This Easy Thai Steak Salad is a super quick meal to prepare! It’s loaded with veggies and features a grilled Thai-inspired marinated sirloin steak. A must try salad if you’re looking for something healthy but also to satisfy those tastebuds!
I know we’re all trying to eat healthier now, and although we do our best I understand it can be pretty boring! But it really doesn’t have to be, and this recipe proves it! So today, I give you a simple, fresh salad with a beautifully marinated steak and homegrown herbs – healthy, delicious, and not boring!
The thinly sliced meat, crunch of the cucumbers and the heady aroma of mint and cilantro tossed with a sweet, salty and spicy Thai-inspired homemade dressing will be sure to satisfy anyone’s tastebuds. It’s all about homemade elements today you guys! I’m a big believer that they are key ingredients in most recipes, trust me homemade is always the way to go!
Anyone who knows me knows I love Thai food – there is just something about the way this cuisine uses the freshest ingredients and incorporates some seriously bold flavors! Today the homemade dressing and marinade are combinations of some of my favorite Thai spices, like ginger and red Thai peppers, along with soy sauce, fish sauce, and a citrusy zest. It’s going to be a real treat!
Ingredients
Marinade:
- Soy sauce – I always recommend a low sodium option.
- Molasses – For some sweetness.
- Ginger – One of my favorite Thai spices!
- Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
- Red Thai chili pepper – Chopped.
- Lime juice – Lemon juice also works if it is all you can find!
- Steak – I am using an 8 oz sirloin steak.
Dressing:
- Coconut oil – You are welcome to use olive oil if that’s what you have on hand!
- Soy sauce – Again, I like that low sodium option!
- Fish sauce – Although it may not sound appealing, it is a key ingredient in this homemade dressing! If it really isn’y your thing, you can use a bit of extra soy sauce as a substitution.
- Brown sugar – For sweetness.
- Thai chili pepper – Chopped.
- Lime juice and lime zest – Lemon will also work.
Salad:
- Lettuce – I used a leafy green lettuce for this recipe but you are welcome to use any lettuce of your choice!
- Red bell pepper – Sliced into long strips.
- English cucumber – Sliced, please!
- Herbs – Today I am using fresh cilantro and fresh mint.
- Peanuts – Chopped – this is optional or you can use another nut of your choice, for that extra crunch factor.
How To Make Thai Steak Salad
You may want to complete step 1 of this recipe ahead of time as this allow your steak to marinate anywhere from 4 hours to overnight.
- Create marinade: In a small bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients, except the steak! Pour the marinade into a ziploc bag, place the steak inside and close tightly. Use your hands to lightly toss the bag and gently massage the steak for only a couple minutes. Place in the fridge to marinate for up to 4 hours or overnight – the longer it marinates the better!
- Create dressing: In another small bowl, mix together all of the dressing ingredients and whisk until well incorporated.
- Grill – Grill the steak, using whichever cooking method works best for you. I enjoy a medium-rare steak, so I cooked it for about 7 minutes on each side. When finished let the steak cool for 10 minutes, then cut into slices across the grain.
- Assemble salad – In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients and give it a little toss. Next, pour the homemade dressing over the salad and toss it again.
- Serve – Arrange salad on a plate or serving dish and top with steak slices. To garnish, sprinkle with peanuts or a herb of your choice, and enjoy!
How To Cook Steak
When it comes to steak, you’re really only going to prepare it one of two ways: reverse sear or hot and fast.
- Reverse sear: The reverse sear method is best when cooking thicker steaks. This process requires you to bring the steak up to temperature on a grill or cast iron pan at low heat, and then quickly searing it at high heat to finish it off. This method gives you more control over how the interior of the steak cooks so you can achieve that perfect medium-rare on the inside and beautiful brown crust on the outside.
- Hot and fast: This requires quickly searing the steak over direct heat, depending on the thickness you may only need to sear for a minute or 2. Then you’ll want to remove it from direct heat and place it on indirect heat, allowing it to cook internally to your desired doneness.
What Is Fish Sauce?
Fish sauce is a condiment in liquid form that comes from krill or other fish that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. It is an extremely popular staple for seasoning in Southeast and East Asian Cuisine. I love fish sauce for it’s earthy and savory flavor, and it pairs incredibly well with soy sauce!
What is The Best Cut Of Steak To Use
Well if you didn’t know that I live in Canada’s “cattle country”, now you do! We have some beautiful and tasty beef here in the province of Alberta, and I find a way to enjoy most cuts of beef! Today I am using a sirloin steak, which is a top, rear cut, but there are other cuts of beef you are welcome to use. Here are some other suggestions:
- Strip loin – Comes from the same loin as a sirloin but is known to be a more tender cut.
- Flank – A lower abdominal cut of meat, it is a lean cut and good for grilling.
- Ribeye – Probably the best cut of beef, also one of the most expensive, for grilling – it’s tender, juicy and known to be the “king of all steaks”.
Other Vegetables You Can Add
You can get creative with this Steak Salad! Here are some additional ingredients you may want to include in yours:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red Onion
- Avocado
- Bell peppers
- Black beans
- Corn
- Hard boiled eggs
How To Store Leftovers
If you know you may be storing leftovers – use your dressing accordingly. The Thai steak salad will last longer in the fridge, up to 5 days, if it is undressed – no one wants a soggy salad! To store undressed salad, place in a large bowl, drape with paper towel to help collect moisture, and cover with plastic wrap.
Looking For More Delicious Salad Recipes? Try These:
- Asian Chopped Chicken Salad
- Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad
- Summer Salad with Herbed Ricotta
- Kale Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette
- Thai Chicken Salad
- Greek Salad
- Cowboy Pasta Salad
- Mushroom Arugula Warm Salad
Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram
Easy Thai Steak Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Thai red chili pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 8 oz sirloin steak
Salad Dressing
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Thai red chili pepper chopped
- 2 tsp lime zest or from 1 lime
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Salad
- 4 cups lettuce chopped
- 1 red bell pepper sliced in long strips
- 1/2 English cucumber sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup mint chopped
- 2 tbsp peanuts chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl add all the marinade ingredients (minus steak) and whisk well. Pour the marinade in a ziploc bag, add steak and close the bag and toss around a bit. Place in the fridge and let the steak marinate for 4 hours or overnight. The longer it marinates the better it will taste.
- Prepare the dressing, by mixing all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisking well.
- Grill the steak to your preferred doneness, I prefer mine medium, so for medium I usually leave it 7 minutes per side. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes after you grilled, then slice the steak across the grain.
- In a large bowl toss the lettuce, pepper, cucumber, mint and cilantro together then pour the dressing over and toss well. Arrange the salad on a platter and place the sliced steak over the salad, then top with chopped peanuts.
Recipe Notes
- Prep time does not include time to marinate the steak.
- If you know you may be storing leftovers – use your dressing accordingly. The steak salad will last longer in the fridge, up to 5 days, if it is undressed – no one wants a soggy salad! To store undressed salad, place in a large bowl, drape with paper towel to help collect moisture, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
