Thai Beef Tacos.

February 27, 2012 · 116 comments

Goodbye fun weekend stuff.

Goodbye two bottles of wine. Goodbye truffle fries. Goodbye accidental on purpose three hour afternoon nap. Goodbye entire bag of pita chips I ate at 4PM yesterday. Goodbye massive burger on buttery buns. Goodbye dumb movie marathons. Goodbye SPIKED MARSHMALLOW FLUFF MILKSHAKE.

Uhhhh OMG.

But no fear, I’ll see you in five days.

Maybe two, since I possess no self control. You can probably find me on the couch.

Helllllo Monday.

You’re cute. Sometimes.

I’ll allow you to be delicious.

And seriously… this is one of the most delicious dinners we’ve had since… well… I made the last delicious dinner we had.

Growing up, we ate tacos every single week, but anything other than ground beef was considered sacrilegious in our non-cultured culinary bubble. These days I still make tacos at least once every two seven days, but the beef rarely makes an appearance. I’m all about the chicken or shrimp. Or just the guac and the cheese. Or um… just the margaritas. Specifically the salt.

Oh and the tequila.

Now? I’m all about the steak. Alllll about it. My husband just died when I said that. It’s like he put on Kate Beckinsale-ified goggles when looking at me.

Yesssss.

The icing on the cake here is the crushed peanuts. They bring an extra pop of flavor that I just want to eat with a spoon. Chomp chomp. I could NOT get enough. I had two for lunch. Then two for a snack. Then at like 10PM, two more for a… snack? Worth it.

Thai Beef Tacos

[thai beef adapted from williams sonoma thai beef salad]

serves 2-4

1 1/2 pounds flank steak

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

marinade

3/4 cup light (canned) coconut milk

1 tablespoon sesame oil

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

1/3 cup sweet chili sauce

quick mango salsa

1/2 mango, chopped

1 shallot, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

a sprinkle each of sugar, salt & pepper

tacos

1 teaspoon canola oil

8-10 corn tortillas

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

green leaf or romaine + fresh cilantro for topping

Sprinkle flank steak with salt and pepper. Combine coconut milk, sesame oil, chili sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar and cilantro in a bowl and whisk. Add flank steak to a ziplock bag or a shallow baking dish and pour marinade overtop. Refrigerate and let sit for 6-24 hours.

When ready to prepare, remove steak from fridge and let sit for 20-30 minutes. In a bowl, combine mango, shallot, jalapeno, salt, sugar and pepper, mix thoroughly, then set aside. Heat a large oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) over high heat. At the same time, preheat the broiler in your oven. (You can also grill the steak if you wish.) Using a pastry brush, brush oil onto the skillet so there is only a very thin layer. Remove steak from marinade with kitchen tongs, placing in the skillet. Sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes. Remove skillet and place is the oven directly under the broiler. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for 3-4 minutes more. This resulted in medium-medium well meat for us, but is totally dependent on the thickness of your steak and your desired doneness. Our steak was about an inch thick.

Remove skillet from over, and place steak on a cutting board to rest for 15-20 minutes. At this time, assemble your tortillas (warm them if desired), salsa, extra chili sauce for drizzling and cilantro. After the steak has rested, slice it into thin strips. Assemble tacos as desired and eat!

Note: with 2 side dishes, this meal should serve about 4 people, however with no side dishes, and just the tacos, 2 of us devoured it completely.

SO GOOD. Make this your dinner.

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{ 114 comments… read them below or add one }

Rachel @ The Avid Appetite February 27, 2012 at 12:30 pm

I love beef and I love Thai-style food! Oh and tacos. I always love tacos! My weekend was spent similarly. Half bottle of wine on Friday, full bottle of wine (yep) on Saturday. Today I’m downing water like it’s going out of style…

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Michelle February 27, 2012 at 12:32 pm

Thai + Mexican. My two favorite things!!

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tina February 27, 2012 at 12:36 pm

yes. please. – get in my belly.

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Ashley February 27, 2012 at 12:38 pm

Super creative! I actually almost made Asian-style tacos yesterday instead of the cold noodle salad. :)

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Elysia February 27, 2012 at 1:02 pm

YUM. I’m with you on the margs.

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CouponClippingCook February 27, 2012 at 1:30 pm

These tacos look amazing….the meat is cooked perfectly too. Love the salsa ingredients. Now I’m totally craving this.

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Kristania February 27, 2012 at 1:47 pm

You and I must live in the same food wave length zone. I look at other food blogs and by and large none of their recipes sound very appetizing (I don’t want kale and quinoa strawberry cakes with balsamic reduction sauce. Or vegan pumpkin soup with Gorgonzola croutons and toasted pine nut topping. I want pasta. I want chicken. I NEED cheese! I want food that isn’t fussy and tastes great). Now, some of these sites are gorgeous with perfectly styled and plated food, but it still sounds so terribly complicated and fussy.

Thank you for making easy to prep food, that’s super yummy, and uses ingredients that my mom recognizes (my mom is so puzzled by all these new fangled food combos. She always asks me why nobody serves pot roast and mashed potatoes anymore).

Your blogs a treasure that I enjoy visiting every day! Thanks for experimenting so I don’t have to (I’m definitely in the ‘must follow a recipe’ camp).

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Ana February 27, 2012 at 8:05 pm

so truee :)

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Andrea @ The Skinny Chronicles February 27, 2012 at 1:54 pm

I miss the weekend so much already. For all the reasons you just listed. The tacos offer some solace though. Thank goodness.

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sara February 27, 2012 at 2:40 pm

Yum! These look insanely good, wonderful flavors!! :)

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Jen February 27, 2012 at 2:46 pm

That looks delicious- even at 11am..at least to me haha. Thank yuo for sharing.

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Rachel February 27, 2012 at 4:09 pm

always love ur posts & congrats on ur bloggies nomination!

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Liz @ Tip Top Shape February 27, 2012 at 4:21 pm

These look great!! I used to love having tacos growing up. We didn’t eat them often, so when we did it was this huge treat. My mom would bust out this special taco serving thing we had and she’d fry up our tortillas. Okay..now I really want a taco! lol

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Jen Marie February 27, 2012 at 4:22 pm

Anything in a taco shape is heaven to me.
Thanks for this! I always can use another way to sneak tacos into the meal plan… ;)

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Jules @La Petite Maison Verte February 27, 2012 at 4:33 pm

Oh God these look in-SANE-ly delicious! I don’t eat beef often but next time I do, I think it’s going to have to be in the form of these tacos.

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Cara February 27, 2012 at 5:27 pm

Love the idea of marinating in coconut milk! I never get tired of tacos either – in all their ways, shapes and forms.

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Amelia February 27, 2012 at 5:31 pm

These plus the margarita from Annie’s Eats latest post would be a match made in heaven. Mmmm!

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Christine February 27, 2012 at 5:46 pm

Can’t. Wait. To. Devour!

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Kelly February 27, 2012 at 6:09 pm

I am so glad I am not the only one who can’t control herself around pita chips. I ate an entire bag of Stacy’s naked pita chips between Saturday and Sunday. They are just soooooo good.

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Margarita February 27, 2012 at 7:20 pm

Thai and Mexican food are two of my favorite cuisines… blending them together in a form of a taco, with the delicious Thai style beef marinade, and the spicy mango salsa… truly amazing! I want these so bad.

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Joelle (On A Pink Typewriter) February 27, 2012 at 8:17 pm

UGH, I want that first photo RIGHT now on my dinner table. Thanks.

Ps. your views about life are hilarious, although I almost always feel the same way you’re talking about. ;-)

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jenna February 27, 2012 at 9:43 pm

mmmm..these looked packed full of good flavor!! i love the steak and mango combo.

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MikeVFMK February 27, 2012 at 10:23 pm

Beef Tacos. Nuff said. This talks straight to my heart.

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From Valerie's Kitchen February 27, 2012 at 10:59 pm

Ooohh love the flavors in this! Definitely Pinworthy!

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Anna February 28, 2012 at 1:35 am

Love your blog! you definitely were talking about burgatory in the beginning of your post omgggg i need to go back for those truffle fries!! would love to see a recreation of those on here! im surprised you didnt get the milkshake they have with bacon!

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Ashley @ Wishes and DIshes February 28, 2012 at 1:48 am

This is genius!!!

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Laurie {Simply Scratch} February 28, 2012 at 2:10 am

I am SO all over these!

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zelda February 28, 2012 at 8:04 am

I just LUV your blog! Your recipes are delish! ~visit your blog daily~Thanks for all the beautiful food.

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Charlotte February 28, 2012 at 8:38 am

omg!!! These look soooooooooooooo awesome! Can’t wait to make them!!!!! Looooooooove your blog as always:)

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seana February 28, 2012 at 9:37 am

I have a question. I read the recipe twice and the comments. In your pics, it looks like you used two tortillas per sandwich. Is this right? Or is one sufficient? Thank you.

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Jessica February 28, 2012 at 9:38 am

Oh it’s totally up to you – one is fine, I just used two in the pics for effect!

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Robyn | Add a Pinch February 28, 2012 at 10:29 am

YUM! This looks like perfection on a plate!

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Laura February 28, 2012 at 11:10 am

Jessica, those look dee-lish! Adding this one to my “to-try” recipes. Great site btw…really enjoy your stuff! :)

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Dena @ 40 Fit in the Mitt February 28, 2012 at 12:05 pm

This meal is going to make my husband one happy man!

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Charlie February 28, 2012 at 12:42 pm

These look fantastic!

There is coconut allergy in the house .. what could I use instead?

Thanks for sharing

Charlie

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kerry February 28, 2012 at 12:57 pm

HOW delicious do they look!!

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Elizabeth @ chronic venture February 28, 2012 at 3:19 pm

yummm these look amazing!!

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Kayla February 28, 2012 at 6:18 pm

I made these last night and they were INCREDIBLE. Thank you so much for the recipe. I am making more for lunch today. I cannot get enough!

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Nikky February 28, 2012 at 8:17 pm

Ok Hun this looks awesome but I have to ask why the extra tortilla shell?

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Jessica February 28, 2012 at 10:09 pm

Those are just for the photography – use as many or few shells as you want!

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Nikelle February 29, 2012 at 12:36 pm

I think you were so excited to talk about how amazing these tacos were that you made plenty of spelling mistakes. No judgement here. — Lovin’ the blog!

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Julia February 29, 2012 at 5:45 pm

Fact: if you place pita chips within any distance I can reach them, I will eat the entire bag. In 1 sitting. It does not matter what time it is. I don’t discriminate.
I love the colors of the tacos, so bright and fun!

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Chris March 1, 2012 at 11:29 am

Putting this on the weekend dinner menu – the e-mail has been sitting in my inbox for days so I stare at these pictures. I love Thai. I love tacos. This is perfect.

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Javelin Warrior March 2, 2012 at 11:00 am

These tacos look incredible and the meat looks SOOO juicy and tender. I’m not normally one who gets excited over beef, but in this case I have to make an exception =)

I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), so please let me know if you have any objections. It’s always a pleasure following your food…

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Siri March 3, 2012 at 5:41 pm

Making this for dinner tonight! I had an au pair from Thailand growing up, and I miss Thai food sooo much! Drooling at the thought of panang curry…and at the smell of this steak marinating my my fridge right now… :D

Just when I think you’ve done it all….- hehe.

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Amie March 6, 2012 at 10:50 pm

Made this for dinner tonight. Soooo delicious!!!! Defnitely going to keep this on the menu for summer time BBQ!

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Jenn@The Leftover Queen March 7, 2012 at 12:41 pm

This really does look great! Definitely got the summertime vibe going on!

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Alison March 26, 2012 at 6:34 pm

I’ve made this twice since I discovered the recipe on Pinterest a couple weeks ago. Just wnated to say thanks since we love love love it!

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Bree April 4, 2012 at 10:44 pm

These were AMAZEBALLS. That meat marinade was so freaking good!

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shannon mundelius April 12, 2012 at 12:50 pm

I want to make these for a group of about 6. What kind of side dishes would go well?

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Jessica April 12, 2012 at 1:07 pm

If it was me, I’d have blue corn tortilla chips and guacamole, some of this corn salsa: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/04/just-like-chipotles-corn-salsa/, maybe a side of black beans and some rice? I don’t have a recipe for a spanish or thai style rice, but when I want one I just always google!

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shannon mundelius April 12, 2012 at 3:44 pm

Thank you! I was thinking along the same line…Two Peas has a recipe for cilantro lime rice. I can’t wait to try these tacos!

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Jessica April 12, 2012 at 1:08 pm

Oh and for 6 I would double the recipe!

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Amanda May 2, 2012 at 4:31 pm

YUMM! I made these for dinner last night and they were so. good. I left out the peanut garnish since I’m allergic and they were still delicious. My favorite was the mango salsa… thinking I need to make that on its own for chip dipping

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Jennifer May 13, 2012 at 11:26 pm

Made these on the grill last night…AMAZING…accidentally fed the mango to the baby (forgot it was for the recipe!) so I ended up skipping the salsa and peanuts and adding guac. SO SO Good. The two of us pretty much tore it up-but we did have some leftover for lunch for one.

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