Vietnamese Grilled Beef Noodle Salad (Bún Bò Xào)
Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten has been in Vietnam, and it’s often the simplest dishes that blow me away. Fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, a bit of heat and loads of flavour. That’s what I love about this salad. Tender barbecued flat iron steak with lemongrass, rice noodles and a punchy chilli-lime dressing, topped with crispy shallots and roasted peanuts. I’m heading back to Vietnam in May 2027 to host a food tour, and I can’t wait to eat my way around the place again.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the finely chopped lemongrass, garlic, shallot, fish sauce and olive oil together.
- Add the flat iron steak and give it a good coating. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Take the steak out of the fridge 1 hour before barbecuing, keeping it covered in a cool spot away from direct sunlight.
- Mix the fish sauce, lime juice, warm water and caster sugar together until the sugar dissolves.
- Stir in the garlic and finely chopped chilli, starting with one chilli and adding more to taste.
- Give it a taste. You want a good balance of salty, sour, sweet and a little heat. If it’s too salty, add a splash more water. If it’s too sharp, add a little more sugar.
- Set aside for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the salad.
- Slice the shallots into thin, even rings, about 1 to 2 mm thick. Separate the rings and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Put the shallots and oil into a saucepan large enough to hold them comfortably while the oil is still cold. Place over medium-low heat and stir regularly as the oil starts to bubble.
- Cook gently until the shallots turn light golden, approximately 8 to 12 minutes. They may take longer with this quantity; the colour is more important than the cooking time.
- Lift them out with a slotted spoon and spread them on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with a little salt and leave to cool completely.
- Don’t wait until they’re dark brown before removing them. They’ll continue cooking in the residual heat, and burnt shallots are bitter.
- Cook the rice vermicelli according to the packet instructions.
- Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly, then gently loosen the noodles with your fingers or chopsticks so they don’t stick together.
- Cut the carrots and cucumber into fine matchsticks. Finely shred the baby cos lettuce and slice the spring onions.
- Wash and dry the bean sprouts, mint, coriander and Thai basil.
- Keep everything separate until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
- Preheat the barbecue to medium-high heat.
- Remove the steak from the marinade, scraping away any excess pieces of lemongrass, garlic and shallot so they don’t burn on the grill.
- Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper just before placing the steak on the barbecue.
- Barbecue the steak, turning as necessary, until the internal temperature reaches 54 to 57°C, checking with a meat thermometer.
- Remove from the barbecue and rest for 8 minutes.
- Once rested, slice the steak thinly across the grain, approximately 5 mm thick.
- Divide the rice vermicelli between 6 to 8 wide, shallow bowls, or arrange on a large sharing platter.
- Arrange the shredded baby cos, carrot, cucumber and bean sprouts around the noodles.
- Scatter over the mint, coriander, Thai basil and sliced spring onions.
- Lay the sliced flat iron steak across the top, slightly overlapping the slices.
- Spoon over some of the Vietnamese chilli-lime dressing.
- Finish with the roasted peanuts, crispy fried shallots and extra sliced chilli, if using. Serve with lime wedges and the remaining dressing on the side.
Simon says ...
Simon Says
Flip every minute. Give the steak a turn every minute while it’s on the barbecue. This helps it cook more evenly, with less of that overcooked grey band beneath the surface. You’ll still get a good crust, so long as the barbecue is hot. Use a meat thermometer to check when it’s ready.
Start with one chilli. Bird’s-eye chillies pack a punch. Let the dressing sit for 15 minutes, then taste before adding more. Put extra sliced chilli on the table for anyone who wants it hotter.
Keep some dressing handy. This dressing stores well in a sealed jar in the fridge, ready whenever you need it. Give it a shake before using.
Keep the crunch. Add the peanuts and crispy shallots just before serving so they stay crisp.
Make it easy on yourself. Prepare the dressing and vegetables ahead, keep them covered in the fridge, then barbecue the steak and assemble when you’re ready to eat.