Steak and Rice Noodle Salad with Mint and Peanuts
Rich and charred steak, chewy rice noodles, bright and juicy lime, sweet mint, and salty peanuts combine for a weeknight dinner with big flavor.
Serves2
This noodle salad has all the big flavors you seek in a weeknight dinner. It doesn’t take much effort, though, because each ingredient is working hard for us: When you use ingredients like rich and charred steak, chewy and satisfying rice noodles, bright and juicy lime, fragrant and sweet mint, and salty and crunchy peanuts, you really don’t need much else.
We like skirt steak for this recipe, which is thin enough to cook up quickly, whether on the stove, under the broiler, or on the grill. The cut is flavorful, but not always tender, which is why, after being sliced, it sits in a lime marinade-dressing to soak up flavor and relax some of its toughness. All that’s left to do is cook some rice noodles (wider ones are a better match for the beef), and toss in a heap of chopped mint and peanuts — although cilantro or parsley or toasted sesame seeds or sliced almonds would also fit right in. You needn’t even bother with finely chopping the herbs and nuts here; a rough, random chop adds more crunch and surprise bursts of flavor.
Steak and Rice Noodle Salad with Mint and Peanuts
Rich and charred steak, chewy rice noodles, bright and juicy lime, sweet mint, and salty peanuts combine for a weeknight dinner with big flavor.
Serves 2
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 pound
skirt steak
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup
plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 4
medium limes
- 8 ounces
dried wide rice noodles
- 1/2 cup
coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup
finely chopped roasted, salted peanuts
Instructions
Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, pat 1 pound skirt steak dry with paper towels and season all over with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the steak and sear until golden-brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean cutting board and set aside to rest 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add 8 ounces dried wide rice noodles to the water and cook according to package directions. Finely grate the zest of 4 medium limes into a large bowl. Halve and juice the limes into the bowl. Add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
Drain the noodles, rinse with cold water, then drain again. Thinly slice the steak across the grain, add to the dressing, toss to coat, and set aside to marinate. Finely chop 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves and 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts.
Add the noodles, mint, and peanuts to the steak and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Recipe Notes
Grilling the steak: Instead of searing on the stovetop, the steak can be grilled over direct, medium-high heat.
Storage: The salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.