Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: August 25, 2026
The combination of juicy steak in the umami-rich sauce makes this quick and easy Vietnamese stir-fry a regular on my dinner table. Shaking beef is served with a copious helping of salad leaves, vegetables and herbs. It’s a fresh and fantastic recipe.
Vietnamese Shaking Beef is one of the simplest and tastiest stir-fry dishes I make at home. It's really quick to pull together, and I generally only need to pick up nice steak from the supermarket as I have all the other ingredients at hand most of the time.
When I lived in Sydney, I would travel to the suburb of Cabramatta weekly to stock up on my Asian pantry, go to all the amazing Vietnamese butchers and of course sample the amazing family-run Vietnamese restaurants - If I managed not to order a pho, pork chop with broken rice (my favourite), vermicelli salad or Vietnamese chicken curry, I would sample this delicious Shaking Beef dish, typically served with a mountain of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cilantro, and mint.
At home, this is how I serve it too, or sometimes with a little jasmine rice. Making lettuce cups with a little beef and vegetables then dipping it into the sharp and peppery lime dipping sauce is just so refreshing. I'll make this for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner, when I want food on the table, fast. It's never let me down in all these years.
Shaking beef is part of my ever-growing Asian Collection and Asian Stir-Fry recipes which feature some of my most favourite Asian recipes.
What's Ahead?
What is Bò Lúc Lắc?
Bò Lúc Lắc, commonly known as Vietnamese shaking beef, is a popular dish of marinated beef cubes seared quickly in a very hot wok or frying pan. Its name roughly translates as “shaking beef”, referring to the tossing motion used to turn the pieces and brown them evenly.
Recipes vary, but the marinade typically combines savoury, sweet and aromatic ingredients such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and sugar. The beef is commonly served with watercress or lettuce, tomato, cucumber and a sharp dipping sauce of lime juice, salt and black pepper.
Why My Recipe?
- It's quick and easy - stir fries are fast and furious, and this can be ready in under 30 minutes. And you won't sacrifice on flavour in the slightest.
- It's authentically tasty - I don't stray from the traditional recipe, and the good news is that everything should be available from a regular supermarket without the need to hunt anything down.
Ingredients You'll Need
You should be able to find most things easily these days. There's nothing obscure you'll need to shop for.
- Beef - I use either sirloin steak or (boneless) ribeye. This recipe is best with better quality beef - it's cooked quickly so cheaper cuts aren't suitable. Grab a nice steak and you'll be good to go.
- Marinade seasonings - the bulk of flavour comes from a simple marinade made from oyster sauce, a mix of dark and light soy sauces, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and black pepper.
- Onions - a mix of yellow onion and green onion (spring onion) are stir fried with the beef.
- Dipping sauce - a sharp, zingy dipping sauce is made from the juice of a lime mixed with sugar, salt, and black pepper.
That's it for the actual stir-fry, but I like to serve salad vegetables to accompany. At the very least, I'll serve baby gem lettuce leaves, tomato slices, cucumber slices, cilantro, and mint.
Step by Step
Get everything ready as this happens quickly! Here's how...
- Step 1 - Mix together the marinade by combining the oyster sauce, soy sauces, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic and black pepper. Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and then toss through the marinade. Set it aside.
- Step 2 - Whisk together the dipping sauce ingredients: the lime juice, sugar, salt and black pepper. Set this aside.
- Step 3 - Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat until smoking hot. Tip in the beef and arrange in one layer. Let it fry for 1-2 minutes without touching it, then shake the pan vigorously to move the beef around. Add the yellow and green onions and stir-fry for 2-3 more minutes. That's it.
Serve immediately accompanied by your salad vegetables or a little cooked jasmine rice and the dipping sauce.
Pro Tips - Things I've learned
- Hot pan - Creating a super hot pan can be a challenge for the home cook, so I just get the pan as hot as I can and then let the meat sit, unbothered for 1-2 minutes to give a good char to one side. Too much stirring can cause the beef to start releasing water and steaming rather than searing. If you leave it alone, this helps avoid that.
- Dipping sauces - I love the zingy lime sauce which is traditional, but I often serve with Vietnamese Nuoc Cham dipping sauce (recipe coming soon), which offers a little chilli heat to liven things up.
- Seasoning: The oyster sauce, soy sauces and fish sauce create the characteristically bold, savoury sauce, so no additional salt is needed. This combination is less salty than other versions I've tested over the years. Serve with plenty of fresh vegetables or plain jasmine rice to balance the intensity.
Storage Suggestions
- Fridge: Keep leftover bò lúc lắc in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the beef separately from the salad and dipping sauce so the vegetables remain fresh.
- Reheat the beef quickly in a very hot frying pan for 1–2 minutes, just until piping hot. Avoid prolonged cooking, which can make it tough. A microwave will work, but use short intervals until hot.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooked beef and sauce for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Ready to get cooking?
This flavourful Shaking Beef is one of the tastiest of my Vietnamese regulars. It's a favourite because it never lets me down. The marinade becomes the sauce, so there are really only a few simple steps in getting it to the table. I also love it because it comes with a mountain of fresh vegetables to cut through the umami richness of the beef. It all feels rather healthy and light. Enjoy!
More Vietnamese recipes
If you liked this recipe, I'm sure you'll love more of my Vietnamese recipes.
FAQ
Have a question? Let me know in the comments.
What is the best cut of beef for bò lúc lắc?
Tender, well-marbled steak is best because the beef cooks very quickly. I use sirloin or boneless ribeye, cut into evenly sized cubes. Tenderloin also works, although it is more expensive and less richly flavoured. Avoid stewing cuts, which require slow cooking to become tender.
How long should I marinate shaking beef?
Marinate the beef for only a short time - between 5-15 minutes.
Why does my shaking beef release water instead of browning?
The pan may not be hot enough, or it may be overcrowded. Pat the beef dry before adding the marinade, preheat the pan thoroughly and arrange the pieces in one layer. Leave them untouched for the first 1–2 minutes. If using a small pan, cook the beef in two batches.
How do I keep the beef tender?
Cut the steak into evenly sized pieces and cook it briefly over high heat. Once one side has developed a good sear, toss the beef and cook only until it reaches your preferred doneness. Have the onions and serving ingredients prepared beforehand so the beef does not sit in the hot pan while you finish other jobs.
Is bò lúc lắc the same as Cambodian beef lok lak?
They are closely related dishes, but they are not always prepared or served identically. Bò lúc lắc is the Vietnamese version commonly known as shaking beef. Cambodian lok lak has developed its own variations and is often associated with Kampot pepper and a lime dipping sauce. Recipes for both differ between cooks and regions.
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Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 300 g beef steak boneless Ribeye or Sirloin (cut into 3cm cubes (approx 1¼ inches)
Other
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for stir-frying)
- 1 medium onion halved and thickly sliced
- 3 spring onions (green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces)
Serving accompaniments (optional)
- 1 baby gem lettuce separated into leaves
- Fresh cilantro and/or mint
- Tomato sliced
- Cucumber sliced
Instructions
Marinate the beef
- Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauces, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic and black pepper. Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and then toss through the marinade. Set aside briefly to marinate while you make the dipping sauce.
Make the dipping sauce
- Whisk together the lime juice, sugar, salt and black pepper. Set aside.
Stir-fry the beef
- Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat until smoking hot. Tip in the beef and arrange in one layer. Let it fry for 1-2 minutes without touching it, then shake the pan vigorously to move the beef around. Add the yellow and green onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes more.
- Serve with the dipping sauce and pre-prepared salad vegetables, if using.
Notes
- Beef: Use a tender, well-marbled cut such as sirloin or boneless ribeye. Cut it into evenly sized, bite-sized pieces so it cooks quickly and consistently.
- Marinating: Marinate the beef for as little as 5 minutes, 15 minutes at the most.
- Cooking: Preheat the wok or frying pan until smoking hot. Arrange the beef in one layer and leave it untouched for 1–2 minutes to develop a good sear before tossing. Cook in batches if your pan is small; overcrowding will cause the beef to steam.
- Serving: Serve immediately with the dipping sauce. You can also serve with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, coriander and mint. Jasmine rice can be added for a more substantial meal.
- Fridge: Refrigerate leftover beef in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store it separately from the salad and dipping sauce.
- Reheating: Reheat the beef quickly in a hot frying pan for 1–2 minutes, until piping hot. Avoid cooking it for too long or it may become tough.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooked beef for up to 2 months. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Do not freeze the salad vegetables.
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