Spring has sprung. We can finally catch up on things we have been waiting on for warmer weather: eating outdoors, spring cleaning, and garden. It’s an exciting time of the year.
Let’s welcome the change of season by enjoying a beautiful and incredible Vietnamese lemongrass beef noodle salad bowl.
In need of a satisfying, full salad? This vermicelli lemongrass beef salad has it all. From fresh herbs like cucumber, lettuce, bean sprouts to a savory lemongrass beef mixture. Mix them up together with the spicy, salty, sweet and garlicky fish sauce. The earthy flavors of lemongrass mingle together with the tangy fish sauce – it’s a beautiful affair with a volcano of flavors. The whole bowl is so satisfying and unbelievably refreshing.
The dressing for this salad is the simple sweet and sour sauce which features fish sauce, garlic, sugar and a few of lime squeezes.
This is the perfect recipe when you want something refreshing but also satisfying. Hope you enjoy!
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Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Noodle Salad
A quick and satisfying dinner salad features lemongrass beef, bean sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce. Serve with the famous dipping fish sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef flank (finely sliced against the grain) (1)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass (2)
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder (optional) (3)
- 1/2 sweet onion (sliced)
- 1 small bunch green onion (cut into 2")
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the bowls:
- 10 oz vermicelli noodles (cook according to package instruction)
- 1 cucumber cut in halved lenghwise and sliced
- 2 cups lettuce (sliced)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- crushed peanuts for toppings
Quick Fish sauce:
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (half of a lime)
- 1 thai chili (thinly sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Instructions
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Beef: In a mixing bowl, combine beef, garlic powder, black pepper, oyster sauce, sugar, lemongrass and chicken powder. Marinate for 15 minutes.
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While waiting for the beef, cook the vermicelli noodles according to package instruction. Drained and divide noodles into bowls.
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Dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, boiling water, sugar until dissolved. Add in lime juice, chillis and garlic. Set aside.
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In a medium pan, heat oil over high heat. Once hot, add in onions. Cook briefly for 30 seconds. Toss in the beef and cook until almost cooked through and no longer pink, about 20 seconds. Add in green onion and cook for another 10 seconds. Remove beef mixture from heat.
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Place cooked beef over noodles, toss with herbs and drizzles some fish sauce over. Garnish with peanuts and chopped green onions. Serve!
Recipe Notes
(1) To make it easier to slice the beef, place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
(2) You can find frozen minced lemongrass in the freezer section of international groceries. If you can't find it, replace with fresh lemongrass but using white part only.
(3) Chicken powder gives it more flavor, you can omit if you don't have it on hand.
It is best to stir fry beef in batches to avoid crowding the pan. I have a medium skillet and cooked the beef in two batches. Also high heat is very important so make sure the skillet is extremely hot before adding in the beef.
To save time, while the beef is resting, prepare the noodles, herbs and dipping sauce.
This looks like a delicious recipe! I love the beef on top and all the ingredients that make this one great salad recipe.
Thanks Sharon. Hope you’ll give it a try.