This authentic Thai beef larb recipe is a super tasty and popular dish from Isaan (Northeastern )Thailand. It's a flavorful salad made with near-raw, thinly sliced beef. This tasty Thai larb has a wonderful assortment of fresh herbs that bring out the bold, addictive flavors. It's an easy recipe, and it's extra healthy!
Growing up in Isaan, I enjoyed beef larb prepared by family members who passed down their culinary techniques through generations. This recipe is inspired by my nephew, Youn, a gifted chef in our family. Watching him create this dish with precision and love deepened my connection to its traditional roots. The result is a truly authentic flavor that reflects my firsthand experience with Thai cooking.
If you want to try more knock-your-socks-off Isaan-flavored salads, try these recipes! Thai Seafood Salad Yum Talay, Nam tok-Beef waterfall salad, Laab Gai, Thai green papaya salad, crying tiger, and cucumber salad. They're all amazing!
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Traditional Larb in Thai cuisine
The traditional Thai laab is a dish made with ground meat, like my Laab Gai recipe, which uses ground chicken. In Isaan, Thailand, most locals prefer a slightly fatty cut of beef grilling steak instead of lean ground beef, which adds more flavor to the beef larb salad.
So, instead of throwing away the fatty part of the meat, use it to enhance the taste.
Why you'll love this Thai Larb Recipe
- It's delicious and full of flavors from many fresh herbs.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients.
- It's healthy! Substitute sugar for monk fruit sugar for a guilt-free, healthy, flavorful Thai salad!
- This beef larb recipe is customizable! Adjust your meat's spiciness and rawness to fit your taste buds.
- Beef larb can be served as a main course or as an appetizer.
What is Larb?
Beef Larb is a tasty traditional dish with beef, fresh herbs, and a zesty dressing. It's a popular choice in Isaan cuisine. It is known for its bold flavors and unique combination of ingredients like shallot, cilantro, green onions, cilantro and seasoned with fresh lime juice, fish sauce, and spicy peppers for added zing.
The origin of Larb
Laab is believed to have its origin in Laos, and then the dish gets passed down to Isaan, Northeastern Thailand, where cultures, language, and history are closely tied to Laos.
Laab has become an unofficial national dish of Laos, a staple in Thai food, and many Thai restaurants worldwide.
There are many variations and flavors even within the different regions of Thailand. Laab in Northern Thailand may be slightly different than Central and Isaan Thailand. Flavors and ingredients used varied from chef to chef, making Laab an easy recipe to customize to different taste buds.
Beef Larb Ingredients
- Grilling beef. This is an important ingredient for this recipe. Choose thick-cut beef with some fat in it for this recipe. I used top London broil and ribeye.
- Fish sauce. I used Squid brand fish sauce. Adjust yours as needed, as each fish sauce has a different level of saltiness. Soy sauce is not recommended.
- Lime juice. Lemon juice can be used as a substitute, but lime juice is best as it adds a sharp flavor to the salty flavor of the salad.
- Shallot. Red onions are fine as a substitute.
- Green onions. Use both the white and green parts of the green onions.
- Cilantro. One of the fresh ingredients that adds a strong aroma to many Thai salads.
- Mint leaves. An essential ingredient that adds a light and refreshing flavor to many Thai recipes.
- Sugar. Use white, brown, or palm sugar to help balance out the salty and sour spicy dressing.
- Fresh chili pepper. Use as many as needed for your spice level tolerance. Find these at most Asian grocery stores or your local farmer's markets.
- Dried chili flakes. For added spice and nutty flavor from the toasted chili flakes.
- Oil. Just a tiny amount if pan frying the meat. No need for oil if grilling.
- Toasted rice powder.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
- A spice grinder for making toasted rice powder.
- A grilling pan
- A large bowl for mixing the larb salad.
How to make Larb
Step 1: Make Khao Kua. Toast uncooked rice, preferably Thai glutinous rice, in a small pan on medium heat until lightly golden brown. Transfer to a spice grinder or use a small mortar and pestle and grind until you get a coarse powder.
Step 2. Marinate the beef lightly and quickly. Mix fish sauce, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the beef and turn to get the sauce to cover all sides.
Step 3: Cook the Beef
- Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzly just a small amount of oil on the pan. No need for oil if using the grill.
- Add the marinated beef and cook for a couple of minutes on each side of the beef. Use more or less time as per your preference for rawness. Let the meat rest for 8-10 minutes before cutting it for extra juice and tenderness.
- For a traditional Thai larb recipe, it's sometimes eaten close to raw. I can't do it too raw, but if you prefer it, go all out like you would a local!
Step 4: Prepare the salad. Combine the herbs and sauces in a large bowl and mix well. The fresh herbs used add a burst of freshness to your laab.
Step 5: Add the sliced beef. Thinly slice your beef, including the fat, into small, thin pieces, around ⅛ inch to 1-inch. Add the beef to the salad bowl and mix gently.
Step 6: Flavor with Toasted Rice Powder
- Sprinkle the toasted rice powder over the meat mixture. This gives your larb a wonderful crunch and nutty flavor. Stir the salad with a wooden spoon and adjust the flavors to taste with more Thai chili, fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar.
Enjoy your delicious and authentic Thai Beef Larb!
Variations
- Use pork shoulder or pork butt instead if you want more of a sweeter tender meat.
- For a vegetarian option, try Mushroom Larb with minced mushrooms.
- Lemon juice works well as a substitute. Use a little extra, as lemon juice is not as sharp or crisp as lime juice.
Larb Salad Tips
- Be sure to add plenty of lime juice and fish sauce to help further cook the near-raw meat.
- You can find toasted rice powder at Asian markets or make it at home by dry roasting raw rice until golden brown and grinding it into a fine powder. Find my Khao Khua recipe here.
- Use fresh Thai herbs like green onion, shallot, cilantro, and mint for the best result. If you can find culantro, use those! Learn more about the different types of Thai herbs here.
- Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer chilies and dry ground chili flakes.
- Let the larb sit at room temperature for a short time (5 minutes) to allow the flavors to meld together before serving to enhance the flavors.
- Serve your Thai beef larb as an appetizer by making lettuce wraps. Making it even more healthy with added leafy greens.
- To make this delicious meat salad, grill or pan-fry the beef until it's cooked. It's important to keep it slightly pink and juicy. Then, mix it with the Khao Khua and all the fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, shallot, and green onions.
What to serve with Larb
- Serve it with steamed jasmine or Thai sticky rice for a complete meal.
- Freshly sliced raw vegetables like cucumber and green beans make great side dishes.
Garnishing Options
- Traditionally, Laab is served with sticky rice as it adds a great buffer to the fiery kick of peppers used in Laab.
- Serve your Beef Larb with fresh lettuce leaves or cups for a crunchy texture.
- You can add some extra lime wedges and chili powder for those who like it spicier.
Storing Larb Salad
- Beef Larb is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Larb Gai is made with ground chicken, while Larb Moo uses ground pork. The rest of the ingredients are similar.
It's best to make the larb close to serving time to maintain its freshness and crunch.
Larb can be as spicy as you want it to be. Adjust the amount of fresh chilies to your taste.
Yes, you can use pork shoulder, butt or loin. Duck is another great choice for this recipe. Chicken and turkey tend to get too dry for this recipe.
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Authentic Thai Larb Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This authentic Thai beef larb recipe is a super tasty and popular dish from Isaan (Northeastern )Thailand. It's a flavorful salad made with near-raw, thinly sliced beef. This authentic Thai larb has a wonderful assortment of fresh herbs that bring out the bold, addictive flavors. It's an easy recipe, and it's extra healthy!
Ingredients
- 1 pound grilling beef. This is an important ingredient for this recipe. Choose thick-cut beef with some fat in it for this recipe. I used top London broil and ribeye.
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce, divided. Use 2 tablespoons for marinating beef and 1 tablespoon for the salad.
- 3-4 tablespoons lime juice, divided. Use 2 tablespoons for marinating beef and 1-2 tablespoons for the salad.
- 2 teaspoon sugar, divided. 1 teaspoon for the marinade of the beef and 1 teaspoon for the salad.
- ½ cup shallot, finely chopped
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons toasted rice powder
- 1-2 fresh chilies (adjust to your spice preference)
- 1 tablespoon oil. If pan-frying the meat.
Instructions
- Make Khao Kua. Toast uncooked rice, preferably Thai glutinous rice, in a small pan on medium heat until lightly golden brown. Transfer to a spice grinder or use a small mortar and pestle and grind until you get a coarse powder.
- Marinate the beef lightly and quickly. Mix 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the beef and turn to get the sauce to cover all sides.
- Step 3: Cook the Beef. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzly just a small amount of oil on the pan. No need for oil if using the grill. Add the marinated beef and cook for a couple of minutes on each side of the beef. Use more or less time as per your preference for rawness. Let the meat rest for 8-10 minutes before cutting it for extra juice and tenderness.
- Prepare the salad. Mix the herbs and the rest of the sauces in a large bowl.
- Add the beef. Thinly slice your beef, including the fat, into small, thin pieces, around ⅛ inch to 1-inch. Add the beef to the salad bowl and mix gently.
- Flavor with Toasted Rice Powder. Sprinkle the toasted rice powder over the meat mixture. This gives your larb a wonderful crunch and nutty flavor. Stir the salad with a wooden spoon and adjust the flavors to taste with more Thai chili, fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar.
* For a traditional Thai larb recipe, the meat is sometimes cooked and eaten close to raw with a ton of lime juice and fish sauce added to it. I can't do meat quite that raw, but if you prefer it, go all out like a local!
Enjoy your delicious and authentic Thai Beef Larb!
Notes
- Be sure to add plenty of lime juice and fish sauce to help further cook the near-raw meat.
- You can find toasted rice powder at Asian markets or make it at home by dry roasting raw rice until golden brown and grinding it into a fine powder. Find my Khao Khua recipe here.
- Use fresh Thai herbs like green onion, shallot, cilantro, and mint for the best result. If you can find culantro, use those! Learn more about the different types of Thai herbs here.
- Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer chilies and dry ground chili flakes.
- Let the larb sit at room temperature for a short time (5 minutes) to allow the flavors to meld together before serving to enhance the flavors.
- Serve your Thai beef larb as an appetizer by making lettuce wraps. Making it even more healthy with added leafy greens.
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- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: salads
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
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Suwanee says
That's fantastic, Benjamin that you adjusted to your own pallet. I'm sure the dark soy sauce add a beautiful caramelized color to your beef?
Benjamin Prusinski says
I added Thai seasoning sauce and dark soy sauce for more savory flavor in addition to lime and fish sauce.
Suwanee says
Yes, a lot of traditional larb recipes use ground or minced meat, and that’s a great option too. In my family and for a change, we also use thinly sliced beef for a little more texture and flavor. It’s just one of those small regional twists and personal preference that makes Thai cooking diverse.
Benjamin Prusinski says
I read that it is supposed to use ground minced beef on most laarb recipes.
Suwanee says
Thank you so much SEB! I’m thrilled you’re excited to give it a try. I’d love to hear what you think once you’ve made it—enjoy!
SEB says
Looks fabulous! Cant wait to try it.
Anonymous says
Hiroko Hill says
It was easy & yummy beef salad! I used already sliced beef from Costco. It’s a quick protein filled salad
Matt says
Fantastic salad! Very easy and the flavors are fresh and light! We loved how customizable it is. We used 1 pepper so everyone can enjoy and we used New York cut.
Suwanee says
It's perfect for a low-carb meat! Nice job!
Suwanee says
I'm so happy to hear this, William. Thank you! Ribeye is amazing for this recipe.
William P says
Unbelievable easy and tasty!! All the ingredients were bought from my local grocery store and it was delicious! I used ribeye steak and it was perfect.
Amy says
Great recipe for low carb meal. I used the leftover steak and it turned out great.