Beef Larb
Beef Larb is a quick, 30-minute Thai-inspired dish made in one pan with all the flavors you love. Easy and delicious!
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $15.28
Equipment
- Large pan cast-iron
Ingredients
Beef
- 1-1/2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic 3 to 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions white and green parts, 4 to 6 onions
- 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
- 2 cups diced zucchini
Quick Sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup soy sauce not low sodium
- 1 large lime
- 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek ground chili paste, see note 1
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup chopped fresh herbs I recommend a combo of cilantro, mint, and basil; see note 2
- 2 to 3 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, optional
- Additional lime wedges optional
- Fish sauce optional
Coconut Lime Rice (optional)
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1-1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk 1 can
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 large lime
Instructions
- If making rice, Combine basmati rice, coconut milk, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste). Stir and place over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer 13–18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let stand 10–15 minutes; don’t rush or it will be sticky! Zest and juice lime to get 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice. Fluff rice with a fork, then add in lime zest and juice. Stir and evenly divide onto plates.
- In a small bowl, add cornstarch and soy sauce. Whisk with a fork until smooth, then zest and juice lime to get 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice. Add lime zest and juice, Sambal Oelek (see note 1), sugar, and rice vinegar. I add 2 tablespoons, but add slowly to personal preference. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper (leave out salt if you’re concerned about saltiness with soy sauce). Whisk with fork until smooth and set aside.
- Melt coconut oil in a large cast-iron pan set to medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add minced garlic, minced ginger, and sliced green onions. Sauté 3–4 minutes or until fragrant and tender. Push veggies to the edges, increase heat to high, and add ground beef to the center. Let stand 30 seconds without moving, then flip to the other side and let stand 30 seconds. Season beef with salt and pepper to taste (I add a tiny pinch of each). Then break up the beef and cook until fully cooked with no pink inside.
- Drain off accumulated grease and add in diced zucchini. Stir until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Quickly whisk the sauce again with fork, then pour it over beef and cook for another 1–3 minutes or until beef is glossy and sauce has thickened and coated everything. Taste and adjust any sauce ingredients—flavors should really sing, so add additional lime juice or salt until they do. You can also add some fish sauce to taste here if desired (to add a more authentic Thai flavor). Remove from heat and stir in chopped herbs. Stir gently.
- Add even amounts of beef to the coconut basmati rice. If desired, top with sliced Persian cucumber and lime wedges. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Note 1: Sambal Oelek adds a lot of flavor and is fairly spicy. If you’re sensitive to heat, start with 1 teaspoon of the sauce and increase from there. You can also try Sriracha sauce in place of the chili sauce (Note that a lot of the flavor in this dish does come from the Sambal Oelek).
Note 2: The herbs add so much to this dish, but if you prefer, use a combination of two of the herbs instead of the three suggested. When measuring herbs, coarsely chop them and very loosely measure to get 1 cup.
Nutrition Note: Nutrition information is for the Beef Larb and does not include the optional coconut lime rice. A serving with the rice is 402 calories.
Storage: Store Beef Larb leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.9g | Protein: 26.7g | Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 67.8mg | Sodium: 168.3mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 3.8g