This Thai Beef Noodle Salad recipe is easy to make at home! It’s a light and refreshing salad that is also totally satisfying.
If you love Thai food, you’ve gotta try this Thai beef noodle salad. I enjoyed a similar, more traditional version of this salad during my trip to Bangkok and Phuket.
Tender slices of juicy beef mingle with fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and rice noodles in a bowl that bursts with flavor.
A tangy-sweet-spicy dressing ties everything together, making every bite vibrant and refreshing.
This salad is a perfect balance of textures and gorgeous vibrant color.
You get the chew of noodles, the crunch of vegetables, and the zing of chili, lime, and fish sauce. It’s light yet satisfying, with a flavor punch that keeps you coming back for more.
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Table of Contents
About this Thai beef noodle salad
Thai beef noodle salad, or Yum Nua, is a popular dish in Thailand. It’s known for combining grilled beef with the bright, aromatic flavors of Thai cuisine.
While variations are found across Southeast Asia, it has deep roots in Thai street food culture where quick cooking and bold, layered flavors shine.
This Thai Beef Noodle Salad is a riff off the traditional Yum Nua. I’ve added ingredients that help give it even more crunch and delicious flavor. Enjoy!
For more Thai food, check out our guide of Most Popular Thai Dishes.
❤️ Why you’ll love making this at home!
- quick to prepare with minimal cooking
- fresh herbs and vegetables make it lively and colorful
- customizable heat level to suit your taste
- a complete meal in one bowl
- perfect for warm-weather dinners or meal prep
Ingredient notes
- Marinade: You’ll need fish sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and some lemongrass for the marinade.
- Beef: flank steak or sirloin works best for tenderness and flavor, but I’ve used rib eye too.
- Rice noodles: choose thin rice vermicelli noodles for the best texture.
- Fresh herbs: cilantro, mint, and Thai basil add brightness and so much flavor.
- Vegetables: cucumbers and tomatoes give the dish beautiful color and crunch from the cucumbers.
- Dressing: you’ll need fish sauce, lemongrass, garlic, lime juice, brown sugar, and chili garlic sauce to create the classic Thai balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy.
- Peanuts: chopped peanuts add a nice crunch and added protein to this salad.
- Scallions: sliced scallions add another sprinkling of freshness just before serving.
- Lime wedges: an optional item to serve with the salad. I think it’s delicious when you add a squeeze of fresh lime juice over the salad right before diving into it!
Step-by-step instructions
Here are some step-by-step instructions to help show you how easy it is to make this recipe.
You’ll find the full list of ingredients along with measurements, and more detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Start by making the marinade. Marinate the steak for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cook the noodles according to package directions, then slightly cooling the noodles once cooked.
4. Sear the steak on both sides and cook until medium-rare.
5. Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
6. Assemble the salad: rest the steak on top of the noodles, then fill in with the herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and finish with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts and chopped scallions. Serve with lime wedges.
Marlynn’s Tip
Recipe Tip
Traditionally, you’ll just toss whole leaves of mint, basil, and cilantro into this recipe. Some people don’t enjoy eating whole herb leaves, so you can always give them a rough chop before including in the salad.
Recipe FAQs
One of the best parts about this salad is that it can be served either warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Absolutely! Swap beef for tofu or grilled mushrooms and use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
You can prep the components separately and assemble just before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Serving suggestions
This fresh and vibrant salad is delicious served as a side dish or as the main course.
If serving it as a main course, create a whole elevated meal with Thai curry puffs as a starter and Thai fried bananas as dessert.
If serving smaller portions as a starter or side salad, it’s great with Thai lemongrass chicken or Thai basil shrimp.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
This recipe, like many Asian salads, pairs best with a crisp white wine. But it’s also delicious with a light-bodied red wine too!
Riesling: its bright acidity and hint of sweetness balance the spice and citrus in the salad.
Pinot Noir: its light body and red fruit notes complement the grilled beef without overpowering the fresh herbs.
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Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Thai Beef Noodle Salad
Ingredients
Steak Marinade
- 1½ pounds steak
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoon thinly sliced lemongrass
Dressing
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced lemongrass
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 finely minced Thai chili
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic paste
- 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
Salad
- 8 ounces thin rice noodles
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 2 mini cucumbers, sliced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- mint leaves
- Thai basil
- cilantro leaves
- lime wedges
- crushed peanuts
- 2 scallions, sliced
- Optional: sliced Thai chilis, jalapenos
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the steak and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.
- Cook the rice noodles according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, cook the steak. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet and sear the steak for 3-4 minutes on each side. Rest the steak for 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
- Assemble the salad. Place the cooked rice noodles into bowls. Place the steak strips on top of the noodles. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, Thai basil, mint, and cilantro. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Top with crushed peanuts and sliced green onions. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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