Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Bún Xào Bò)

With summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to use those fresh, aromatic herbs from your garden. One Vietnamese dish that makes for a refreshing summer meal is Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Bún Bò Xào).

Ingredients

For the Beef Marinade:

• 1 lb flank steak (or beef chuck, tenderloin, ribeye, or sirloin)

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee premium recommended)

• 2 tbsp fish sauce (Viet Huong three crabs recommended)

• 1 tbsp sugar (dark brown preferred)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or avocado oil)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

For the Salad:

• 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles (Three Ladies/JiangXi Rice Stick recommended)

• Leafy lettuce, thinly sliced

• 1 cucumber, cut into thin strips

• Fresh Vietnamese herbs (such as mint, cilantro, basil)

• Bean sprouts

• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

• 1/4 cup fried shallots (Hành Phi)

• Scallion oil (Mở Hành): Thinly sliced scallions mixed with oil

For the Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Chấm):

• 1/4 cup fish sauce

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red chili, thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Beef:

• Slice the beef against the grain into ¼” thick pieces and place in a bowl.

• In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, oil, garlic, and onions. Pour this over the beef, toss to combine, and set aside to marinate.

1. Prepare the Noodles and Toppings:

• Cook the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

• Thinly slice the lettuce and cut the cucumber into thin strips.

• Wash the herbs and prepare other toppings.

1. Cook the Beef:

• Heat a large skillet over high heat and melt the butter.

• Add the marinated beef and sauté for about 3 minutes until cooked through.

1. Assemble the Salad:

• Place a handful of cooked vermicelli noodles in a bowl.

• Add a spoonful of scallion oil on top of the noodles.

• Layer with beef, lettuce, herbs, cucumber, roasted peanuts, and fried shallots.

• Serve with Nước Chấm on the side.

1. Make the Nước Chấm:

• In a bowl, mix fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, garlic, and chili until the sugar is dissolved.

1. Serve:

• When ready to eat, drizzle the Nước Chấm over the noodles, toss until combined, and enjoy!