This simple and delicious Thai beef satay is easy enough for a weeknight and amazing enough for entertaining!

Are you an adventurous eater? I’d love to know where you fall on that spectrum.

Maybe someday I’ll put together a survey since the wondering keeps me up at night. For now, I’m going to put faith in my readers; that you trust my judgment and know I won’t lead you astray.

A white tray of grilled beef skewers on top of chunks of raw red peppers.

Granted, many of you probably see this as an every day meal (satay! bring it on!) but I’m sure there are others who have never had satay (or even heard of it) and might be a little skeptical. Take my hand. You can trust me here. Promise.

In really basic terms, satay is grilled meat skewers with an Asian flair (often Thai-style) and they are usually served with some type of peanut sauce.

When I posted this easy, 5-minute blender peanut sauce a couple months ago, I was dreaming of satay.

It’s a super easy dish that absolutely screams in your face with flavor. And I’m not kidding when I say it takes minutes to prepare.

A grilled beef skewer getting dipped in a ramekin of sauce.

This beef version is so fantastic. Lightly spiced in a simple marinade, the tender, juicy flank steak is perfect with the creamy, sweet, and spicy peanut sauce.

And while I haven’t tried it, I’m guessing the marinade would work equally well on chicken.

In this family where adventurous eating is praised (my tagline to the kids is always: “I’m not raising picky eaters”) but not always embraced with joy, this meal was very well-received.

Like, no raised eyebrows or skeptical looks at all. Awesome. Three of the five kids went all in – satay and loads of peanut dipping sauce and bits of red pepper hanging on here and there, while a couple others decided the flavorful meat was enough for them.

Brian and I (and my mom who was visiting) of course enjoyed every little morsel. I think I might have even stabbed someone (I’d like to think unintentionally) with the dangerous pointy end of a skewer trying to nonchalantly get my hands on one of the last remaining pieces of satay.

I suppose along with teaching my kids how to be adventurous eaters, I should probably throw some etiquette lessons in there. Ahem. For all of us, of course.

What to Serve With This

One Year Ago: Spinach and Cheese Enchiladas
Two Years Ago: Brazilian Lemonade {Or In Other Words 2-minute Blender Limeade}
Three Years Ago: Zucchini & Yellow Squash Spaghetti

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Thai Beef Satay

4.75 stars (8 ratings)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup fresh lime juice, about 4 limes
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger, chopped
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce or sririacha
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 ½ pounds flank steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick against the grain
  • Red peppers and fresh cilantro for garnish, optional
  • Thai peanut dipping sauce

Instructions 

  • In a food processor or blender, puree the lime juice, cilantro, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce (or sririacha) and sesame oil.
  • Place the steak slices into a gallon-size ziploc bag or in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the top of the meat. Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 4 hours.
  • Thread the meat slices back and forth onto skewers (2-3 per skewer unless using shorter sticks).
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the satay skewers for 2-3 minutes per side (longer, if needed, depending on thickness of the meat).
  • Garnish the satay with red peppers and cilantro, if desired, and serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Notes

Bamboo Skewers: I use 11-inch bamboo skewers for this recipe. If I think about it ahead of time, I soak them in cool water for 15-20 minutes before using – helps so they don’t burn on the grill.
Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 163kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 661mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g

Recipe Source: the beef satay adapted and merged from several sources (a torn out recipe from a newspaper years ago, Cuisine at Home June 2015 and Cook’s Illustrated); the peanut sauce from an archived post