Easy Thai-inspired Steak Salad

This Thai-Inspired Steak Salad makes a light yet satisfying dinner that is perfect for hot summer days. The steak is marinated in a robust sweet-salty mixture, then grilled, sliced, and tossed with tender lettuce, crunchy veggies and vibrant herbs. The result is a mouthwatering, one-platter meal that couldn’t be easier to make.

These days, I don’t cook many steaks, but during BBQ season, or if I need a sweet reward for a tough week, it’s undeniably one of the easiest things to throw on the grill. Paired with a cooling green salad, it makes the perfect weeknight, or small dinner party, meal.

This Thai-inspired steak salad may look fancy, but it couldn’t be simpler to throw together. Here we give the steak a quick hit of umami with fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic and onion. A smidge of brown sugar ensures the steak will brown beautifully in a short amount of time. Grill it up, slice it, and layer over lettuce, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and loads of fresh herbs. Done!

Though not a traditional Thai beef salad, you will love the bold flavors of this one-platter meal. It is filling yet light and fresh, making it ideal for these hot summer days. I can’t wait for you to try it!

Recipe Ingredients And Notes

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this easy Thai-Inspired Steak Salad:

Salad

• Steak: I like to use flank for this Thai-inspired steak salad. It soaks up marinades really well, which also helps tenderize it. That said, pretty much any cut of beef will work here. Skirt steak, Rib Eye, Strip Loin, Denver, Tri-Tip, Picanha, Hanger, will all work. My least favorite is Top sirloin which I find too lean and dry for this recipe.
• Lettuce: When I can find it, I love to use Boston lettuce for this salad. It soaks up the dressing beautifully without wilting too quickly. Arugula, Romaine, spinach, a spring mix, or just more herbs would also work.
• Cucumbers: Crunchy and refreshing, sliced cucumbers are a perfect for this salad.
• Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are in season right now and, surprisingly, are pretty traditional in a Thai beef salad. Their sweet juices make this salad even tastier.
• Red onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds texture and flavor to the salad. Because I’m always left with about half of a red onion, I will usually grate it and add it to the steak marinade but this is optional.
• Fresh herbs: The herbs used here are not merely for garnish, they help form the base of the salad and contribute loads of fresh flavor so be very generous. Mint gives this salad its unique, traditional flavor so I highly recommend not leaving it out. Basil (regular or Thai) and/or cilantro, can also be used.

Marinade

• Black pepper: You want to add a generous amount of coarsely ground fresh black pepper to the steak marinade.
• Garlic: I like to grate 3-4 cloves of garlic for the marinade but you can just mince it if you prefer.
• Red onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds texture and flavor to the salad. Because I’m always left with about half of a red onion, I will usually grate it and add it to the steak marinade but this is optional.
• Low-sodium soy sauce: Adds umami and saltiness to the marinade. You can substitute with tamari for a gluten-free option.
• Fish sauce: For loads of umami goodness, we use fish sauce for the marinade and the dressing. This is the fish sauce I use. I highly recommend you buy a fish sauce that has only two ingredients: anchovies and sea salt. Otherwise, your fish sauce could be unpleasantly salty with a chemical aftertaste.
• Brown sugar: I don’t like a very sweet steak salad but just a pinch of sugar is needed to balance all the salty flavors from the fish sauce and soy sauce. We use it for both the marinade and the dressing.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice is essential for both the marinade and the dressing.

Dressing

• Fish sauce: For loads of umami goodness, we use fish sauce for the marinade and the dressing. This is the fish sauce I use. I highly recommend you buy a fish sauce that has only two ingredients: anchovies and sea salt. Otherwise, your fish sauce could be unpleasantly salty with a chemical aftertaste.
• Brown sugar: I don’t like a very sweet steak salad but just a pinch of sugar is needed to balance all the salty flavors from the fish sauce and soy sauce. We use it for both the marinade and the dressing.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice is essential for both the marinade and the dressing.
• Vinegar: The lime juice adds plenty of acid to the salad dressing but I like to add even more with just a little bit of vinegar. I love to add sherry vinegar to the dressing but red wine vinegar, or any white vinegar will work.

Easy Variations

• Spice: Add red chili flakes or sambal oelek to the dressing to kick up the heat a little. Chopped jalapeños would also be delicious added to to the salad.
• Veggies: If you’d like to add more veggies, you can add chopped green beans that have been quickly blanched, or sugar snap peas. You can also add 1-2 chopped bell peppers.
• Chopped peanuts: For a little more crunch and some nutty flavor, add chopped peanuts or cashews.

How To Make Grilled Steak Salad

Here is an overview of the recipe. Full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the printable recipe card below!

Step 1: Prepare the marinade. I like to mix all the marinade ingredients in a large glass baking dish, then adding the steak and tossing to coat.

Step 2: Marinate the steak. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Step 3: Grill (or pan sear the steak). Preheat your grill to high. Pat dry the steak with paper towel then grill 3 to 4 minutes a side for medium rare, or to your desired doneness. If using a skillet, I recommend using cast iron. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and cook steak to desired doneness, flipping once or twice.

Step 4: Let steak rest before slicing. For best results, the steak needs to rest for at least 10 minutes. This allows the juices to stay in the steak so the meat remains nice and juicy.

Step 5: Prepare salad. While the steak rests, mix up the dressing in a medium bowl. Add the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion and most of the herbs. On a large platter, layer the lettuce leaves and top with most of the cucumber mixture (including dressing).

Step 6: Slice the steak and finish assembling salad. Use a sharp knife to slice the steak thinly against the grain. Arrange the steak slices over the salad. Add the rest of the cucumber mixture and pour any remaining dressing over top. Garnish with any remaining herbs and serve immediately.

Tips To Cook Flank Steak 

• Don’t cook a fridge-cold steak. If you refrigerated the steak, it is important to let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking it. This will ensure it cooks evenly.
• Use a meat thermometer. We enjoy our meat medium rare and flank steak in particular is a cut that will be much more tender if not overcooked. I recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches your desired temperature.

Use the chart below as a guide but remember the temperature of the meat will continue to rise a few degrees once removed from the heat.

• Rare: 120°–125° (The centre will be warm but not quite cooked.)
• Medium Rare: 130°–135° (The centre will be slightly cooked but still very red.)
• Medium: 140°–145° (The centre will be pink and firmer.)
• Medium Well: 150°–155° (The steak will mostly brown throughout with just a trace of pink in the center.)
• Well Done: 160°–165° (The steak will be cooked right through with a very firm texture.)

*(Steak Cooking Guide slightly adapted from Foodandwine.com)

How Long Should I Marinate The Steak?

This will depend on the cut of beef you use. For flank steak, I recommend marinating at least 20 minutes but 1 hour would be ideal. You can also marinate the flank steak overnight, up to 24 hours. I don’t recommend marinating a Rib Eye or other cuts that don’t typically require a marinade, for longer than 30 minutes.

You should not marinate any steak longer than 24 hours or the acid in the marinade will start to break down the fibers of the meat, and it will become mushy.

Can I Make This Steak Salad In Advance?

You can prepare and refrigerate all the components of this salad separately up to one day in advance. I recommend cooking the marinated steak just before serving since it only takes about 10 minutes to cook.

If you absolutely must cook the steak in advance, you have a few choices:

1. Undercook the steak and let rest until completely cool, then refrigerate covered for up to 1 day. When ready to serve, reheat the steak on a grill or skillet for just 2 minutes a side. It won’t be very warm but it will still be delicious and you really don’t want to overcook it.
2. Cook the steak according to recipe instructions then slice it once it has rested. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 3 days. Once the steak is sliced, I don’t recommend reheating it so it doesn’t dry out. Instead, serve cold layered over the salad.

What To Serve Alongside This Steak Salad

This steak salad is filling and satisfying served all on its own. However, I will sometimes serve it with crusty bread, or a bowl of fluffy Jasmine rice.

Rice noodles would also be great or this refreshing mango salad. During corn season, the steak salad would be wonderful with some corn on the cob or this addictive corn salad.

Storing Suggestions

The greens and cucumbers are best eaten on the day this steak salad is served as they will not hold up well once dressed.

Leftover steak can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

More Summer Salad Recipes To Try