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a plate of Vietnamese shaking beef placed on a bed of greens and tomato slices.
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5 from 1 vote

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac) is an easy and delicious one-pan meal that is excellent for everyday meals as well as special occasions. This dish features tender and flavorful beef plated on a bed of green cress and fresh tomatoes.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: bo luc lac, shaking beef
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 220kcal
Author: Sophie

Ingredients

For the beef

  • 12 oz beef steak (such as ribeye)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • black pepper
  • cooking oil
  • 1 small red onion
  • 3 stalks of scallions
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1½ tablespoons butter

For the soy sauce mixture

For the salad

  • 2-3 soft lettuce leaves, chopped
  • 1.5 oz microgreens (about 2 cups)
  • 2 small or medium ripe tomatoes
US Customary - Grams

Instructions

  • Dice the beef into 1¼ inch thick cubes. Marinate with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar, plenty of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon oil. Set aside to come near to room temperature.
    diced beef cubes in a mixing bowl.
  • Thinly slice red onion. Cut scallions into 1½ inch long pieces. Mince the garlic.
    Other ingredients for Vietnamese shaking beef (Bo Luc Lac)
  • Arrange the lettuce, micro greens, and tomato slices on a serving plate.
    a plate with tomato slices and chopped lettuce, micro greens.
  • In a bowl, combine all ingredients to make the soy sauce mixture. Taste and adjust the sauce to your liking, set aside.
    a bowl containing the sauce for Vietnamese shaking beef.
  • Place a wok or a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high. When the pan is hot, add oil and then add the beef cubes. Sear for 30-45 seconds until browned and then flip to the other side, sear for another 30-45 seconds or until browned. Work in batches if needed.
    beef cubes being seared in a cast iron pan.
  • Add onion slices to the pan, stir-fry the beef and onion for about 30 seconds. Then add minced garlic and the white parts of scallions. Stir and cook briefly until garlic is fragrant.
    seared beef cubes and onion slices in the pan.
  • Add the soy sauce mixture, shake the wok or stir to coat the beef with the sauce. Then add the butter, constantly stir and cook until butter melts completely and everything is combined. This step should be done very quickly to avoid over-cooking the beef.
    beef cubes and aromatics in the pan with the sauce.
  • Add the green parts of scallions, quickly mix together and then transfer the beef to the serving plate on top of the greens and tomatoes.
    a pan of Vietnamese shaking beef just finished cooking.

Notes

Try to aim for medium doneness for the beef. Adjust cooking time as needed.
It is possible to add diced bell peppers to the dish. If you want to do so, in Step 5, heat the pan over medium heat and then sauté the diced bell peppers to your desired doneness. Set them aside, increase the heat to medium-high and continue to cook the beef. Then when you add the butter in Step 7, also add back the bell peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 1266mg | Potassium: 942mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 4695IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg