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Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

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Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac) – an easy delicious steak salad with exotic flavors

Vietnamese steak salad served on a bed of greens and tomatoes, topped with pickled onions and a lime dipping sauce. This widely popular Asian dish combines many taste sensations and creates a harmony of flavors with every bite. The “shaking” in the name refers to the tossing of the beef back and forth in the wok after it’s quickly seared.

You can serve this as a salad for a low carb meal or make some rice on the side. This is traditionally served over a bed of watercress which I couldn’t find, so I used an arugula blend instead. Thick soy sauce is traditionally used here, but you can use low sodium soy sauce instead if this is not available to you.

This was a recent recipe which I wanted to make as authentic as possible and upon doing some research came I came across and this recipe from Ravenous Couple who was guest posting on Rasa Malaysia. 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 the recipe to lighten it a little but I tried to stick as close as possible to the original.


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Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

4.55 from 11 votes
6
Cals:268.9
Protein:27.3
Carbs:16.6
Fat:10.1
Course: Dinner, Salad
Cuisine: Chinese, Japanese
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 3 oz beef + lettuce, onions, tomato

Ingredients

Marinade:

  • 1 1/2 lbs beef top sirloin, fat trimmed and cut into 1″ cubes
  • 5 cloves crushed garlic
  • 1 tbsp agave or sugar
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp thick soy sauce, or use low sodium soy sauce

Vinaigrette

Dipping Sauce

  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

Salad:

  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cups watercress leaves or mixed baby greens
  • 2 to matoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp canola oil, divided

Instructions

  • Marinate steak at least 1 hour before cooking, or overnight for best results.
  • Combine garlic, oyster sauce, agave or sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil with the beef.
  • For the vinaigrette combine rice vinegar with salt and sugar. It should be a balance of sour, salty and sweet.
  • Thinly slice the red onion and use about 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette to pickle and set aside covered in fridge for about 10 minutes.
  • Prepare bed of greens and tomatoes in a serving platter and set aside.
  • Make dipping sauce by squeezing lime juice over salt and pepper in a small ramekin.
  • Heat a large wok or pan over high heat.
  • When very hot add 1/2 tbsp oil and when it begins to smoke, add an even layer of beef (half) 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.
  • Repeat this with the second batch of meat using the remainder of the oil.
  • Transfer beef to bed of watercress and tomatoes.
  • Drizzle remainder of the vinaigrette over the beef and greens and top with pickled red onions.
  • Serve with lime dipping sauce.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 3 oz beef + lettuce, onions, tomato, Calories: 268.9 kcal, Carbohydrates: 16.6 g, Protein: 27.3 g, Fat: 10.1 g, Sodium: 1451 mg, Fiber: 0.9 g, Sugar: 12 g

Categories:

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac) – an easy delicious steak salad with exotic flavors

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98 comments on “Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)”

  1. My go-to recipe for Bo Luc Lac.  I marinate it the morning of and the beef still comes out so flavourful and tender!  The whole family enjoys this dish.  

  2. Made this tonight and followed pretty close to as written. Really successful. I did increase both the marinade ratio and time to 6 hours. The only issue was that I added the extra marinade to the second cooking meat batch and it ended up a bit saucy with that batch. Don’t skip the dipping sauce. It really cuts the richness of the marinade and was a savior for the extra sauce in mine. I think if followed as written would likely be perfect.   I did use a beef loin that was fairly marbled and was great. The size of the cube obviously affects the sear and cook time, so some familiarity with your cook top will affect outcome. 

  3. Amazing dish! I marinated the beef over night. It was so tender and full of such incredible flavor.  I can see making this dish again soon. 

  4. This was amazing! Experimented with this when staying with mum and dad this Christmas… Replaced the sweetener with monk fruit to further reduce the carbs (keto here), but this was AMAZING and will make our regular meal rotation!

    Thank you so much for sharing!

  5. Avatar photo
    Jessica Ascione

    Made this last night – what an amazing umami bomb in your mouth with every single bite. The vinaigrette and dipping sauce were so simple, yet so unbelievably flavorful. Instead of dipping I just poured some of the sauce over my salad. I was out of fish sauce so doubled the oyster, and also out of sugar/agave so I used brown sugar – not even slightly disappointed. I always go H.A.M. on the garlic so I used about half a head, And finally, I used Romaine lettuce and New York strip since it’s what I had on hand. Even with all of the alterations it was still to die for. The pickling on the red onion was perfection and I will be doing this forever! This is definitely going into our weekly rotation of dinners for quite a while.

  6. Avatar photo
    Sara lincolin

    Two thinks which people use to see more often or not in winter season 1 is VIETNAMESE SHAKING BEEF and the 2nd is leather jackets. I saw this recipe here and will be asking my mom to cook it for me and secondly I bought captain marvel leather jackets for my self. Thanks for sharing this recipe will be cooking it.

  7. The beef was excellent! I could only find top sirloin in thin cut, so I sliced it like fajita strips and I think I would actually prefer it that way. 

    Someone commented that it was extremely salty and that maybe it was from the marinade… I can confirm that it is from the vinaigrette, not the marinade. I’d recommend cutting the salt in half. 

    Since I was the only one who enjoyed the salad part of the meal, I think I’m going to serve it with rice next time, maybe double the marinade, since the beef absorbed it all while marinating in the refrigerator. 

  8. Hi Gina,
    Great website! Are there any other cuts of meat that would work? Do you think that filet mignon would be okay?

    Thanks in advance!

  9. Wow is this good. Every salad component was as important as the beef. I had to hunt for oyster sauce to a couple grocery stores but I wanted to have this with the called for seasonings. Like pickled onion. Takes the bite out and the lime dipping sauce nice too. The beef had amazing flavor. Loved it, thank you.

  10. Pingback: Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac) - Powerful Handmade site

  11. I first made this recipe over a year ago and just couldn’t believe how good it was – and how simple!  I followed the recipe exactly and, other than the addition of cucumber that I agree would be tasty, can’t imagine that it could be better.

    To those who wonder about oyster sauce AND fish sauce:  they are very different.  The fish sauce has the consistency of soy, is salty and very fishy by itself; you only need a little, and a small amount gives the dish an amazing depth of flavor that is not itself fishy.  Soy sauce is a decent substitute, but you will lose a note of flavor.  I would recommend, if you can’t use fish sauce, finding another style of soy sauce to use – like dark soy – to keep layers of flavor.

    The oyster sauce is thick and sweet, similar to hoisin (which several people have posted successfully using as a substitution) and tastes nothing like fish sauce.

    I just made my vinaigrette and put my beef in the fridge to marinate for tonight.  I was licking the bowl.  Can’t wait!

  12. It was fantastic! My whole family loved it, including the children! Thank you for developing such wonderful recipes.! My son’s friend made a few dinners for him from your cookbook and he was so in love with the what he tasted that he bought me the Skinny Taste cookbook. It is a really wonderful resource.

  13. another marvelous recipe. This just goes to show – if you use good seasoning and fresh herbs
    and spices – you don’t need calories to make something taste good. 
      I added mint to my salad. 

  14. just put this together for a a dinner party today. I tasted the dipping sauce and it is really salty–is that right?

  15. I just made this recipe and it was so insanely good! Had with a small portion of brown rice and it was filling and it was so delicious! Super easy to make too.

  16. Avatar photo
    Basia Onoszko

    Gina, you are my hero…my husband and I are Polish and we got tired of meat and potatoes dinners which was something I came up when had no clue what to cook for us. I'm pretty good at cooking all Polish recipes just wanted something tasty and healthy and I found you 🙂 I have tried some of your dishes already and making this dish next 🙂 Love you girl 🙂

  17. Avatar photo
    Yến My Nguyễn Đỗ

    Wow, I'm a Vietnamese, and I quite love how you called this dish, shaking beef. How cute! 😀
    And the beef look so great.

  18. One of the world's great mysteries:

    Why do people post review comments on recipes BEFORE they've cooked and tasted it?

  19. This was amazing. I cut my beef a bit too small, but it still turned out delicious. LOVED the addition of the pickled onions. I love them with anything, but this worked perfectly. Thanks for the awesome recipes, Gina!!

  20. Avatar photo
    Jennifer Rodriguez

    I am new to the Skinny Taste website and am so glad I ran across it! I have made several of the recipes and all of them have been deemed "keepers" by my foodie family.
    I made this for dinner last night and it was amazing! I marinated the beef overnight and it was delicious. My 12 yr old son said, "I really like all of these salad things we have been having." Thanks for the great healthy recipes!

  21. Outstanding!! Hubby and I loved this and the combo of flavors.. Marinate the beef and pickled onion as long as possible.. We didn't have mixed greens, but sliced baby romaine was a simple substitute.. This goes into our regular rotation!! Thank you SO much!

  22. Avatar photo
    Avengers Leather Jackets

    Looks like something worth trying. I am listing the ingredients on my shopping list.

  23. I started Weight Watchers a couple of months ago and was getting tired of their recipes. I was stoked when I found Skinny Taste a couple of weeks ago and have made many recipes from the site and none have steered me wrong. My husband loves the recipes, which is a good thing as he is a little picky. This recipe in particular was spectacular! I have not used fish sauce before so it was nice experimenting with new ingredients. Thanks Gina!!

  24. Wow! Looks so good. Cant wait to try! What other choices of tender beef could I use in place of the sirloin?

  25. Avatar photo
    The wacky Neale family

    Delish!!! made 2lbs of meat and the fam was literally licking the plate and fitghting over who could have thirds!!! A hit from my 1 yr old to my 15 yr old!

  26. Avatar photo
    Monica Gaertner

    This was FANTASTIC Gina!!! I have been planning my weekly meals strictly from your site and you never seem to disappoint. They are easy, healthy and all delicious!! Thank you!

  27. Hi Gina,
    Can I skip the vinaigrette and just use the marinate if I want to serve over rice as opposed to vegetables?

    Thanks!

  28. This was very good. I didn't really like the cut of meat. I marinated it a long time too. It was a very good dish though. Next time I would use either Sirloin or Tenderloin.

  29. Made this tonight. Was really unsure about both the dipping sauce and the dressing mixture… glad I didn't turn back!!! It was DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!! Rave reviews from hubby and teenager as well. Half way through I was thinking the only bad thing about this meal is that I only get 3 ounces of meat, because it is SOO good, but now sitting down after cleaning up I am still stuffed! Served the boys rice on the side so they would be full as well! Thanks for another wonderful keeper Gina!

  30. This reminds me so much of a dish I ate in Cambodia (like, daily, it was so good) called Lok Lak. It was similar, but made with their famous Kampot pepper (of which I did not bring enough back of) and it had a fried egg on top.

  31. Finding your website has to be the best thing to have happen to my Weight Watchers diet! I love to cook and your recipes ROCK!

  32. @ Alicia, I don't know if they're redundant or not, but together, they seem to totally compliment. High sodium with either sauce…

  33. Hi Gina, all,

    I made this last night with a side of jasmine rice…
    It was amazing. I keep making your dishes, and keep being impressed. Thanks so much for sharing this one. Those flavors really do infuse and create "WOW MEAT!" Cheers, KPM

    Dad,Husband, cooking fan.

  34. it seems a little redundant to need oyster and fish sause. does the oyster sauce really impart a much different flavor? Or is it added more for consistency? Has anyone made this recipe but omitted the oyster sauce? thanks

  35. Avatar photo
    Marianne Bush

    Husband is coming home tomorrow after a week on the road. I know what I'll be serving him. Thank you so much for the inspiration, Gina.

  36. We made this tonight and it was absolutely DELICIOUS!!!! I'm so happy I found your website! You are going to help me stay healthy during my pregnancy! THANK YOU!!

  37. I made this tonight for dinner, and we loved it! I also did not use oyster sauce (because I didn't have it on hand) but it was still incredibly good. I was concerned that my family wouldn't go for the vinaigrette or the lime and salt dipping sauce, but they did, and we all agreed that the flavors worked together beautifully. This recipe is now on our list of favorites.

  38. Wow! This was fantastic. I did not use oyster sauce, only fish sauce. We cooked it on the grill in a grill wok pan without oil, only spray. The pickled onions were truly perfect, and I'm usually an onion "flavor" person…Not the whole slice, But I had seconds. We added sliced cucumbers, and since my husband doesnt like raw tomatoes, I subbed green peppers on his plate. As for the dipping sauce, he ignored it and I drizzled some on my salad. It was good, but not necessary as The vinaigrette was enough acidity. Since we are heavy eaters, I made some potatoes too and we didn't even want them. Highly recommend this… And we are in Maintenance!

  39. I made this tonight after coming across this recipe. It was delicious! Small confession, though. I tossed in some pineapple, chopped bell pepper,and onion instead of using the vinaigrette. 🙂 Love your site! Thank you!!!

  40. This has become one of my favorite dinners to make. We aren't big beef eaters so I use seared tuna steaks. I also sprinkle some sesame seeds and ginger on top. So good!

  41. I made this yesterday and it was awesome! I didn't even make the dipping sauce. The steak marinade was the most delicious I've tried and paired with the spinach, tomatoes and onions with the vinaigrette was AMAZING. I'll definitely make this again and again.

  42. Just made this tonight. SO GOOD!! I didn't have thick soy sauce, so I used the low sodium soy sauce as recommended. Also, I didn't have oyster sauce, so I used a little bit of hoisin. Also used baby spinach for the greens. Amazing! Pinned it! Thank you Skinnytaste! Love this website!

  43. Seriously delish! I served it over rice, with the vinaigrette and dipping sauce stirred in. One of the best meals I've ever made!

  44. Mmmm I love Vietnamese food and this looks amazing! I can't wait to try it. I'd love to see how you would prepare a Bahn Mi.You are awesome!

  45. I made this last night and it was soooooo good. I did use a little more Agave syrup, to make it a little sweeter. I also added tomatoes with the onions & Vinaigrette. Delish!!! Once again I was pleased..

  46. I just discovered your website and all the recipes and photographs look fantastic! This is the first dish I tried and it was amazing. I added sliced cucumbers to the salad. The dressing was so flavorful that I didn't think the dipping sauce was even needed. Can't wait to try your other recipes!

  47. Delicious!!! Served for lunch as shown. A wonderful display of really yummy food. Made as directed. Used regular soy and mixed greens. Served steamed rice on the side as my kids love rice. Thanks!!

  48. We had this for dinner tonight – it was fantastic! I'm a Weight Watchers leader and recommend this site to my members. Thanks for all you do!

  49. Hi Gina
    I need help. I LOVE all your recipes and try loads of them.
    I made this last night but it was a bit salty.
    Was I supposed to discard the marinade???
    I have had my fish sauce for a while.. could it be bad???
    Please help. I would love to make it again. The salad with the dressing was yum. It made for a fabulous presentation.
    Colette

  50. Had this for dinner tonight. So different from our typical meals. Love the spices. Delicious. My hard-to-please husband even loves your dishes. 🙂

  51. Another home run! We both loved it. Told my husband that it was another recipe from my close personal friend Gina. Thanks for all your work in creating such a wonderful blog – and your photography is amazing too!

  52. Avatar photo
    KMH Photography

    I made this last night and it was so YUM. I thought I had oyster sauce and when I went to get it, realized it was actually hoisin sauce! I used that anyway and it was great! Probably totally changed the flavors but still delish. I added a persian cucumber to the salad too. Thank you Gina!

  53. Simply delicious! Just made this for dinner and me and hubby really enjoyed. I was surprised on how full this made me. It was very satisfying!
    I agree with Gloria above. You deserve a food network show!
    Roberta

  54. Avatar photo
    Gloria (The Little Red House with the White Porch)

    I just don't know how you do it, lady!! Week after week, you present us with these gorgeous recipes… some exotic, some comforting, ALL DELICIOUS LOOKING!! You truly are the master. You really need your own Food Network show! I will be copying this to try and, once again, thank you for sharing with all of us!
    Best,
    Gloria

  55. Looks great. Gina, check out Carmelized Chicken Ga Kho @ Ravenous couple site….It was one of the best Asian chicken recipes I've ever tasted…Perhaps you can do your magic and lighten it up…:) Lyn

  56. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    I bet this would be great tossed with noodles. I would probably cut the meat in smaller chunks, maybe 3/4 inch.

  57. I love getting this dish at the local Vietnamese restaurant, though it's just the beef and onions served with rice. The flavors are sooo good. I make a similar dish I call Bo Luc Lac Spaghetti, in which I simply toss it with spaghetti noodles.

  58. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    Lori – Absolutely, that was my original idea when making this, but the weather didn't cooperate with me. You can save 1 pt with the oil if you grill it instead.

  59. Would you believe I had the veal version of this only the other day!? It was SO delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I think it'll have to go on my "to make" list.

  60. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    Yes, I agree with Laurie, all my Thai recipes use fish sauce, it's what gives it that authentic Thai flavor. But if you rather not go out and buy it you can just replace it with soy sauce.

    Let me know what you all think when you try this!

  61. Avatar photo
    Laurie and Odel

    Meghan, I've never found a good substitute for fish sauce. Once you buy that bottle, check out more Asian (Vietnamese, Thai) recipes online – fish sauce is used frequently and imparts a very special flavor, delicious in spite of the less-than-lovely aroma of the sauce!

  62. Is there a substitution for the fish sauce? I don't have any and the recipe uses so little that it seems like a waste to buy a whole jar. What would you suggest?

  63. When I tell you this is one of my FAVORITE dishes at a local restaurant. Totally on my to do list this week.

    You are amazing 🙂

  64. Avatar photo
    Tonyne @ Unlikely Success Story

    Oh my goodness…I don't eat beef much at all but the sight of this makes my mouth water. I may have to try it! Thank you for another wonderful recipe. 🙂

  65. I am leaving shortly for the grocery store. Thanks for adding a few tasty looking items to my list!!