Beef larb recipe
This authentic Thai beef larb is made with ground beef, fresh herbs, and citrus. Beef laab is easy to make, healthy, and perfect for summer.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Thai toasted rice powder:
- 0.5 cup Thai glutinous white rice sticky rice, raw and uncooked
Larb Neua:
- 1 lb. ground beef 85% lean; 15% fat
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ⅛ tsp ground white pepper or black pepper
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- 1.5 tbsp avocado oil
Other:
- 2.5 oz. chopped shallots about 1-2 large shallots
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- Half one whole lime juice plus more for serving
- 1-2 tsp Thai bird's eye chili powder or dry chili flakes
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 20 sprig mint leaves roughly chopped
- 3-4 bulb green onions chopped
To serve:
- Sticky rice cooked
- Baby greens of choice optional
Instructions
- Toasted rice powder: In a medium size cast iron or stainless steel pan, add the rice grains and dry roast them over medium heat until the grains turn into golden brown color, about 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally for even toasting. Let the toasted grains cool to room temperature. Transfer the cooled grains into a spice or coffee grinder and pulse a few times until coarsely ground.
- Prepare herbs: Prepare shallots, cilantro, mint leaves, and scallions. Set each ingredient aside separately over a large plate and ready to use. In a large bowl, season the ground beef with lime juice, pepper, and salt.
- Cook: Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking it into fine bits as it cooks. As the meat releases moisture, avoid evaporating all of it to keep the meat moist, ensuring a bit of liquid remains in the pan. Once cooked and with some moisture still in the pan, turn off the heat
- Season: While the skillet is still hot, add shallots, stir and use the remaining warmth to bring out the fragrant. Season the meat with fish sauce, lime juice, and chili powder, and lastly add cilantro, mint leaves, and scallions. Toss and taste to adjust the dish to your personal preference (more lime, fish sauce, or chili powder).
- Serve: Transfer the laab to a large serving plate. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to allow the flavor to develop then sprinkle in the toasted sticky rice, 1-2 tbsp a time until your desired level. Serve with sticky rice and baby greens on the side. Serve at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- If using ground chicken or turkey, mix 50% breast meat with 50% thigh meat. This prevents the dish from becoming too dry.
- When it comes to beef, opt for a mix that's not overly lean—85% lean to 15% fat is ideal. This ratio ensures the larb is rich and moist. For a truly authentic touch, try mincing your own meat from a ribeye or New York strip steak, just like in traditional Thai recipes.
- If you can’t have fish sauce (anchovy + sea salt), , try vegan fish sauce or Yondu vegetable umami sauce. Coconut aminos are another alternative, though they'll slightly change the flavor profile. Soy sauce is not recommended due to its stronger taste
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 911mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 589IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg
