Salad
Thai Beef Salad (Yam Nua)
Seared beef tossed with lime, fish sauce and chilli over crunchy cucumber and herbs — bright, punchy and on the table in 20 minutes.
About this recipe
Thai Beef Salad (Yam Nua) is a salad lunch for 2 that comes together with no stove at all — just prep, toss and serve. It’s built around beef and fish, and it takes around 20 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 cucumber
- 1 tsp sugar
- 200g beef sirloin steak buy
- 1 lime buy
- 2 bird's eye chilli buy
- 2 shallot buy
- 8 cherry tomato buy
- small handful mint buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Pat the steak dry, season with salt. SearSear.Brown the surface over high heat for deep flavour (the Maillard reaction). It adds taste — it doesn't 'seal in' juices.Glossary → in a hot pan (induction 8/9) 2–3 min per side for medium. Rest 5 min, then slice thinly against the grain.
~8 min
- 2
Make the dressing: stir lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and sliced chilli until the sugar dissolves.
~3 min
- 3
Toss sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomato, thin shallot and the beef with the dressing.
~3 min
- 4
Fold through mint just before serving so it stays fresh.
~1 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Beef
- pork or chicken thigh, sliced thin against the grain.
- Lime
- lemon, or a splash of rice vinegar for the acidity.
- Fish sauce
- light soy sauce with a tiny pinch of salt — less funk, still savoury (also the vegetarian swap).
- Shallots
- half a small red onion — milder, but close.
Cook's notes
- Deseed the chilli for less heat, and wash your hands (or wear a glove) before touching your eyes. How to prep chilli →
- Smash the cucumber before slicing — the rough faces grab dressing far better than clean cuts. How to smash cucumber →
- Roll the lime firmly on the bench before juicing — you’ll get noticeably more juice out of it. How to juice a lime →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Best eaten fresh. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the dressing separate and only toss just before serving so it stays crisp — store the parts in the fridge for up to a day.
Frequently asked
How long does Thai Beef Salad (Yam Nua) take to make? +
Around 20 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Beef → pork or chicken thigh, sliced thin against the grain; Lime → lemon, or a splash of rice vinegar for the acidity; Fish sauce → light soy sauce with a tiny pinch of salt — less funk, still savoury (also the vegetarian swap). See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Thai Beef Salad (Yam Nua) ahead of time? +
Best eaten fresh. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the dressing separate and only toss just before serving so it stays crisp — store the parts in the fridge for up to a day.
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