Vietnamese Shaking Beef is a steak salad served on a bed of greens and tomatoes, topped with pickled onions and a lime dipping sauce.
Vietnamese Shaking Beef
Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc) is a popular Vietnamese dish that blends multiple flavors, creating a harmonious taste with each bite. The “shaking” in the name refers to tossing the beef back and forth in the wok after it’s quickly seared. It’s a light yet satisfying meal that cooks quickly and is perfect when you crave this
Vietnamese classic at home.
Why This Shaking Beef Recipe Works
I wanted to make this shaking beef recipe as authentic as possible. After some research, I found this recipe from Ravenous Couple. I had no doubt this dish would be a hit with my family, and I hope you all like it too. I’ve made some adjustments to lighten it a bit, but I tried to stay as close as possible to the original.
- Fast: The beef cooks in less than 10 minutes.
- Prepare it ahead of time so all you need to do is cook the meat and slice the veggies right before dinner.
- Healthy: It’s high in protein but low in carbs and calories. Swap monk fruit for sugar to further cut carbs.
Why is it called shaking beef?
Shaking beef gets its name from the cooking technique. When cooking the beef, you “shake” the pan to toss the meat and sear it evenly on all sides. It’s called bò lúc lắc in Vietnamese, which means “beef shake.”
Ingredients You’ll Need
The first half of the ingredients is for the beef marinade, and the rest are for the salad, vinaigrette, and dipping sauce. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Beef top sirloin is a cut of meat that’s commonly used in shaking beef. Trim the fat and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
- Crushed garlic for flavor
- Agave syrup or sugar for a little sweetness
- Oyster sauce is a thick, dark-brown condiment made from oyster extracts.
- Fish sauce, a Vietnamese staple, adds complexity.
- Sesame oil adds a rich, nutty flavor.
- Thick soy sauce is traditionally used in shaking beef, but you can substitute low-sodium soy sauce if that’s not available.
- Avocado oil for sautéing the beef
- Vinaigrette: Rice vinegar, sugar or agave, and kosher salt for a simple salad dressing. The sweetener and salt balance the vinegar’s acidity.
- Dipping Sauce: Lime juice, kosher salt, and black pepper for dipping the beef.
- Salad: This dish is usually served on a bed of watercress with red onions and tomatoes.
How to Make Vietnamese Shaking Beef
If you want to prepare ahead of time, make all three sauces, cut and marinate the beef, and pickle the onions the night before. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Marinade: Combine the six marinade ingredients and pour over the meat. Let it marinate for at least an hour; overnight will enhance the flavor.
- Prepare the sauces: Mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette and dipping sauce in separate bowls.
- Pickle the onions: Combine the sliced red onions with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
- Cook the beef: Heat oil in a wok or large skillet, then add half the meat in an even layer (discard the marinade). After searing for 2 minutes, shake the pan to flip the meat, then cook for another 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining beef.
- Serve: Place the meat on top of the greens and tomatoes, drizzle with vinaigrette, and top with pickled onions. Serve with the lime dipping sauce.
What are some tips for making the best shaking beef?
- Marinate the beef overnight for more tender and flavorful results.
- Don’t use a nonstick pan since you’re cooking the meat on high heat. If you don’t have a wok, use a cast-iron skillet instead.
- Don’t overcook the beef. Cook it to medium-rare or medium.
Customize It
- Meat: You can try shaking beef with another cut of meat, such as filet, ribeye, skirt steak, New York strip, or flat iron.
- Don’t eat red meat? Substitute chicken thighs.
- Seafood allergy? Try a vegan fish sauce and replace oyster sauce with hoisin.
- Oil: Swap canola with avocado oil. You need something with a high smoke point, so don’t use olive oil.
- Don’t like pickled onions? Sauté them with the beef.
- Greens: This dish pairs well with most types of salad greens, such as romaine or kale.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies, like avocado, cucumbers, or sugar snap peas.
- Sweetener: Brown sugar or honey also works. If you want to reduce added sugar, use monk fruit.
5
16 mins
4
52 mins
6
28 mins
5
45 mins
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the salad ingredients, sauces, and beef in separate containers. The meat will last for 4 days in the fridge.
- Freeze the beef for up to 3 months. After thawing, make the salad, vinaigrette, and dipping sauce. Reheat the beef on the stove or in the microwave.
More Asian Beef Recipes You’ll Love
Try one of these beef recipes for your next dinner!
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 3 oz beef + lettuce, onions, tomato
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Marinate steak at least 1 hour before cooking, or overnight for best results.
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Combine garlic, oyster sauce, agave or sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil with the beef.
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For the vinaigrette combine rice vinegar with salt and sugar. It should be a balance of sour, salty and sweet.
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Thinly slice the red onion and use about ¼ cup of the vinaigrette to pickle and set aside covered in fridge for about 10 minutes.
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Prepare bed of greens and tomatoes in a serving platter and set aside.
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Make dipping sauce by squeezing lime juice over salt and pepper in a small ramekin.
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Heat a large wok or pan over high heat.
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When very hot add ½ tbsp avocado oil and when it begins to smoke, add an even layer of half of the beef and allow to sear for about 2 minutes, before “shaking” to sear the opposite sides for about another 1-2 minute more to brown all the sides. Remove the meat from the pan and set it aside.
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Repeat this with the second batch of meat using the remainder of the oil.
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Transfer beef to bed of watercress and tomatoes. Drizzle remainder of the vinaigrette over the beef and greens and top with pickled red onions.
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Serve with lime dipping sauce.
Last Step:
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Serving: 3 oz beef + lettuce, onions, tomato, Calories: 269 kcal, Carbohydrates: 16.5 g, Protein: 27.5 g, Fat: 10 g, Sodium: 1451 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 12 g
