Grilled Beef and Noodle Salad with Orange-Sesame Dressing

The next time you think pasta salad, think something besides macaroni and eggs in a thick, mayo-based sauce. Rice vermicelli is light with firm texture—perfect for serving cold in a room-temperature salad. Dressed with a fresh, boldly flavored vinaigrette, this Asian-style noodle salad is deliciously satisfying, without being heavy—even with beef.

Packaged Rice Vermicelli

Flank steak is lean and great for grilling and serving thinly sliced in a dish. To ensure its juicy tenderness, give it time to rest after coming off the heat, then slice it against the grain.

Flank Steak

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Orange-Sesame Dressing

• juice from 1/2 a large naval orange (about 3 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp reserved mandarin orange liquid (from salad ingredients, see below)
• 2 tsp chile paste with garlic 

For the Beef and Noodle Salad

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup beef broth
• juice from 1/2 a large naval orange (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 lb flank steak
• 8 oz rice vermicelli
• peanut oil, for brushing
• sea salt
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup mandarin orange sections (from an 11-oz can, liquid reserved)
• 2/3 cup peeled, sliced water chestnuts (from an 8-oz can)
• 1/2 cup small, thin cilantro sprigs
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Fresh Salad Ingredients

Rice Vermicelli

Preparation

For the Orange-Sesame Dressing 

1. Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Orange-Sesame Dessing

For the Beef and Noodle Salad

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients (through brown sugar) in a rectangular baking dish large enough to allow the steak to lie flat.
2. Place the steak in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate 1 hour, turning 3-4 times throughout.

Marinade

Steak Beginning to Marinate

Marinated Flank Steak

1. Cook the vermicelli in boiling, salted water until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Rinsed Rice Noodles

1. Light a grill for medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade, brush with peanut oil, and season with salt. (Discard the marinade.)
2. Grill until slightly charred on the outside and still pink inside, 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove to a cutting board and let cool to room temperature.

Grilled Flank Steak

1. Slice the steak very thinly across the grain and place in a large bowl. Add the noodles, radishes, mandarin orange, and water chestnuts and toss to combine.
2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.

Sliced Steak 

Tossed Salad

To serve, divide the salad among 4 plates or pasta bowls and scatter cilantro sprigs and sesame seeds on top.