Easy Thai Beef Salad (Larb Neua)
Beef Salad, or Larb Neua in Thai, is a deliciously dry ground beef dish seasoned in an umami, tangy, spicy sauce mixed with fresh herbs like shallots, cilantro and spring onions.
Traditionally served as a meat dish with plenty of raw and/ or cooked veggies on the side and fluffy glutinous rice, it is super simple and very fast too. Not to mention, it is a very low-calorie meal with tons of nutrition and fibre too! I personally make it at least once a month when I’m craving a fresh, healthy meal.
This simple Thai Beef Salad recipe serves 4.
Ingredients
Minced beef – which is the main protein in this salad. It can be substituted with minced chicken or pork as well. If using chunks, or strips, a different preparation is needed; which results in Neua Nam Tok, or “Waterfall” (Grilled) Beef Salad.
Salt to season the minced beef. A little is sufficient.
Cilantro, spring onions and leaves of sweet basil for a light, citrusy flavour. Not to be confused with “holy basil”, which has a stronger, mintier bite.
Thinly chopped shallots for a sweet and pungent freshness in each bite.
Fish sauce is for saltiness, umami and fragrance.
Chilli flakes bring a nice, spicy kick to the salad. Adjust the amount according to your tolerance level. I would recommend a very small amount (rather than omit it completely) as spiciness is one of the pillars of taste for this dish.
Lime juice, which is the source of sourness and tanginess, is another pillar of taste for the Beef Salad. Depending on how tangy it is, do adjust the amount as preferred.
Roasted ground rice contributes to the fragrance and texture. It also helps to dry the salad while adding a crispy texture. However, some do prefer it without the coarse texture, so it can be omitted.
Various vegetables – these can be raw or cooked. Personally, it goes well with lettuce wrap, cucumbers, Thai eggplants, basil leaves, four angles beans, long beans and even raw chillies. If you prefer them cooked, steam or boil them a little before draining all the water and serving it.
Steps
Here are the brief steps to make Thai Beef Salad:
- Cook minced beef and salt in a saucepan.
- Strain all the liquid and leave it to cool.
- Cut the herbs into smaller pieces.
- Cut the lime and squeeze the juice.
- Mix in the fish sauce, lime juice and ground dried chilli flakes to the beef once cooled.
- Add the cut herbs, shallots and roasted ground rice.
- Toss until evenly combined.
- Serve with raw and/ or cooked vegetables.
Tips
- This Beef Salad dish should be very dry, with little to no gravy present. Therefore, be very stingy with adding water and avoid it if possible.
- The strained beef gravy can be saved to add to other stir-fry (beef) dishes or made into a light stock for one-dish soup.
- The minced beef needs to be fully cooled before mixing with the herbs as any residual heat will cause them to wilt, removing the fresh and crispy texture of the Beef Salad. Spread it out in a mixing bowl to cool rapidly.
- If you have great control, use your elbows to roll the limes. It usually hurts less than using the palms. Rolling them breaks the fibres within, making it easier to squeeze the juices.
- Adjust the amount of ground chilli according to your spicy tolerance level. The minced beef should be spicy, tangy and salty (umami) before the herbs are added.
- Ground rice is a central part of the Beef Salad; it brings fragrance, concentrates the flavours and helps “dry” the salad further. However, if preferred, it can be omitted as some prefer the salad to be not as dry.
- Apart from the fresh (and raw) vegetables, Beef Salad can also be served with boiled okra, boiled long beans, steamed cabbages, and steamed eggplants.
- Although it is traditionally served with steamed sticky rice (Thai glutinous rice), it can also be eaten with steamed white medium-grain rice; or skip the rice and enjoy it as a vegetable wrap!
- Watch the video to see how exactly I made it to ensure success!
Storage Instructions
Best enjoyed immediately after mixing.
Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge, up to the next day. Re-heat over medium heat in a non-stick saucepan before consuming.
It is not recommended to freeze as the fragrance and taste will mellow out after thawing.
Recipes You Might Like
- Simple & Delicious Thai Mango Salad – Yum Ma Muang
- Authentic Som Tam – Thai Green Papaya Salad Recipe (Isaarn-Soul Food)
- Authentic Thai Minced Chicken Salad | Larb Gai Recipe
- Authentic Thai Larb Moo Recipe (Thai Minced Pork Salad)
Easy Thai Beef Salad (Larb Neua)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Strainer
- Mixing Bowl
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
Cooking Beef
- 300 g beef, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 50 ml water, optional
Herbs
- 2 stalk cilantro, chopped
- 2 stalk spring onion, chopped
- 2 stems sweet basil, leaves only, chopped
Seasonings
- 2 tbsp lime juice, from 1 lime
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1.5 tsp roasted ground chilli
- 1.5 tbsp roasted ground rice
Vegetables to Serve with
- 1 leaf Chinese Cabbage, cut to squares
- 3 stalks basil leaves
- 1/2 Japanese cucumber, cut to strips
- 3 long beans
- 2 red chilli, Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the beef and salt. Mix until well-combined. Stir for about 2.5 minutes, or until the beef is fully cooked and grey. If no gravy is released, add water.
- Switch off the heat. Strain the minced beef and set it aside to cool in a large mixing bowl, for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pluck the basil leaves from their stems. Chop the cilantro, spring onions and basil leaves. Set aside on a plate.
- Slice the shallots thinly and set them aside on the herb plate.
- Roll the lime hard against the chopping board. Cut into 3 pieces, avoiding the core. Squeeze the lime to get lime juice. Alternatively, use unsweetened, ready-made lime juice.
- Once the minced beef has cooled down, add the seasonings: fish sauce, roasted ground chilli, and lime juice. Mix well.
- Taste and adjust.
- Mix in the herbs and shallots until well-combined.
- Add roasted ground rice and mix until combined.
- Serve with raw vegetables and steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- This Beef Salad dish should be very dry, with little to no gravy present. Therefore, be very stingy with adding water and avoid it if possible.
- The strained beef gravy can be saved to add to other stir-fry (beef) dishes or made into a light stock for one-dish soup.
- The minced beef needs to be fully cooled before mixing with the herbs as any residual heat will cause them to wilt, removing the fresh and crispy texture of the Beef Salad. Spread it out in a mixing bowl to cool rapidly.
- If you have great control, use your elbows to roll the limes. It usually hurt less than using the palms. Rolling them breaks the fibres within, making it easier to squeeze the juices.
- Adjust the amount of ground chilli according to your spicy tolerance level. The minced beef should be spicy, tangy and salty (umami) before the herbs are added.
- Ground rice is a central part of the Beef Salad; it brings fragrance, concentrates the flavours and helps “dry” the salad further. However, if preferred, it can be omitted as some prefer the salad to be not as dry.
- Apart from the fresh (and raw) vegetables, Beef Salad can also be served with boiled okra, boiled long beans, steamed cabbages, and steamed eggplants.
- Although it is traditionally served with steamed sticky rice (Thai glutinous rice), it can also be eaten with steamed white medium-grain rice; or skip the rice and enjoy as a vegetable wrap!
- Watch the video to see how exactly I made it to ensure success!