Garlic Lime Steak and Rice Noodle Salad
Garlic Lime Steak Noodle Salad
Juicy garlic-lime flank steak served over cool rice noodles with crisp green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, and a bright fish sauce dressing.
Nutrition (per serving)
This garlic lime steak and rice noodle salad is built around a punchy dressing that works twice: first as a quick marinade for flank steak, then as the sauce that wakes up the noodles and vegetables. Lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, and chile give the salad a salty-sour balance with enough sweetness to round off the edges.
The steak cooks quickly over high heat so it stays tender, while the rest of the bowl stays cool and crisp. Rice noodles make the salad filling without feeling heavy, green beans add snap, and cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, and cilantro keep every forkful fresh.
Serve the parts family-style if you want everyone to build a bowl to taste, or toss individual portions just before eating. The dressing is intentionally bold because the noodles and vegetables mellow it once everything comes together.
For the cleanest slices, rest the steak before cutting it thinly across the grain. The salad is best the day it is made, but the cooked steak, noodles, vegetables, and dressing can be stored separately for an easy lunch the next day.
Ingredients
- light brown sugar:3 tbsp
- fish sauce:3 tbsp
- fresh lime juice:1/3 cup
- garlic cloves, finely minced:3
- red pepper flakes:1/2 tsp
- flank steak:1 1/4 lb
- neutral oil:3 tbsp
- thin rice noodles:8 oz
- green beans, trimmed:12 oz
- cherry tomatoes, halved:1 1/2 cups
- Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced:3
- fresh cilantro leaves:1/3 cup
- fresh mint leaves:1/3 cup
- kosher salt:to taste
- black pepper:to taste
Instructions
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Whisk the brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until the sugar mostly dissolves.
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Place the flank steak in a shallow dish, spoon one third of the lime mixture over it, turn to coat, and let it marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
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Whisk the neutral oil into the remaining lime mixture to make the dressing, then taste and adjust with a little more lime juice or fish sauce if needed.
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook the green beans until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer them to ice water and drain well.
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Cook or soak the rice noodles according to the package directions, rinse under cool water, drain thoroughly, and loosen with a small spoonful of dressing.
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Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat, pat excess marinade from the steak, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
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Rest the steak for 5 minutes, then slice it very thinly across the grain.
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Arrange the noodles, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, steak, cilantro, and mint in bowls, spoon the garlic lime dressing over the top, and serve right away.
Tips & Notes
- If your fish sauce is very salty, start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste.
- For a spicier salad, serve thinly sliced fresh chile on the side.
- Keep the noodles, vegetables, steak, and dressing separate if making the salad ahead.
