Spicy Thai Pork Tenderloin Salad

Name: Spicy Thai Pork Tenderloin Salad
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork tenderloin (usually 2 tenderloins); 2/3 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 4 shallots); 2/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems; 5 tablespoons light brown sugar; 6 garlic cloves, grated; 5 tablespoons soy sauce; 5 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil; Juice and zest of 4 limes; 3-inch piece peeled ginger root, grated; 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste; 1 to 2 Thai bird, serrano or jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and minced; 8 cups Napa or regular cabbage, thinly sliced; 5 whole scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced; 2 small Kirby or Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced; 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves; 1 1/2 cups mint leaves; 1 cup basil leaves; 1 1/4 cups roasted cashews or peanuts, toasted and chopped; 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut chips or large flakes, toasted

By Melissa Clark

Total Time: 40 minutes, plus marinating time
Rating: 5(2,494)
Comments: Read comments

There are a lot of ingredients in this bright and bold-tasting pork salad recipe; they add up to a vibrant dish you can serve warm or at room temperature to a spice-loving crowd. Lean pork tenderloin is marinated with chiles, ginger root and cilantro, grilled or broiled, then combined with cabbage, fresh herbs and nuts and coconut for richness. A bit of reserved marinade serves as the dressing. The recipe makes a large batch; you can halve it or make the whole thing and enjoy the leftovers.

Featured in: Thai-Inspired Pork Tenderloin Salad

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

For the Marinade and Dressing

1½pounds boneless pork tenderloin (usually 2 tenderloins)
⅔cup thinly sliced shallots (about 4 shallots)
⅔cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
5tablespoons light brown sugar
6garlic cloves, grated
5tablespoons soy sauce
5tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil
Juice and zest of 4 limes
3-inch piece peeled ginger root, grated
2tablespoons Asian fish sauce
½teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1 to 2Thai bird, serrano or jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and minced

For the Salad

8cups Napa or regular cabbage, thinly sliced
5whole scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
2small Kirby or Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
1red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1½cups cilantro leaves
1½cups mint leaves
1cup basil leaves
1¼cups roasted cashews or peanuts, toasted and chopped
¼cup unsweetened coconut chips or large flakes, toasted

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Pat pork dry with paper towel. In a bowl, combine shallot, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, garlic, soy sauce, peanut or grapeseed oil, lime zest and juice, ginger, fish sauce, salt and chile. Pour a quarter of the mixture into a blender, add remaining sugar and purée until a smooth, loose paste forms. (Save the unblended mixture to use as dressing.)
Step 2
Place tenderloin in a large bowl and spread the paste all over pork. Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours; turn the tenderloin occasionally.
Step 3
Light the grill or heat the broiler and arrange a rack at least 4 inches from the heat. Grill or broil pork, turning occasionally, until well browned and meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees, 4 to 10 minutes per side depending upon the heat of your broiler or grill. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook. Let meat rest while you prepare the salad. (Or, cook the pork 1 or 2 hours ahead and serve it at room temperature.)
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients, reserving the herbs, cashews and coconut. Whisk the dressing and use just enough to dress the salad, tossing to combine. Let sit for a few minutes for the flavors to meld, then right before serving, add herbs and toss again.
Step 5
To serve, slice the pork. Arrange salad on a platter and top with sliced pork. Scatter cashews and coconut on top, drizzle with a little more of the remaining dressing, to taste.

Ratings

5 out of 5

2,494 user ratings

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Comments

brooklynjen7 years ago

Tasty & quick. I found it a little fussy to slice/grate all the ingredients for the dressing, and next time I make it I'll just blitz everything in the blender as she has you do for the same ingredients for the marinade. The salad has so much texture that I don't think you'd notice the change. A keeper.

Susan7 years ago

I'm going to try it with no sugar at all. I have made similar dishes without the sugar and no one misses it (even the people who eat sugar).

Sunny7 years ago

This salad was delicious! It would be great with any protein. I added pieces of mango which was a great addition.

Ice Hockey Cook3 days ago

Five stars for taste and texture. Minus one star for the number of ingredients and steps. Would be helpful to have another recipe that uses this marinade/dressing.

susan2 weeks ago

I really wanted to like this- love spice and all Thai food. Pork is tender and tasty, but wasn’t a fam of the salad and dressing.

Angela3 weeks ago

This was delightful! My picky eater devoured it. We loved the herbaceous and crunchy salad paired with the unctuous dressing. The marinade fully penetrated the pork, providing a beautifully flavored product that was delicious hot, warm or cold. The only note given is for the amount provided for the division of marinade to dressing. I found 1/4 cup to not be an adequate amount for the marinade and increased to 1/2 cup total.

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