Gluten Free Thai Beef Salad

Total time40 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time10 min

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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Ingredients

4 servings

For the steak

1 ½ lb flank steak
USDA Choice Flank Steak Signature Farms Boneless Beef Flank Steak - 1.75 Lbs Beef Choice Boneless Flank Steak (1 Steak)H-E-B Grass Fed & Finished Beef Flank Steak - USDA Choice Private Selection™ Angus Beef Boneless Flank Steak
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1 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil 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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