Cheat Pantry Beef Rendang Sandwich

This cheat beef rendang recipe uses more easily accessible spice alternatives—probably ones you already have in your pantry.
Difficulty
Medium
Servings
6 servings
Wait Time
3 Hrs
Active Time
1 Hr

It’s hard to make close-to-authentic beef rendang here. For starters, we don’t always have easy access to some of its key ingredients: galangal, cardamom pods, cloves, and so on. This cheat beef rendang uses ingredient alternatives that you can easily find in your grocery (or in your pantry). We designed this recipe as a sandwich, but feel free to spoon it over rice instead.

Spice Paste

  • 7 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup whole bird’s eye chilies
  • 7 small or 3–4 medium red onions
  • ¼ cup ginger, sliced
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 3–4 tbsp coconut brown sugar
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • salt, to taste

Beef Rendang

  • 2 stalks lemongrass
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 1 ½ cup coconut cream
  • 750g beef chuck cubes
  • salt, to taste

Sandwich

  • 6 pcs mini soft baguettes
  • 1 cucumber, sliced
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 radish, sliced
  • cilantro or coriander, for garnish
  • lime or lemon wedges, for garnish
1

Combine spice paste ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Blitz until fully blended, then set aside in a bowl.

2

Bash lemongrass with the back of a knife to release flavor. Slice off the green part, leaving only the white part at the bottom. Set aside.

3

Add oil to a heavy-bottomed pan on low heat. Cook spice paste until fragrant. Add coconut cream and lemongrass. Increase heat to medium, then add beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer beef for 3 hours, stirring often to prevent scorching the bottom. The rendang sauce will reduce and darken in color.

4

After three hours, check the tenderness of the beef by poking it with a fork. It should be very soft. Season with salt, then remove from heat.

5

Slice baguettes in half and toast both cut sides down on a pan over medium heat. Set aside.

6

To assemble, place beef rendang on half of a cut sandwich. Top with carrots, radish, cucumber, and cilantro. Slice diagonally or serve as a whole, with a squeeze of lime or lemon.

  • Premium Recipes
  • 🧠
    Chef Notes
  • 🙈
    Bookmark Recipes
  • 🍌
    Substitutions & FAQs
  • 🎒
    50% Discount in Merch
  • 🔪
    10% Discount in Pepper Shop

Join the Club that Filipino Cooks Love

“I'm Bardo from Pepper. Stuck in this box til one of you replaces me here.”
Bardo
Videographer
Testimonial Mascot

Get your Kitchen Needs in our Shop

Pepper Shop HeroPepper Shop Hero