This has to be one of my favorite beef dishes of all time. Thai beef salad, or Nam Tok Neua, harmonizes the savory notes of fish sauce with fresh herbs and palm sugar. A staple in Isaan Thai cuisine, this dish features thin slices of beef tossed with lime juice, green onions, cilantro, and mint, creating a refreshing burst of flavors. The thin slices of beef are mixed with fresh lime juice, green onions, fresh cilantro, and mint leaves, creating a refreshing salad with fresh flavors. Toasted rice powder, known as khao khua, adds a unique texture and nutty flavor, while red pepper flakes provide the perfect amount of heat. Whether trying Nam Tok Neua for the first time or trying to replicate the dish at home, this Thai salad recipe is a healthy, flavorful option that offers a delightful contrast to Western salads.
The name Nam Tok Neua literally translates to “beef waterfall,” referencing the way the meat juices from the grilled beef cascade down like a waterfall when sliced. This Thai beef salad is renowned for its delicious quintessentially Thai flavors, combining the savory richness of fish sauce with the zesty kick of fresh lime juice and lots of fresh herbs. Topping off the dish with toasted sticky rice powder or khao khua provides a unique texture and flavor that pulls the whole dish together. Served with a side of Thai sticky rice, Nam Tok Neua offers a perfect balance of textures and tastes that highlight one of the best dishes from northeastern Thailand.
Why You’ll Love This Thai Beef Salad (Nam Tok Neua)
- Simple and Easy Preparation: This easy Thai beef salad is straightforward to make and perfect for both novice and experienced cooks. With a few basic ingredients like grilled beef, fresh lime juice, and herbs, you can quickly create a dish that is both delicious and impressive.
- Health-Conscious Choice: Nam Tok Neua is a great recipe for those seeking healthy meals. Made with lean beef and fresh ingredients, this dish is high in protein and essential nutrients all while packing tons of flavor.
- Unique Thai Flavors: This Nam Tok recipe captures the authentic essence of Thai cuisine with its perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes, offering a rich and immersive taste of Thailand with every bite.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
Marinade Ingredients
- Beef: We suggest using leaner cuts of beef like a skirt steak or hanger steak. These are our favorite cuts, however, if these cuts are not available we like to use inside round or top sirloin.
- Black Pepper: Add for a peppery aromatic kick.
- Oyster Sauce: This is a fantastic ingredient for marinating. It packs an amazing umami punch that is well-absorbed and serves to boost the flavor of the beef.
- Sweet Soy Sauce: Thai thin soy sauce is the traditional choice to use here. However, I prefer sweet soy sauce for marinating. Its mild sweeter taste and thicker consistency help coat the meat better. Also, the added sugar adds a nice caramelized flavor when grilling or searing.
- Sugar: Palm sugar is the traditional ingredient to use here. Chopped and melted, it has the best flavor profile by far. However, we often substitute brown sugar, we have found that the rich flavor is a good stand-in for palm sugar. Light brown sugar is also acceptable.
- Neutral Oil: When making a Thai beef marinade, it’s important to use a neutral oil that won’t overpower the other flavors. Here are several types of neutral oils you can use: grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or safflower oil.
Salad Ingredients
- Shallots: Thai shallots are preferred, they are slightly milder and sweeter than French shallots. French shallots are an easy substitution that are available in nearly all grocery stores and is very often what we end up using. A small red onion could be used in a pinch, but it will have a stronger less delicate flavor.
- Chili Flakes: We use cayenne dry chili flakes primarily. Thai chili flakes are the best, Chinese style is also a great choice.
- Fish Sauce: This is an incredibly important ingredient. Fish sauce provides a pungent flavor packed with umami and a majority of the salt component in the salad.
- Cilantro: Sawtooth coriander (cilantro) is one of the traditional herbs used in this dish. Since Sawtooth Coriander is often difficult to find we almost always substitute regular coriander (cilantro).
- Mint: Fresh mint leaves are fairly easy to find and add a lovely light and fresh flavor.
- Spring Onions: Contributes a subtle fresh onion flavor that blends perfectly with the other ingredients
- Lime juice: Fresh lime juice is the best option whenever possible. Usually, the juice of 1 to 2 limes is the perfect amount. However, if all you have available is bottled lime juice, this is perfectly fine.
- Toasted Rice Powder (Khao Khua): This is a unique and extremely important ingredient that should not be missed. Mixed throughout the dish, it provides a unique nutty flavor and subtle texture for added depth. Though difficult to find in normal grocery stores, you may be able to find this ingredient at your local Asian market. It is also incredibly quick and easy to make and store at home using this Toasted Rice Powder Recipe.
How to make this Thai Beef Salad Recipe
The thing we love most about this recipe is how easy it is to make and how closely it resembles the Thai salads we ate when we stayed in Chang Mai.
Marinate the Beef
Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Add the beef ensuring it is fully covered or coated in the marinade. Cover, and place in the fridge for approximately 3 hours.
Cook the Beef
Once the meat is marinated it is time to cook it. My favorite way and the most traditional way would be over a grill, preferably a wood-fired or charcoal. If you don’t have access to a grill, searing in a steel frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium to high heat is also great. Cooking time will vary depending on method and preference, but for us, the ideal steak will be medium-rare with a nice crust on the outside. Once the meat is cooked, let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes.
Prepare the Salad
Combine all herbs and shallots in a large bowl. Slice the rested beef so that the slices are approximately 1/4 inch in thickness. Add the sliced steak to the bowl, making sure to include any beef juices. Pour in the lime juice and fish sauce. Most of this liquid will go directly to the bottom of the bowl. Add the Khao Khua and pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly, making sure to spread the toasted rice powder evenly. As the salad is mixed, the rice powder will absorb some of the juices at the bottom of the bowl and spread it throughout the salad.
Questions
What is Nam Tok Neua?
Nam Tok Neua is a beef or Thai steak salad, most commonly found in the Isaan region of northeastern Thailand. The literal translation for Nam Tok means “waterfall” and is meant to represent cascading beef juices that are incorporated with the dressing ingredients. You may encounter this recipe at many Thai restaurants listed as “Waterfall beef”.
Are there other kinds of Nam Tok?
Yes! There are several different kinds of Nam Tok you might encounter in Thailand. However, I would probably say that the most popular would be Nam Tok Neua (Beef) and Nam Tok Moo (Pork). Aside from different proteins, you may find that different restaurants or food stalls have slightly different variations or additions to the salad. For example, a very common addition to this salad is finely diced lemongrass or Thai basil.
How do you serve this Thai Beef Salad?
Our favorite way to eat Nam Tok Neua is with a side of sticky rice or Jasmine rice. Both are fantastic for soaking up all of the sauce and beef juices that this dish is famous for. For those wishing to avoid excess carbohydrates, try using this recipe as a filling for lettuce wraps.
The Best Thai Beef Salad (Nam Tok Neua)
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
- 12 oz Steak Lean cut, like skirt steak or flank
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Neutral Oil
- 2 tsp Sugar
Salad Ingredients
- ¾ cup shallots finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp fish Sauce
- 1 cup cilantro rough chopped
- 1 cup mint rough chopped
- ½ cup spring onion diced
- 1.5 tbsp Lime juice
- 2 tbsp Toasted Rice Powder (Khao Khua)
Instructions
Marinate the Beef
- Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Add the beef ensuring it is fully covered or coated in the marinade. Cover, and place in the fridge for approximately 3 hours. (See Note 1)
Cook the Beef
- Grilling Method: My favorite way and the most traditional way would be over a grill, preferably a wood-fired or charcoal. However, both of these options are significantly more work than a gas grill, which is what we use most often.
- Searing Method : If you don't have access to a grill, searing in a steel frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium to high heat is also great. A bonus of this method is you can collect more beef juices from the cooking process to add to the salad! Cooking time will vary depending on method and preference, but for us, the ideal steak will be medium-rare with a nice crust on the outside.
- Rest: Once the meat is cooked, let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes. This will allow the meat to cool slightly and release delicious juices that you can add to the salad.
Prepare the Salad
- Add Aromatics and Herbs: Combine the herbs, shallots, and spring onions in a large bowl
- Add Beef: Once the meat has rested for a least 5 minutes, slice the beef so that the slices are approximately 1/4 inch in thickness. Add the sliced steak to the bowl, making sure to include any beef juices that may have accumulated. Pour in the lime juice and fish sauce. Most of this liquid will go directly to the bottom of the bowl.
- Mix in Khoa Khua: Add the Khao Khua and pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly, making sure to spread the toasted rice powder evenly. As the salad is mixed, the rice powder will absorb some of the juices at the bottom of the bowl and spread it throughout the salad.
- Serve: serve immediately with jasmine rice.
This was my favourite salad in Chang Mai, so happy to have found this recipe.