This easy Coconut Beef Satay features thinly slice beef marinated in coconut milk and spices, threaded onto skewers, and grilled to perfection. Serve the tender grilled beef-on-a-stick as an appetizer or over rice or vegetables for a main dish, with peanut sauce for dipping!
My family goes weak in the knees for any dish with coconut milk, and this Coconut Beef Satay is one of our favorites. It’s a grilling recipe that’s perfect for cooking in the backyard on a warm summer evening, best enjoyed with savory-sweet Peanut Sauce for dipping. (We save other coconut milk recipe favorites, like my Coconut Curry Chicken Soup and Slow Cooker Beef Curry, for wintertime comfort!)
Why This Coconut Beef Satay Belongs on Your Menu
I love to throw this tasty, easy-to-make dish into our meal rotation, as it’s quite a bit different from our other grilling recipes. Here’s why it belongs on your menu, too!
- Fragrant and flavorful. Beyond the coconut milk, this recipe is filled with many of our favorite flavors — beef, green curry paste, cumin, and turmeric. They all join together for a dish that’s so dang delicious!
- Versatile serving options. I like to serve the satay alongside some grilled veggies and juicy Grilled Pineapple for a light summer meal. And if I’m wanting something a bit more substantial, I’ll cook up a pot of rice. This also works well as a party appetizer; I just use shorter skewers. But however you serve it, do not skip the peanut sauce!!
- Easy to make. Coconut beef satay is really quite simple to make. The marinade comes together quickly and the skewers only take a few minutes on the grill. Most of the time involved is hands-off marinating time!
“I just made this recipe for dinner and it was a HUGE hit – including my 4 and 7 year olds who have already claimed the leftovers for lunch. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe. I can’t wait to try more!”
Patti
What You’ll Need
Here’s everything you’ll need to make beef satay at home. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Beef – Beef flank or top sirloin steak is best for making satay.
- Coconut milk – Full-fat coconut adds richness and irresistible coconut flavor to the marinade. It also tenderizes the meat.
- Green curry paste – Using a curry paste allows you to add a lot of flavor with a single jar, rather than having to buy a whole bunch of ingredients. I really like the Thai Kitchen brand.
- Brown sugar – I always use light brown sugar for this recipe, but dark brown sugar would also be delicious.
- Fish sauce – Adds umami depth to the marinade. As with my Egg Roll in a Bowl, it’s an ingredient that really makes the flavors pop!
- Seasonings – Ground cumin, turmeric, salt, and black pepper enhance the overall flavor and add warmth to the marinade.
- Lime – Squeeze fresh lime wedges over the beef for a fresh, bright finish.
How to Make Coconut Beef Satay
Follow along with the steps involved in making this coconut beef satay at home.
- Prepare. Slice the beef thinly against the grain and whisk together the coconut milk, green curry paste, brown sugar, fish sauce, cumin, and turmeric. Add the beef to the marinade, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Thread beef onto skewers. Wind the marinated strips of beef back and forth in an S-shape, then season with salt and pepper.
- Grill. Clean and oil the grill grates, then cook the skewers over high heat until nicely charred.
- Serve. Transfer the beef satay to a platter and serve with peanut sauce.
Tips & Variations
Make sure your coconut beef satay turns out perfect with these pointers. I’ve also got a little variation you can try!
- Soak wooden skewers. If using wooden skewers, you’ll want to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before adding the beef. This will help keep the skewers from burning on the grill.
- Freeze the beef before slicing. To get very thin slices, you can place the beef in the freezer for about 30 minutes prior to slicing.
- Add vegetables. You can make skewers with just veggies to grill alongside the beef. Try zucchini, onion, and bell pepper. Mushrooms would also be good, as would pineapple chunks.
- Grill indoors if needed. If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, you can still make beef satay by using a grill pan on your stovetop. Just heat the pan over medium-high heat and cook until the beef is nicely charred.
Serving Suggestions
The flavors in Cilantro Lime Rice also work with Thai food, so it would be fab with this coconut beef satay. I love the richness of my homemade Peanut Sauce with this recipe, but you can use Sweet Chili Sauce if you’re more in the mood for a sticky, spicy, and sweet sauce. Simple Grilled Pineapple also goes really well with this meal scenario!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Leftover coconut beef satay can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: If you want to save your leftover beef skewers for longer, they can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: To reheat the beef skewers, either place them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or heat them up on a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Make sure to rotate the skewers so that all sides are evenly heated.
Coconut Beef Satay
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds beef flank or top sirloin steak, 1” to 1½” thick, and very cold
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons prepared Thai green curry paste (I like Thai Kitchen brand)
- 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- fresh lime wedges, for squeezing over the satays before eating
Instructions
- Note: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before adding the beef. The beef should be sliced very thinly – it helps to place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes prior to slicing.
- Slice the beef against the grain into very thin strips.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, green curry paste, brown sugar, fish sauce, cumin, and turmeric. Add the beef strips and mix to coat evenly. Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Thread beef strips onto skewers, winding back and forth in an S shape (should look similar to old-fashioned ribbon candy). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat grill to high. Make sure the grates are clean, then oil the grates. Grill the skewers, turning after the steak shows nice char marks. The thin slices of beef will not take long to cook, about 3 to 5 minutes total. Take care to not overcook.
- Transfer skewers to a serving platter and serve with Peanut Sauce if desired.
Looks delicious and you had me at… coconut milk! I just found your blog and I’m excited to start exploring and trying things! :) Thanks!
You truly always amaze me with your beautiful, delicious food.
I discovered Thai food a few years ago, and now I can’t get enough of that coconut + peanut + curry combination! I totally addicted.