're cooking until they're ready to flip. If they begin to smoke a lot, reduce the heat slightly.
    • For a less pink middle, cook steaks an additional minute on each side.
    • Let your steaks rest after pan-frying. Keep them loosely wrapped in foil while resting.
    • Asian salad dressing will separate if left to sit. Give it a stir before pouring it over your salad.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 305g | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.4g | Protein: 29.7g | Fat: 11.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.5g | Sodium: 120mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6.7g

    Share

    Share
    Pin1.2K
    Tweet
    Email
    « Smoked Beef Roast
    London Broil on the Grill »

    About Isabel Laessig

    Isabel Laessig, better known as Family Foodie and the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement, is passionate about food and family! She is the author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook, and makes regular television appearances to spread her mission of bringing Sunday Supper back around the family table in every home.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenn says

      February 26, 2020 at 9:45 am

      What a delicious looking salad - this is going on my must-try list. I love the idea of marinating the beef, first. It'll add so much flavor!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        February 26, 2020 at 9:55 am

        Thank you so much, Jenn! It really gives it so much flavor to let it marinate first. Along with the dressing, it's just delicious!

        Reply
    2. Kushigalu says

      February 26, 2020 at 10:19 am

      How delicious and flavorful is this salad recipe. Must try!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        February 26, 2020 at 4:32 pm

        Thank you so much! We hope you love it!

        Reply
    3. Tara says

      February 26, 2020 at 10:40 am

      The salad dressing is fabulous -- really ties everything together!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        February 26, 2020 at 4:32 pm

        Thank you, Tara! It really is yummy.

        Reply
    4. Rebecca says

      February 26, 2020 at 10:44 am

      I love a good Vietnamese salad! Yours looks so good, and your photos are gorgeous!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        February 26, 2020 at 4:32 pm

        Thank you very much, Rebecca!

        Reply
    5. Erika says

      February 26, 2020 at 10:46 am

      This salad looks so light and flavorful, yum!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        February 26, 2020 at 4:32 pm

        Thank you so much, Erika! It's one of my personal favorites.

        Reply
    6. Cynthia King says

      May 18, 2021 at 1:32 pm

      What can I use in place of fish sauce im allergic to seafood and anything seafood based products

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        May 20, 2021 at 11:13 am

        Hi Cynthia! You can use soy sauce in place of fish sauce! Thank you for asking, and please enjoy.

        Reply

    Leave a comment or question - we love to hear from you! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Family Foodie Facebook
    • Sunday Supper Pinterest
    • Sunday Supper Youtube
    • Family Foodie Instagram
    • Family Foodie Tiktok

    Best Beef Dinner Ideas

    • Chuck Roast in the Oven
    • Our Famous Burger Seasoning
    • Air Fryer Steak
    • Birria Tacos Recipe
    • Smoked Brisket
    • Boneless Rib Roast

    Footer

    Our Brands

    Best Beef Recipes | Sunday Supper Movement | Easy Sauce Recipes | Best Side Dishes | Best Pork Bites

    About Us

    • Contact Us
    • About Best Beef Recipes
    • Disclosure & Privacy
    • Sign up for our Newsletter!
    sunday supper movement logo

    Best Beef Recipes is part of the Sunday Supper Media publishing family.

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright ©2019-2023 Best Beef Recipes, All Rights Reserved.