Gluten Free Thai Beef Salad
Bold, bright, and built for a crowd, this Thai-inspired beef salad delivers serious restaurant flavor from your own kitchen. Seared flank steak gets thinly sliced and tossed with crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh mint, cilantro, and a punchy lime-fish sauce dressing that hits every note — salty, sour, and just a little sweet from palm sugar. The secret weapon is the homemade roasted rice powder, toasted in a dry skillet until nutty and golden, then ground coarse and scattered over the top for a subtle crunch that ties everything together. Eating without gluten doesn't mean sacrificing bold, complex flavors, and this dish is proof. Every component — the steak, the produce, the dressing — is naturally free of wheat and gluten-containing grains, so there's no swapping or substituting required. The fish sauce and lime juice do the heavy lifting in the dressing, meaning you're not relying on any soy-based shortcuts that could sneak in hidden gluten. Serves four, making it an easy weeknight dinner or a standout dish to bring to a gathering where dietary needs vary. Finish it with a squeeze of lime and a scattering of toasted sesame seeds, and it's genuinely hard to believe something this vibrant came together so fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the steak
- 1 ½ lb flank steak
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or canola oil)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 1–2 thai bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
For the salad
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 tbsp shallots, very thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp roasted rice powder (see notes)
For serving
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the roasted rice powder: place 3 tbsp uncooked jasmine rice in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring frequently, until the grains are deep golden and smell nutty, about 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool for 2 minutes, then grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- 2
Whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, sliced chilies, and minced garlic in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust — the dressing should be sharp, salty, and just slightly sweet. Set aside.
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