Thai Beef Salad

I have to tell you that sometimes food photography just SUCKS!  I absolutely love when I get a great picture but there are lots of times when it’s not so great and this is one of them, ha!  I played around all day trying to get a pic of this salad before I finally gave in and gobbled it up and realized that perhaps the picture I had in my head was never going to materialize in my view finder.

Thai Beef Salad | Simply Fresh Dinners

(I’m chuckling as I continue to write this post today because I put a preview of the pic on FB last night and everyone loved it!  Seems I don’t know the difference between good and bad shots anymore.  Now what do I do? ha!)

I know once you read the delicious ingredients you’re going to appreciate how great this salad is even if the pics do look a little odd.  You’ve been with me through my ups and downs in photography and it appears I’m on another one of those downward spirals so let’s hope it’s a quick one!

I’m fully into Spring even though there are little bits of snow left on the ground.   Everyone is so ready for the warmer weather and  people are smiling and walking more quickly because they’re happy and not because their toes are about to fall off from frostbite.

Thai Beef Salad | Simply Fresh Dinners

The best thing about this salad is that once you cook the steak it’s just a matter of assembly and if you’re not into the ribbons, just slice your cucumber and carrots.  It’s easy to do them with a simple vegetable peeler though so you might find it fun.  There’s lots of fresh herbs and you can change this up according to your own tastes.  I used frisee but any kind of green will do.

Don’t forget to hashtag #simplyfreshdinners at Instagram or Twitter if you make a recipe.  I’d love to share your creations with the world.  Cheers!

 

Thai Beef Salad
Recipe Type: Salad
Cuisine: Thai
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 persons
A beautiful Spring salad packed with crisp, colorful veggies and medium rare beef with thin rice noodles. The lime in the dressing enhances the Thai flavorings.
Ingredients
  • 1 10 ounce pack fine rice noodles
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 (12-16 ounce) ribeye or sirloin steaks
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large carrots, sliced, ribboned or grated
  • 1 small bunch of radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 cucumber, ribboned or sliced
  • 1 head of lettuce frisee
  • 4 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
  • Coriander, a few sprigs
  • handful fresh mint leaves
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded, sliced
  • Dressing
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • Juice of two limes
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
  1. Cook the noodles according to directions on package. Toss with the sesame oil and set aside to cool.
  2. Salt and pepper your steaks. Heat a cast iron pan over a high heat with one tablespoon of butter and cook the steaks for 1-2 minutes on each side for rare meat, or 2-3 minutes each side for medium-rare meat, depending on thickness. If not using a cast iron pan, cook in your saucepan on medium high heat with one tablespoon of oil. You can also grill the steaks. Leave to rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly.
  3. In large bowl combine lettuce, carrots, radishes, cucumber, spring onions, beef, sesame seeds, herbs and chillis.
Dressing
  1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
  2. Toss with salad and serve immediately.
Calories: 349 Fat: 18 g Saturated fat: 4.5 g Carbohydrates: 12 g Sugar: 6 g Sodium: 439 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 33 g Cholesterol: 90 mg

 

19 Comments

  • Reply
    Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
    March 15, 2016 at 11:35 am

    Beautiful salad and I love the photos! These types of salads are perfect for my house. My husband gets a bit extra meat, to satisfy his appetite and I bulk up on the veg. Win. Win 🙂
    Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers recently posted…Chocolate Guinness Cake with Cloud FrostingMy Profile

    • Reply
      Robyn
      March 15, 2016 at 2:16 pm

      I just started eating meat again a couple years ago and I’m loving it, especially in dishes like this. Thanks so much for your kind words about the photos, Jennifer – it’s kind of driving me nuts, lol.
      Robyn recently posted…Thai Beef SaladMy Profile

  • Reply
    Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
    March 15, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    Well Robyn – your photos are outstanding, the salad looks incredible and the food styling is perfect! I’d say you’re having a great day! I think I’ve almost cried over photos before. I have a pile of posts that are never going online because I couldn’t get the photos I wanted. My husband says I’m to hard on myself. I say that finding fault in my photos makes me want to do better on the next one. Great job! Wonderful recipe!

    • Reply
      Robyn
      March 15, 2016 at 2:14 pm

      Oh my gosh, Tricia, I hear you about the photos! I’ve got a bunch of recipes that I need to cook again because the photos were so bad, lol. And I agree – we are too hard on ourselves but it drives us to be better. Every truly great photographer I’ve talked to about this has said that they don’t like their photos either! lol
      Thanks for the kind words 🙂
      Robyn recently posted…Thai Beef SaladMy Profile

  • Reply
    Anita Rivera
    March 15, 2016 at 3:42 pm

    Good evening my friend, my cohort in photography!

    First of all, I so agree with you: photographing food is a BEAR! That is why you don’t see much food on my IG feed. I am just trying to catch the sunlight when I get home let alone trying ot style food and get the right angles! But your photo here is enticing and I bet it tasted good too!!!!! We press on and like with anything else artistic, we wait until the right moment comes and capture it. Here’s to SUCCESS! Much love, Anita

  • Reply
    Anita Rivera
    March 15, 2016 at 3:54 pm

    My dear one ,I just noticed you came to my blog post! THANK YOU! And your words of encouragement mean a lot to me. Thank you! Sometimes I think I my DESIRE to be a poet is grander than my abilities, but then I remember that we are all a work in process, us and our passions. MERCI!

  • Reply
    Chris Scheuer
    March 15, 2016 at 5:01 pm

    I couldn’t wait to see this salad after seeing it of FB. It looks amazing and I love the bright, pretty light. Thai flavors are some of my favorite and this looks so fresh and vibrant. I’m going out for Thai tonight but I’d just as soon have this 🙂

  • Reply
    Blair @ The Seasoned Mom
    March 15, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    Gosh, I couldn’t agree more about the photography, Robyn!! I feel like some days I can execute exactly what I want, while other days I am SO frustrated. If it makes you feel any better, I think these pics are beautiful (and I’d devour that salad as well)!!!
    Blair @ The Seasoned Mom recently posted…Light and Easy Sweet Pea SoupMy Profile

  • Reply
    sue|theviewfromgreatisland
    March 15, 2016 at 7:00 pm

    I love beef in salads, it’s such an unexpected bit of satisfaction — beautiful photos, too, as everybody else has already said 🙂
    sue|theviewfromgreatisland recently posted…FattoushMy Profile

  • Reply
    Diane (Created by Diane)
    March 15, 2016 at 11:58 pm

    So pretty and full of great flavors, what a great salad!
    Diane (Created by Diane) recently posted…Chicken Parmesan MeatballsMy Profile

  • Reply
    John/Kitchen Riffs
    March 16, 2016 at 11:00 am

    I’m with your FB friends — that’s a pretty good photo. But yes, food photography sucks. And I’m always triple-doubting my photos, too. Anyway, really nice salad — thanks so much.
    John/Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Asparagus with Savory Whipped CreamMy Profile

  • Reply
    GourmetGetaways
    March 16, 2016 at 6:01 pm

    Oh I really need something like this beautiful salad for dinner tonight. I had a dinner party last night and may have had a little too much wine, now I need healthy tasty food.
    Thanks so much for sharing
    Julie
    Gourmet Getaways
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  • Reply
    Linda
    March 18, 2016 at 12:56 pm

    A beautiful salad that would be a lovely dinner. I have been eating quite a few salads lately. I love that they are healthy, not heavy and usually easy to prepare. We do love Thai food, so I shall be giving this a try. Lots of love from W.W. xo
    Linda recently posted…Picasa Replaced By Google PhotosMy Profile

  • Reply
    Marla
    March 19, 2016 at 11:55 am

    Hi Robyn,
    This salad sounds wonderful – filled with greens, meat, and rice noodles. What a fulfilling great meal. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!

  • Reply
    Jennifer romaine
    March 21, 2016 at 10:57 am

    Wow, this sounds luscious! What a beautiful spring meal! Thanks for linking up to Dishing It & Digging it!

  • Reply
    Linda
    March 21, 2016 at 4:00 pm

    Robyn, you are a master at creating fabulous food. Thank you dear friend for sharing at DI&DI. Lots of love from W.W.

  • Reply
    Christine
    March 22, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    I have never seen a dish like that look like a piece of artwork. You are definitely a master!

    Have a great day!
    Christine recently posted…Mailchimp Tutorial – Import Subscribers & Creating a NewsletterMy Profile

  • Reply
    Lorena
    March 28, 2016 at 2:53 pm

    This looks absolutely delicious Robyn!! I love how you cut the cucumber and carrot in ribbons. Super gorgeous! I devour a salad every single day of my life! This one will be one for next week 😀

  • Reply
    Healthy Weeknight Meal Plan (#19) - Simply Fresh Dinners
    May 20, 2016 at 7:11 am

    […] Thai Beef Salad  |  Simply Fresh Dinners […]

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