Xa Lach Bo Xao / Sautéed Beef Salad
Growing up, I didn’t eat many of the classic American salads, like Caesar or Cobb, because, frankly, my mom didn’t really make those. But what she did make were Vietnamese-style salads that perfectly balanced freshness with richness, like this xa lach bo xao, or sautéed beef salad. In Vietnamese cuisine, it’s pretty common to combine crisp,
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb Ribeye, Thinly Sliced
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1/2 White Onion
- 1 Bundle Green Leaf Lettuce
- 1 Cucumber
- 5 oz Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp MSG
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Thai Chili, Chopped
- 2 tbsp Oil
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the beef:
- 2
Start by thinly slicing the ribeye against the grain into thin slices. (Pro tip: freeze your beef for about an hour beforehand. This firms up the meat, making it much easier to slice.) Once sliced, marinate the beef with oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, MSG, black pepper, and oil. Let the beef marinate in the fridge, covered, for 10-15 minutes
- 3
Prepwork:
- 4
Wash the lettuce thoroughly, then dry it completely using a salad spinner or clean towel. Chop the leaves roughly into bite-sized pieces. (A little bit bigger than average salad pieces, as it will wilt down later)
- 5
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice on a slight diagonal to create angled half-moon shapes. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half
- 6
Cut the onion in half, and then slice along the grain into thin strips
- 7
Make the fish sauce vinaigrette:
- 8
In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, sugar, water, white vinegar, minced garlic, and chopped Thai chili. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking continuously until the mixture becomes fully emulsified
- 9
Cook the beef:
- 10
Heat a pan over high heat and add a bit of oil. Once the pan is hot, sear the marinated beef in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Let it sit undisturbed for about a minute to develop a nice caramelized crust
- 11
Then, add in the sliced onions and toss everything together until the beef is just cooked through and the onions have softened slightly
- 12
Put it all together and serve:
- 13
In a large mixing bowl, add the chopped lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and fish sauce vinaigrette. Add the hot beef and onions directly over the salad, then gently toss everything together and serve immediately while the beef is still warm. Enjoy!