Skip to main content
Epicurious

Beef Salad with Mint

A simple, bright, and light salad with tons of flavor. One of the best possible lunch dishes. See page 500 for information on fish sauces like nam pla.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound beef tenderloin or boneless sirloin
4 cups torn Boston or romaine lettuce, mesclun, or any mixture of salad greens
1 cup torn fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 medium cucumber, peeled if necessary, cut in half lengthwise, seeded (see page 169), and diced
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon nam pla or soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill or broiler; the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source. Grill or broil the beef until medium-rare, 5 to 10 minutes; set it aside to cool.

    Step 2

    Toss the lettuce with the mint, onion, and cucumber. Combine the remaining ingredients with 1 tablespoon water—the mixture will be thin—and toss the greens with this dressing. Transfer the greens to a platter, reserving the dressing.

    Step 3

    Thinly slice the beef, reserving its juice; combine the juice with the remaining dressing. Lay the slices of beef over the salad, drizzle the dressing over all, and serve.

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
TagsSaladBeef TenderloinBeefMeatMainLunchDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeGrillingBroilCookbooks
Read More
Mango Sticky Rice
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
Soy-Glazed Salmon Bowls
Saucy, soy-honey salmon—cut into cubes to speed up the cooking process—makes a savory topping for a quick weeknight bowl.
Grasshopper Brownies
These decadent brownies feature a sweet, minty topping complemented by a rich dark chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips for added texture.
Easy Egg Custard
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
Sheet-Pan Sausage With Corn, Peach, and Cucumber Salad
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.
Tomato Aguachile
Juicy peak-season tomatoes make the perfect plant-based swap for aguachile.
Simple Hot Cocoa for One
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
Minty Chicken Meatballs
Who says ground chicken is boring? Two whole bunches of mint and some aromatics give these chicken meatballs their bracingly herby flavor.