There’s an eight-year-old version of me, sitting at my mom’s kitchen table, playing the game of Operation with the food she cooked, because I was definitely a picky eater and didn’t love most vegetables. One of the dishes my mom cooked often when I was younger, was this xa lach xoong, or watercress and stir-fried beef salad. Because I was a bratty little kid, I would carefully pick off the tender slices of beef, as all my siblings complained that I was eating all of it and leaving none of the beef behind for them.
Truthfully, I didn’t appreciate this dish until I was much older. It’s funny how your taste buds change and mature as you grow up. Somewhere along the way, I stopped seeing the watercress as the annoying green thing standing between me and the beef, and I finally started to taste what my mom had been putting in front of me all along. That gentle bitterness and peppery bite from the watercress, paired with the savory, garlicky beef and a bright, tangy vinaigrette that pulls the whole thing together, makes this, in my opinion, a pretty perfect salad.
What Is Xa Lach Xoong?
Xà lách xoong is simply the Vietnamese word for watercress, that peppery leafy green with a little bit of bitterness to it. This dish is one of the great classics, and massively underrated in the world of Vietnamese home cooking. This salad has everything you want. You’ve got cool, crisp watercress, sweet tomato, sharp red onion, and a warm pile of garlicky marinated beef laid right on top. The heat from the beef wilts the greens just slightly and melts everything together, and a punchy dressing ties the whole plate into one. It comes together in about 30 minutes, it works as a light main over rice or as a bright side alongside a bigger spread, and if you’ve never cooked with watercress before, let this be the recipe that wins you over.
The Dressing: Nước Chấm or Fish Sauce Vinaigrette?
Growing up, my mom always dressed this salad with a classic nước chấm, that everyday Vietnamese dipping sauce that accompanies so many other Vietnamese dishes. It’s the traditional sauce that you’d typically find with this type of salad, and is great as is.
But I wanted to take this one up a notch. So I made a fish sauce vinaigrette instead. The result is rounder and richer than nước chấm, and because of the oil, it clings to the greens and the beef the way a really good vinaigrette should. Both versions are wonderful, the former is probably a little healthier, but the vinaigrette in my opinion, is the best way to experience this salad.
Ingredient Notes
Top sirloin. This has been my go to cut of beef for stir-fries, as it provides a good value to tenderness ratio. Slice it thin and against the grain so every bite stays tender. If your pockets are hurting a little bit, my mom always used eye of round. Just be warned, it is much more lean, and can dry out. And if you’re balling, and want to spend some cash, go for a rib-eye for the ultimate upgrade.
Watercress. The star of the show, so so make sure you look for perky, deep green bunches with no yellowing, and grab two good bundles. Wash it really well in cold water, because nobody wants a sandy salad, then dry it thoroughly so the dressing actually sticks instead of sliding right off.
Dear Mam fish sauce. Shameless plug, I know, but Dear Mam is used in both the marinade and the dressing here, so of course I’m using my very own bottle. It’s a first press Vietnamese fish sauce aged for a full year, and it brings a deep, rounded umami and a clean savory finish that a cheaper bottle just cannot touch. If you’ve got another good fish sauce in the pantry, it’ll work here too, I GUESS… but if you love me and you love my recipes, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle of Dear Mam.
How to Make Xa Lach Xoong
Marinate the Beef
Slice your top sirloin thin, always against the grain. Cutting beef or anything against the grain helps to shorten the fibers of the meat, and this gives you a more tender bite that you don’t have to fight against. Toss the sliced beef together with the minced garlic, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, Dear Mam fish sauce, sugar, MSG, white pepper, and oil. Give it a good massage so every slice gets coated, then let it sit for 15 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients. If you’ve got the time, marinate it a few hours in the fridge, as the longer it sits, the deeper that flavor sinks in.
Prep and Make the Fish Sauce Vinaigrette
While the beef is vibing out, cut the watercress into roughly two inch segments, wash it thoroughly and dry it well. Slice your red onion thin along the grain, and if optionally you can soak those slices in cold water for about ten minutes to reduce the the raw bite, then drain them. Cut your roma tomatoes into half, and then into half moon slices wedges.
Now whisk up the vinaigrette. Combine the Dear Mam fish sauce, minced garlic, monkfruit sweetener, white vinegar, black pepper. Slowly pour in a neutral oil and whisk until fully emulsified.
Sear and Serve
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over high heat. Lay the beef in a single layer and let it sit without touching it for a minute for it to brown and pick up some color. Then continue to stir fry the beef until its just cooked through, tossing after the first minute, until it’s just cooked through. This should take about 2-3 minutes total.
To a serving platter, pile on the washed watercress, red onions and sliced tomatoes. Pour the hot beef and all of the pan juices right over the watercress. Drizzle on your vinaigrette and finish with fried shallots and crushed peanuts. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Xa Lach Xoong / Watercress and Stir-Fried Beef Salad
4
servings25
minutes5
minutesIngredients
1 lb 1 Top Sirloin
2 2 bundles Watercress
1/2 1/2 Red Onion
2 2 Roma Tomato
1 tbsp 1 Oil
- Marinade:
1 tbsp 1 Minced Garlic
2 tbsp 2 Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp 1 Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 tbsp 1/2 Dear Mam Fish Sauce
1/2 tbsp 1/2 Sugar
1/2 tsp 1/2 MSG
1/4 tsp 1/4 White Pepper
1 tbsp 1 Oil
- Fish Sauce Vinagrette:
1/2 tbsp 1/2 Dear Mam Fish Sauce
1/2 tbsp 1/2 Minced Garlic
1/2 tbsp 1/2 Monkfruit Sweetener
1 tbsp 1 White Vinegar
1/2 tsp 1/2 Black Pepper
3 tbsp 3 Oil
- Garnishes:
Crushed Peanuts
Directions
- Marinate the beef:
- Slice the top sirloin thin, against the grain. Combine with all the marinade ingredients, massage to coat, and let it sit 15 minutes while you prep everything else
- Prep and make the fish sauce vinaigrette:
- Cut the watercress into two inch segments, wash well, and dry it. Slice the red onion thin along the grain, optionally soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain. Cut the tomatoes in half, then slice into half moons
- Combine the Dear Mam fish sauce, garlic, monkfruit sweetener, white vinegar, and black pepper. Slowly pour in the oil while whisking until fully emulsified
- Sear and serve:
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over high heat. Lay the beef in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for a minute to brown, then stir fry until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes total
- Pile the watercress, red onion, and tomatoes onto a serving platter. Pour the hot beef and all its pan juices over the top. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and finish with fried shallots and crushed peanuts. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of beef? For sure. Top sirloin is my pick for the value and the tenderness, but ribeye, flank, or a good stir fry beef all work great. Whatever you grab, slice it thin and against the grain.
What can I use instead of watercress? Honestly, watercress is worth seeking out for that signature peppery bite, and it’s a lot easier to find in regular grocery stores now than it used to be. In a pinch, arugula gets you a similar peppery edge, though it’s more delicate.
Can I make this with traditional nước chấm instead? Absolutely, and it’s how my mom always made it. A classic nước chấm dressing is the traditional way to go, and it’s delicious. The fish sauce vinaigrette in this recipe is just my richer upgrade. Use whichever one calls your name.
Is this served warm or cold? Both, in the very same bowl. The watercress and veggies stay cool and crisp while the freshly seared beef goes on hot, so you get that lovely contrast of temperatures in every single bite.
