Paleo Vietnamese Beef Salad
This vibrant, herb-loaded salad brings bold Southeast Asian flavors to the table without a single grain, legume, or processed ingredient in sight. Thinly sliced flank steak gets seared hard in a screaming-hot pan until a deep, caramelized crust forms, then rested and sliced against the grain so every bite is genuinely tender. The dressing is where the magic happens — coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce, delivering that savory depth alongside fresh lime juice, fish sauce, a touch of honey, and a sliced Thai chili that brings just enough heat. Piled over crisp mixed greens, julienned carrot, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and a generous handful of fresh mint, cilantro, and Thai basil, the whole bowl feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in well under an hour. It serves four, making it an easy weeknight dinner or a seriously impressive meal-prep option for the week ahead. The dressing does double duty — two-thirds goes into the salad, and the rest gets spooned right over the beef so nothing is wasted and every layer is seasoned. If you've been skeptical that eating this way means sacrificing flavor, this one will change your mind fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the beef
- 1 ½ lb flank steak or sirloin, trimmed
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 red thai chili, thinly sliced (or ¼ tsp red pepper flakes)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
For the salad
- 4 cups mixed greens or shredded cabbage
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 medium carrot, julienned or shaved with a peeler
- 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup fresh thai basil leaves (optional)
For serving
- ¼ cup roasted cashews or sliced almonds (optional)
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season all over with the salt and black pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the dressing and vegetables.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, lime juice, fish sauce, honey, toasted sesame oil, sliced chili, and minced garlic until the honey is fully dissolved. Taste and adjust lime juice or coconut aminos as needed. Set aside.
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