Thai Waterfall Beef Salad - a Feast of Flavor!

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Updated on 12/26/21
Bowl of beef, onions, and garnishes in a ceramic white bowl on top of a wooden table

Urvashi9 / Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 32 mins
Servings: 2 servings

This beef salad recipe offers a feast of flavors and textures with every bite. This salad is based on the famous "Waterfall Beef" dish in Thailand, so called because of the splashing sound of juices falling on a hot grill. The beef is lightly grilled or oven-broiled, sliced thinly, then served with a mixture of salad greens and fresh papaya along with a special Thai dressing. Serve as the main course for a nutritious and oh-so-delicious dinner that's naturally high in protein and low in carbs. Enjoy.

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Ingredients

Marinade:

  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, or lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

For Salad:

  • 6 cups salad greens

  • 1 cup bean sprouts

  • 1 handful fresh mint, or basil, lightly chopped or torn

  • 1 cup fresh coriander

  • 1 cup fresh papaya, cubed or cut into spears

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, left whole or sliced in half

Dressing:

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice, or lemon juice

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons sticky rice, toasted and ground, or 2 tablespoons ground peanuts

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Mix marinade ingredients together in a cup or bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the steak(s), turning meat to coat. Set in the refrigerator to marinate.

  3. For the ground sticky rice (instead of peanuts): Place 2 tablespoons uncooked sticky rice in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Stirring continuously, dry-fry the rice until it starts to pop and is lightly toasted. Remove rice from the pan and allow to cool slightly before grinding it up with a coffee grinder, or pounding into a powder with pestle and mortar.

  4. Combine all dressing ingredients together in a cup or mixing bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves (adjust fish sauce according to your desired level of saltiness). Then prepare your bowl of greens and other salad ingredients.

  5. Grill the steak over a hot grill, turning only once or twice to retain the juices (meat should still be pink in the center).

  6. If oven-broiling the steak: Set oven to broil setting. Place steak on a broiling pan or on a foil or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place in oven on the second-to-highest rung. Broil 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until steak is well done on the outside but still pink on the inside.

  7. While steak is cooking, toss the salad with the dressing. Taste-test for salt, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, or more lime juice if too salty for your taste.

  8. When ready to serve, portion out salad onto serving plates or bowls. Slice the steak as thinly as you can and top each portion with a generous amount of sliced sirloin. Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
500 Calories
14g Fat
65g Carbs
34g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 500
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 3610mg 157%
Total Carbohydrate 65g 23%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 190mg 951%
Calcium 363mg 28%
Iron 11mg 61%
Potassium 1922mg 41%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)