Vietnamese Beef Salad w/Green Papaya

Light and refreshing, this Vietnamese Beef Salad with Green Papaya is full of amazing flavor and texture!

Here is a delcious salad we had in Vietnam- Vietnamese Beef Salad with Green Papaya!  It is crunchy and refreshing and the beef is over-the-top amazing!  A lovely salad to have in the heat of summer.

If you can’t find green papaya, don’t fret. The salad can be made with rice noodles or sliced cucumber, shredded carrot, shredded cabbage or daikon….. or probably any other salad type of veggie. Just don’t use ripe papaya because it will disintegrate. Make sure the papaya is firm to touch. In Vietnam, the papaya was a very pale green on the inside too.

Why you’ll love this recipe!

The marinade for the beef – is a recipe to hold on to. The flavors (five spice and lemongrass) are surprising and delightful.  The marinade also works great on pork, chicken and tofu, and served with a simple bowl of steamed rice, it makes for a perfect, healthy dinner. The only challenging part of making this salad is finding the right tool to shred the papaya. Everything else about the recipe is easy. I bought several different shredders while on our trip. It turns out I already had a shredder on my mandolin, but the hand tool shown here is easier to use.

How to make Vietnamese Beef Salad

Peel and shred the papaya. Cut a little off the bottom to make a flat edge so you can stand it up on end.  Using a shredding tool, shred downwards towards the counter.

Immediately place the shredded papaya in ice water bath and let it soak in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.Prep the beef. Cut the beef into bite-size pieces, 1/2 inch thick. Tenderloin is recommended, but tri-tip, flank steak, or flatiron steak all work fine.

Make the marinade.

TIP: If you cook with a lot of lemongrass, it can be purchased at most Asian markets, in the freezer section, already chopped up. Store it in your freezer so you always have some on hand.

Combine the marinade with the meat.

Vietnamese food is known for its fresh and healthy ingredients and minimal use of oil.  Because of this, it is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. It is also one of the most flavorful.

The use of fresh herbs combined with the right balance of spices is what makes Vietnamese food taste and smell so good. Fresh fruit and vegetables are a huge part of the Vietnamese diet along with lots of fresh seafood and rice.

Another staple is mam, or a fermented fish sauce which varies regionally and is used in marinades, salad dressings and to flavor many dishes. Because it is fermented it is full of probiotics which support gut health and diversity!

Enjoy the salad and come back and rate it for us, always appreciated. ❤️