Beef Goi Cuon Salad with Peanut Dressing
Vietnamese-inspired beef salad featuring poached beef simmered in aromatic stock with star anise, cinnamon, and cloves, served over rice noodles, fresh herbs, and vegetables with a peanut-ginger dressing. The tender beef and vibrant salad components create a balanced, refreshing dish with warm spice undertones.
Ingredients
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 3 whole star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 whole black peppercorns
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 lb boneless blade beef pot roast
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 6 Tbsp rice vinegarwhite vinegar1:1conf:4Full guide →
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tsp granulated sugar
- fish sauce, dash
- hot sauce such as Sriracha(optional)sambal oelek1:1conf:4Full guide →
- salt(optional)
- pepper(optional)
- ⅝ cups flat rice noodles fettuccine-style
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
- ½ English cucumber, sliced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 8 fresh mint leaves
- 8 leaf lettuce leaves, shredded
- ½ cup salted peanuts
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Instructions
- 1
Bring beef stock, diced onion, sliced ginger, star anise, cloves, black peppercorns, and cinnamon sticks to a simmer in a medium stockpot.
- 2
Add beef and top with water until just covered. Gently simmer covered, turning twice, until fork-tender, about 3 hours. Remove beef to cool.
- 3
Whisk peanut butter, grated ginger, and rice vinegar together. Drizzle in vegetable oil while whisking. Add sugar and fish sauce. Season to taste with hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
- 4
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse to cool, and toss in a large bowl with all but 1/4 cup of dressing.
- 5
Add sliced green onion, julienned pepper, sliced cucumber, sliced carrot, basil, and mint to noodles and toss.
- 6
Arrange shredded lettuce on a large platter or individual plates. Spoon noodle salad on top.
- 7
Break cooled beef into bite-size pieces, toss with reserved dressing, and arrange over salad.
- 8
Sprinkle peanuts and sesame seeds just before serving.
Tips
The fragrant broth from poaching can be strained and used to make pho. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Good to Know
Beef and dressing keep separately in airtight containers in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Noodles and vegetables best assembled same day.
Beef can be cooked and cooled up to 2 days ahead. Dressing can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cook noodles and prepare vegetables no more than 4 hours before serving.
Serve at room temperature or chilled, with additional hot sauce and lime wedges on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not overcook beef past fork-tender or it will shred excessively when broken into pieces.
Do not dress the entire salad with all dressing at once or noodles will become soggy; reserve portion for beef.
Do not add peanuts and sesame seeds until just before serving or they will lose crispness.