Thai Basil Beef

Skip the take out. Make this instead.

I dream of this dish—no lie. This Thai Basil Beef is a fusion of some of my favorite dishes. It’s sweet, spicy, and rich in flavor, with thinly sliced beef marinated until tender and seared with a ton of aromatics. Once you take a bite, you’ll be hooked. It’s a great make-ahead meal that beats most takeout. This dish does take a bit of time to marinate, but trust me when I say the results are worth it.

This dish is a fusion of two of my favorites. The first is Pad Gra Prow, a Thai dish typically made with soy, oyster, and fish sauce, giving it a pungent yet absolutely delicious and savory flavor. The second inspiration comes from Korean bulgogi, which combines brown sugar, soy, sesame oil, and the sweet and spicy kick of gochujang.

This fusion dish blends the best of both worlds—it’s sweet and spicy with great aromatic flavor that is just begging to be put over a bowl of rice. The meat is cut on a bias to ensure tenderness, marinated until it absorbs all those rich flavors, and then cooked in a cast iron skillet until slightly charred. If you’re looking for a great takeout-style dish to make at home, this is the one.

THE SECRET INGREDIENT: THAI BASIL

Thai basil beef is made with—surprise!—Thai basil. If you’ve never tried this variety of basil, trust me when I say it’s not the same as the basil you pick up at your local grocery store. This Southeast Asian herb has a distinct anise and licorice flavor. It’s easily identified by its serrated edges and purple flowers.

Thai basil can be hard to find, no question, but it’s not impossible. You can often find it at Asian specialty markets such as H Mart or 99 Ranch. If you have a smaller independent Asian market nearby, check there too—there’s a good chance they will have it.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE SWEET BASIL FOR THE THAI BASIL?

To be honest, I’ve never tried it, and I’d be hesitant to say yes, even though the internet might suggest you can. You would lose a lot of flavor—the strong anise and slightly spicy notes would be replaced with a sweeter, more herbaceous taste. The dish might end up a little too sweet, but it could be worth a try. You can also substitute Thai basil with holy basil, but that’s equally hard to find. Personally, if I couldn’t find Thai basil, I’d substitute a ton of cilantro. It would make for a completely different dish, yes, but still a delicious one.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THAI BASIL BEEF

• Beef – There are a few options when choosing the beef for this recipe. You want a cut of meat with some fat and marbling because these qualities add a ton of flavor and keep the meat tender. A chuck steak or even a bottom round steak are great options and are very affordable. You are looking for cuts that are about an inch thick, which means avoid the ‘roast’ cut of these as they are significantly thicker
  
  Wondering what NOT to buy? Avoid London broil or top round steaks. While they might be at an attractive price point, they have almost no fat and will become extremely tough.

INGREDIENTS CONT…

• Thai Basil – It has to be Thai basil.
• Yellow Onion
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Soy Sauce – This dish does sway a bit on the salty side, so feel free to use a low sodium or reduced sodium soy sauce if you are salt sensitive. No additional salt is added to the dish other than both soy sauces.
• Dark Soy – Dark soy is added here to add another layer of sweet to cut into the salty and spicy flavors also at play here. We only use a bit, but it does really add a lot to the dish. If you absolutely can not find this ingredient you can omit it.
• Gochujang – These days gochujang can be found outside Asian specialty markets, located in the international aisle, or Asian aisle of many chain supermarkets. It is often sold in a hard rectangle red box. Order it online HERE! (*affiliate link)
• Brown Sugar – Dark or light work.
• Toasted Sesame Oil
• Thai Chilies –Did you think I wasn’t going to make this spicy? The spice level is up to you, depending on how many chili peppers you add. I personally use about 6-7 because I like it hot. If you’re more sensitive to spice, stick to 3-4. Thai chilies pack a lot of heat in a small pepper. Both green and red chilies work well for this dish.

TOOLS NEEDED

There are 2 ways to cook Thai basil beef:

• Cast Iron Skillet- The most practical way of cooking this, because lets be honest, who doesnt have a large cast iron skillet lying around the house. Keep in mind this needs to be BIG, or you are going to have to make this in multiple batches.
• Blackstone / Flat top Grill – This one is a bit more niche, but if you have a Blackstone or another flat top grill use it. Not only do you have more surface area which would hopefully eliminate a multi batch cook, but I find it is easier to get a sear on the beef with this cooking method.

HOW TO MAKE THAI BASIL BEEF

Prep + Cut the Beef – There are two ways to cut the beef: by hand or using the slicing attachment on a food processor. Regardless of which method you choose, the beef needs to be frozen first. Freeze the beef for a minimum of 2-3 hours before cutting—preferably overnight, though it’s not absolutely necessary. Freezing will make the next step, cutting, much easier.

I personally prefer to hand-cut the beef, although the food processor does provide more consistent slices. The issue with the food processor is that, to fit the beef into the machine, it needs to be cut into smaller pieces beforehand, which can result in tiny slices. Using a sharp knife and a steady cutting board, slice the beef into super thin pieces against the grain (this is super important). Place the sliced beef in a bowl for marinating.

HOW TO CONT…

Marinate – Add the sliced onion, gochujang, minced garlic, Thai basil, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil to the bowl of beef slices. Mix thoroughly with your hands to ensure an even coating, then place the bowl in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour. I like to prep this in the morning and cook it later in the day, but an hour will suffice.

Cook + Serve – Heat a cast iron skillet, Blackstone, or other cooktop. Add a drizzle of canola, vegetable, or avocado oil to the cooking surface. Place the beef on the cooking surface and spread it evenly throughout the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then flip and mix. Add the extra Thai basil leaves and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the beef cooks through. The amount you add is truly up to you, I usually finish the bunch or add 2 handfulls to the cooktop. Remove from the heat and serve.

Keep in mind that cook time may vary! My hand-cut slices were thin, but not paper-thin, so the total cook time was around 6-7 minutes. If your slices are thinner or thicker, you may need to adjust accordingly.

A little tip: If you want the beef to get a bit crispy and charred when cooking in a cast iron skillet, consider making it in batches. If you overcrowd the pan, the beef will steam instead of sear.

HOW TO SERVE THAI BASIL BEEF

Chances are, you aren’t planning to eat a mountain of beef for dinner (unless you’re my husband). Below are some great pairings to round out the meal:

+ Rice + Noodles- The easiest and best option is to serve this over rice. I recommend sushi rice or another short-grain variety, but any rice will work. This Thai basil beef would also pair nicely with these Black Bean Garlic Chili Noodles.

+ Vegetables – If you’re opting for a side dish other than rice or noodles, pair this recipe with my Spicy Garlic Green Beans.

STORING/REHEATING

Store Thai basil beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. When ready to reheat either place in a skillet on low or in a 350F oven until warmed throughout.

This is also a great dish to prep ahead and cook later. Simply cut and marinate the meat and place in the freezer for up to a month. When ready to make defrost overnight in the fridge and cook up once fully defrosted.

Looking for other Asian-inspired dishes? Check out the below

Beef Satay
Chili Garlic Shrimp
Miso Yellow Coconut Curry