AIP Friendly Asian Beef Salad with Ginger-Coconut Dressing
This vibrant, crunchy salad is exactly the kind of meal that proves eating for gut healing doesn't have to feel like a sacrifice. Thinly seared flank steak sits over a colorful tangle of shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, cucumber, fresh cilantro, and torn mint — it's bold, fresh, and genuinely satisfying in a way that a lot of elimination-style meals simply aren't. The ginger-coconut dressing is where everything comes together: coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce, apple cider vinegar adds brightness, and a touch of raw honey and turmeric round it out without any of the nightshades, grains, or seed-based ingredients that can derail an autoimmune protocol. Coconut aminos do a lot of heavy lifting here — they bring that savory, slightly sweet depth you'd expect from an Asian-inspired dish while keeping the ingredient list completely on-plan. A quick marinade and a hot sear give the steak a deeply browned crust and a tender, juicy interior, so the protein component is anything but an afterthought. Serves four, making it a practical weeknight dinner or a meal-prep win you can portion out and refrigerate for the week ahead. Finish with a squeeze of lime and you've got a restaurant-worthy plate that works hard for your health without asking you to compromise on flavor.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the beef
- 1 lb flank steak
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp raw honey
Ingredient noteAIP restricts added sweeteners, but small occasional amounts of unrefined honey are accepted on the protocol; the ~1/4 teaspoon per serving here likely stays within that limited allowance. If you prefer to always avoid honey, please tap it and change its rating to Red.
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 clove garlic, minced
For the salad
- 3 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 cup purple cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 large carrot, julienned or coarsely grated
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
For serving
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp coconut aminos and 1 tsp grated ginger. Pat the flank steak dry with paper towels, then rub the marinade evenly over both sides. Let the steak rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- 2
While the steak marinates, whisk together the 3 tbsp coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, 1 tbsp grated ginger, honey, turmeric, and minced garlic in a small bowl until the honey is fully dissolved and the dressing is uniform. Set aside.
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