Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Printable)
Savory beef over rice noodles with fresh herbs and tangy nuoc cham dressing
# What You Need:
→ For the Beef
01 - 14 oz sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
02 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
04 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
05 - 1 tsp sugar
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
→ For the Salad
08 - 10.5 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles
09 - 1 small cucumber, julienned
10 - 2 carrots, julienned
11 - 1 cup bean sprouts
12 - 1 cup lettuce, shredded
13 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
14 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
15 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
16 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced
→ For the Nuoc Cham Dressing
18 - 4 tbsp fish sauce
19 - 4 tbsp lime juice
20 - 3 tbsp sugar
21 - 4 tbsp water
22 - 1 clove garlic, minced
23 - 1 small red chili, minced
# Steps:
01 - Combine sliced beef with soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and vegetable oil in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions until tender. Drain well, rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and prevent sticking, and set aside.
03 - Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, minced garlic, and minced chili in a small bowl until sugar completely dissolves. Taste and adjust balance as needed.
04 - Julienne cucumber and carrots into matchsticks. Rinse bean sprouts and drain well. Shred lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Keep all vegetables chilled until assembly.
05 - Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until smoking. Add marinated beef in a single layer and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and slightly caramelized. Remove immediately from heat.
06 - Divide vermicelli noodles among 4 serving bowls. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, carrots, and bean sprouts on top. Place sautéed beef over vegetables. Garnish with mint, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, and sliced chili.
07 - Drizzle nuoc cham dressing evenly over each bowl just before serving. Serve immediately while beef is still warm and vegetables retain their crisp texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between warm savory beef and cool crisp vegetables creates this incredible dance of temperatures and textures in every bite
- Once you master the nuoc cham dressing, youll want to put it on everything from grilled meats to simple green salads
02 -
- The beef continues cooking slightly after you remove it from the pan, so take it off when it looks slightly underdone
- Overcooked vermicelli becomes gummy and clumps together, so rinse it really well with cold water
03 -
- A julienne peeler or mandoline saves so much time and creates those uniform restaurant style vegetable strips
- Let the beef come to room temperature before cooking, it sears more evenly and stays tender