If you’re like me and have fallen in-love with crispy rice salads lately, then say hello to your new favorite obsession: this Crispy Rice Steak Salad with Thai-Inspired Dressing. This salad is bursting with crunchy cucumbers, perfectly-crispy rice, an abundance of fresh herbs and veggies, and is topped off with a juicy skirt steak for a crave-worthy salad that is perfect for lunch, dinner, or even meal prep!
Friends, I’m back with another viral crispy rice salad. Are you ready for this one? Ever since sharing my OG Crispy Rice Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing a few weeks ago (that now has over 10 million views and counting on Instagram), I have declared 2024 the year of the crispy rice salads. Gone are the days of salads filled with boring, soggy croutons. Instead, this salad is filled with crisp cucumbers, salted peanuts, and perfectly-seasoned crispy rice for a salad that is anything but boring.
And, as if it couldn’t get any better, this salad is also filled with tender, perfectly-cooked skirt steak. If there’s one cut of steak that I absolutely love and recommend having on-hand, it’s skirt steak. Not only is it super tender and juicy, but it’s also an incredibly easy cut of meat to prepare and cooks up rather quickly, making it easier than other cuts. The skirt steak pairs perfectly with the cucumbers, crispy rice, salted peanuts, and all of the veggies and herbs that this salad has to offer. Oh, and let’s not forget the tangy, creamy, Thai-Inspired Dressing to top it all off. This recipe is loosely inspired by Yum Nua, a classic Thai beef salad that is full of flavor and deliciousness!
This salad is perfect for meal prep and is such an easy, well-rounded dish to enjoy throughout the week! If you are going to meal prep it, simply prepare the salad base ahead of time, and store it in an airtight container. Then, prepare the steak and crispy rice, storing them separately. Store the dressing separately as well, and you’ll be able to throw this salad together in mere minutes! I like using my Zwilling Fresh and Save containers to make the prep super easy – plus, these containers will ensure that this salad stays fresher, longer.
What You Need to Make This Thai-Inspired Steak Salad
- 🍚 Rice: Of course, it wouldn’t be a crispy rice salad without the rice! Pick your favorite rice and use it in this recipe – I use jasmine rice!
- Soy Sauce: If you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, you can opt to use a gluten-free soy sauce, like coconut aminos or Tamari!
- 🌶️ Chili Crisp: The crispy rice gets a kick thanks to the chili crunch – you can buy it pre-made from Trader Joe’s, or make your own with my easy recipe!
- Sesame Oil: A little bit of sesame oil helps the rice crisp up nicely and adds a delicious, toasty flavor.
- 🥩 Skirt Steak: Skirt steak is my favorite cut of meat, for this recipe. Not only is it a super easy cut of meat to work with, but it also cooks quickly and practically melts in your mouth. What could be better than that?
- Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper: When it comes to steak, I believe in not over-complicating it. Which is why little salt and pepper is all that you need to perfectly season this steak!
- 🥒 Persian Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are small and crunchy, making them perfect for this salad. You can also use an English cucumber, if you prefer – just be sure to slice it small!
- Fresh Mint: Fresh chopped mint adds a delicious flavor to this salad. Don’t skip it!
- Green Onions: I also love the flavor that fresh green onions add to the salad, especially in combination with the fresh mint.
- 🍅 Baby Tomatoes: The bright, acidic cherry tomatoes pack the perfect punch in this salad.
- Cilantro: Of course, it wouldn’t be a Thai-inspired salad without the fresh cilantro!
- Red Onion: Crunchy red onion tastes delicious in this salad.
- 🥜 Salted Peanuts: In addition to the crispy rice and the crunchy cucumber, the salted peanuts add a delicious amount of crunch and saltiness to this salad!
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is my favorite type of oil to use as the base for salad dressings. It’s full of healthy fats and adds a delicious flavor to the Thai-Inspired Dressing.
- 🐟 Fish Sauce: While I love the tanginess that the fish sauce adds to the dressing, you can also opt to use soy sauce or coconut aminos, if you prefer.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds the right amount of sweetness to this dressing. Don’t skip it!
- Sriracha: And for the perfect amount of spice, nothing beats sriracha. It’s a classic for a reason!
- Lime Juice: A squeeze of fresh lime juice helps to cut through the thickness of this dressing while adding a tangy twist.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Rice wine vinegar is an essential ingredient in any Thai-Inspired Dressing recipe.
- Ground Ginger: A pinch of ground ginger is delicious in this dressing. Don’t skip it!
- 🧄 Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible, and this recipe is no exception!
How to Make This Perfectly-Crispy Steak Salad
To make this salad, start by preparing the crispy rice. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Cook the rice according to your preferred method and allow it to cool fully. Then, add it to the baking sheet. Toss the cooled rice with the soy sauce, chili crisp, and sesame oil. Then, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the rice for 30-40 minutes, or until it’s nice and crispy. Toss it halfway through, to ensure that it cooks evenly.
While the rice is baking, prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, maple syrup, sriracha, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ground ginger, and garlic) to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside while you prepare the steak. Add the skirt steak to a plate and season both sides of it generously with the sea salt and ground black pepper. Then, add 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing to each side of the steak and use your hands to rub it in.
Next, heat a nonstick skillet on the stove, over medium heat. Once the skillet is very hot, add in the steak and sear it for approximately 3 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked to your liking. I prefer my steaks medium-rare, so this is how long I cook it. Once the steak is done, transfer it to a cutting board or plate and allow it to rest.
Finally, prepare the salad by washing and chopping the Persian cucumbers, mint, green onions, baby tomatoes, and cilantro, and add them to a large bowl alongside the red onion and salted peanuts. Toss to fully combine. Slice the steak against the grain and add it to the salad. Then, once the crispy rice has finished baking, remove it from the oven and transfer it to the bowl with the salad.
Pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss until all of the ingredients are fully combined in the dressing. Serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to three days.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
For the Crispy Rice:
- 2 Cups Cooked Rice, cooled – I use jasmine rice, but any rice should work well
- 2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Chili Crisp , you can buy it at Trader Joe's or make your own!
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
For the Steak:
- 1 Pound Skirt Steak
- ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
For the Salad:
- 5 Persian Cucumbers, thinly sliced – you can also substitute one large English cucumber
- 1 Bunch Fresh Mint, chopped – this is approximately 1/2 cup
- 1 Bunch Green Onions, thinly sliced – this is approximately 3/4 cup
- 1 Cup Baby Tomatoes, halved
- ½ Bunch Cilantro, chopped – this is approximately 1/2 cup
- 1 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Cup Salted Peanuts, finely chopped
For the Creamy Soy Dressing:
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Toasted Sesame Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce, you can also substitute soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1-2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 Teaspoons Sriracha
- ¼ Cup Lime Juice, this is approximately 1-2 limes
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 3 Cloves Garlic, mashed
Instructions
- To make this salad, start by preparing the crispy rice. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Cook the rice according to your preferred method and allow it to cool fully. Then, add it to the baking sheet.
- Toss the cooled rice with the soy sauce, chili crisp, and sesame oil.
- Then, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the rice for 30-40 minutes, or until it's nice and crispy. Toss it halfway through, to ensure that it cooks evenly.
- While the rice is baking, prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, maple syrup, sriracha, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ground ginger, and garlic) to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside while you prepare the steak.
- Add the skirt steak to a plate and season both sides of it generously with the sea salt and ground black pepper.
- Then, add 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing to each side of the steak and use your hands to rub it in.
- Next, heat a nonstick skillet on the stove, over medium heat.
- Once the skillet is very hot, add in the steak and sear it for approximately 3 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked to your liking. I prefer my steaks medium-rare, so this is how long I cook it.
- Once the steak is done, transfer it to a cutting board or plate and allow it to rest.
- Finally, prepare the salad by washing and chopping the Persian cucumbers, mint, green onions, baby tomatoes, and cilantro, and add them to a large bowl alongside the red onion and salted peanuts. Toss to fully combine.
- Slice the steak against the grain and add it to the salad.
- Then, once the crispy rice has finished baking, remove it from the oven and transfer it to the bowl with the salad.
- Pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss until all of the ingredients are fully combined in the dressing.
- Serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to three days.
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Love this recipe! It has become a family favourite and the crispy rice is sooooo good!
This was so delicious! It’s my first time having crispy rice, and it just makes the salad so much more interesting. The dressing was also really tasty and well balanced. The only change I made was using less oil. Can’t wait to try the other crispy rice salads!
This recipe looks super yummy! How do we print your recipes?