Yield: 6

Vietnamese Steak and Noodle Salad

Whoever said carbs don’t belong in a salad never tasted this zesty, colorful Vietnamese noodle bowl. It’s brimming with buttery lettuce leaves, tender rice noodles, juicy seared steak, crunchy veggies, and a light lemongrass dressing. Read more now to add this tangy recipe to your collection of fresh favorites.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • Juice of 3 limes (about 1/3 cup), plus extra lime wedges for serving
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon hot chili paste (like sambal oelek), plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
  • 3 large cloves garlic, grated
  • 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 4 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds flank or skirt steak
  • 12 ounces thin rice vermicelli noodles
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil (plus 1 cup for frying)
  • 1 medium shallot, cut into thin rings
  • Coarse salt
  • 1 small head butter lettuce, leaves gently torn
  • 1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 4 large radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, gently torn
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, gently torn
  • 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional for serving)

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, brown sugar, chili paste, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons of the green onions. Pour half of the mixture into a large resealable bag and add the steak. Reserve the other half.
  2. Marinate the steak either at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight. If you marinate overnight, allow the steak to come to room temperature before cooking.
  3. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions and set aside. If there are no directions on the package, submerge the noodles in cold water until softened, about an hour, and then place in boiling water until tender, 1-2 minutes. The noodles should be slightly soft but with some bounce. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
  4. Pat the steak dry and then brush it on both sides with the vegetable oil. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan like a cast iron over high heat. Sear the steak until it reaches medium-rare and a golden-brown crust forms, about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the other (depending on the thickness of the meat).
  5. Remove the steak from the pan, transfer it to a plate, cover with foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Wipe out the cast iron pan and then add in 1 cup of the vegetable oil. Prepare a paper towel-lined plate nearby.
  7. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and then add the shallot rings. Cook, stirring frequently until the shallots begin to bubble and turn golden-brown about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shallots from the oil, place them on the paper towels, and sprinkle with salt.
  8. Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Evenly divide the rice noodles, lettuce, and steak among bowls and top with the remaining green onions, cucumber, radishes, and red onion.
  9. Garnish with the remaining marinade/dressing, fried shallots, mint, cilantro, and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, jalapenos, and chili paste.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 552Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 2267mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 5gSugar: 14gProtein: 36g