Weeknight Steak and Rice Noodle Salad

A fresh and flavorful Asian-inspired salad featuring tender skirt steak, wide rice noodles, and crisp vegetables in a spicy-sweet chile-lime dressing. Perfect for a light yet satisfying weeknight dinner.

4 servings

1 hr 41 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•3 whole small serrano chiles
•1 clove small garlic clove
•1 tsp Kosher salt
•¼ cup fresh lime juice
•3 Tbsp fish sauce
•3 Tbsp honey
•2 Tbsp vegetable oil
•8 oz skirt steak
•6 oz wide rice noodles
•½ head Napa cabbage
•2 whole Persian cucumbers
•1 piece daikon
•½ cup mint
•½ cup chopped salted peanuts
•½ cup dry-roasted peanuts
•¼ cup peanuts for serving

Cooking Instructions

1.
Remove seeds from 2 chiles, then finely chop with remaining chile. Thinly slice garlic. Sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt over chiles and garlic. Smash chiles and garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife, alternating chopping and mashing, until a coarse paste forms. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add lime juice, fish sauce, honey, and 1 Tbsp. oil. Stir vigorously to dissolve honey. This is your dressing.
10 min
2.
Place steak in a medium bowl. Drizzle 3 Tbsp. dressing over, holding back chiles with a spoon; set remaining dressing aside. Let steak sit, turning occasionally, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.
60 min
3.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Remove from heat, add noodles, and cover pot. Let sit, stirring every minute or so to keep noodles from sticking, until al dente, 5-8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water; set aside.
8 min
4.
Using your hands, toss cabbage, cucumbers, and daikon in a large bowl; season lightly with kosher salt. Massage vegetables with your hands to release excess water, then pour off any liquid that has collected in the bottom of the bowl.
5 min
5.
Pat steak dry and season lightly with kosher salt. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook steak until browned, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice.
13 min
6.
Add steak, cabbage mixture, reserved noodles, 1/2 cup mint, and 1/2 cup peanuts to bowl with reserved dressing and toss well; season with more kosher salt if needed. Divide among bowls. Sprinkle with sea salt; top with mint leaves and more peanuts.
5 min

Ingredients

•3 whole small serrano chiles

•1 clove small garlic clove

•1 tsp Kosher salt

•¼ cup fresh lime juice

•3 Tbsp fish sauce

•3 Tbsp honey

•2 Tbsp vegetable oil

•8 oz skirt steak

•6 oz wide rice noodles

•½ head Napa cabbage

•2 whole Persian cucumbers

•1 piece daikon

•½ cup mint

•½ cup chopped salted peanuts

•½ cup dry-roasted peanuts

•¼ cup peanuts for serving

Cooking Instructions

Remove seeds from 2 chiles, then finely chop with remaining chile. Thinly slice garlic. Sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt over chiles and garlic. Smash chiles and garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife, alternating chopping and mashing, until a coarse paste forms. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add lime juice, fish sauce, honey, and 1 Tbsp. oil. Stir vigorously to dissolve honey. This is your dressing.

10 min

Place steak in a medium bowl. Drizzle 3 Tbsp. dressing over, holding back chiles with a spoon; set remaining dressing aside. Let steak sit, turning occasionally, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

60 min

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Remove from heat, add noodles, and cover pot. Let sit, stirring every minute or so to keep noodles from sticking, until al dente, 5-8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water; set aside.

8 min

Using your hands, toss cabbage, cucumbers, and daikon in a large bowl; season lightly with kosher salt. Massage vegetables with your hands to release excess water, then pour off any liquid that has collected in the bottom of the bowl.

5 min

Pat steak dry and season lightly with kosher salt. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook steak until browned, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice.

13 min

Add steak, cabbage mixture, reserved noodles, 1/2 cup mint, and 1/2 cup peanuts to bowl with reserved dressing and toss well; season with more kosher salt if needed. Divide among bowls. Sprinkle with sea salt; top with mint leaves and more peanuts.

5 min