Korean Beef and Sesame Salad Recipe
Thin slices of beef in a quick, aromatic sauce, served on a crunchy mix of salad leaves and vegetables with a sesame accent. It’s something between a warm salad and a light main course – perfect when you feel like eating meat but not a heavy dinner. In Korea, similar dishes often appear in work lunchboxes, because they also taste great slightly cooled.
This salad combines the intense, umami-rich flavor of Korean-style marinated beef with fresh, crunchy vegetables and a fragrant sesame dressing. It works both as a light main course and as a warm salad, and it tastes great even when slightly cooled, making it ideal for lunchboxes.
Chef's tips
Slice the beef as thinly as possible so it cooks quickly and stays tender. A partially frozen piece of meat is easier to cut into very thin strips. Do not overcrowd the pan when frying – if necessary, cook the meat in batches so it browns instead of stewing.
How to serve
Serve the salad in deep bowls so the juices from the meat and dressing mix with the vegetables. Add a side of steamed rice or rice noodles if you want a more filling meal. Sprinkle with extra sesame seeds or chopped spring onions for more texture and aroma.
Ingredients
- beef thinly sliced, e.g. sirloin or boneless ribeye - 300 g
- lettuce mixed salad leaves or romaine lettuce - 100 g
- cucumber fresh - 1 piece
- carrot medium - 1 piece
- red bell pepper - 0.5 pieces
- red onion - 0.5 pieces
- soy sauce for the marinade - 3 tablespoons
- sesame oil toasted, for the marinade and dressing - 2 tablespoons
- sugar or honey - 1 teaspoon
- garlic - 2 cloves
- gochujang paste optional, for heat - 1 teaspoon
- rice vinegar for the salad dressing - 1.5 tablespoon
- sesame seeds toasted in a dry pan - 1.5 tablespoon
- vegetable oil for frying the beef - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cut the beef into very thin strips if it is not already sliced. Finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press.
- In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, the sugar, garlic and gochujang paste. Add the beef and mix thoroughly with your hands so every piece is coated in the marinade. Set aside for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Wash and dry the lettuce, then tear it into smaller pieces. Slice the cucumber into thin half-moons. Peel the carrot and cut it into thin matchsticks or grate it on a coarse grater. Cut the pepper into thin strips and the onion into thin slices.
- In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, carrot, pepper and onion.
- Prepare the salad dressing: in a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and half of the toasted sesame seeds. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over fairly high heat. Add the marinated beef, spread it out in a single layer and fry for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until the meat turns brown and is no longer raw inside. Do not fry too long so it doesn’t become tough.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and vegetables and gently toss to coat. Place the hot beef on top along with any juices from the pan.
- Sprinkle with the remaining toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately, while the meat is still warm and the vegetables are crunchy.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I like to prepare the vegetables in advance and marinate the beef just before frying, so the whole dish comes together in a few minutes. If you’re serving it to guests, bring the salad to the table with the hot beef on top – the contrast between warm meat and cold, crunchy vegetables always makes an impression.
