A good Thai green papaya salad is a must-order whenever I’m at a Thai restaurant, and increasingly, it’s becoming something that I make more often at home, because it’s easier than you think to make yourself!
What is Papaya Salad?
Papaya Salad is a dish originating in Southeast Asia, consisting of a spicy, sweet, tart dressing, shredded unripe papaya, and other ingredients that can include mango, cucumber, tomato, garlic, peanuts, and dried shrimp. It’s eaten throughout the region, not just in Thailand, but also in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
This salad is one of my favorite things to eat in the summertime (or any season, actually. Let’s be real). It’s refreshing and delicious, with a perfect mix of different textures and flavors––savory, spicy, sweet, sour.
Where Can I Buy Green Papaya? Is There a Substitute?
You can buy green, unripe papaya specifically for making this salad at well-stocked Asian grocery stores or Southeast Asian grocery stores.
If you can’t find green papaya at a market near you, you can substitute shredded cabbage and carrots (like any coleslaw mix), finely julienned broccoli stems, jicama, cucumber, or a mix of all of the above!
One more quick note before we get to the recipe––this recipe doesn’t include dried shrimp, but if you’d like to add it, here’s how: Soak 1 tablespoon of dried shrimp in hot water for 5 minutes, finely chop it, and add it to the salad (or add it to the mortar & pestle if that’s what you’re using).
Thai Green Papaya Salad Recipe Instructions
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin of the papaya. If you have a julienne peeler, peel off julienned strips from all around the papaya. If not, cut the papaya in half and scrape out the seeds. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, julienne the papaya. Transfer to a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes to firm up the papaya strips and make them crunchier.
Meanwhile, chop the garlic, bird chilies, and peanuts together on a board until finely minced.
Add to a mixing bowl along with the salt, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. If you have a mortar and pestle, you can also pound these ingredients together to make the dressing, which is more traditional.
Crush the long bean pieces with the flat side of your knife until bruised (or with the mortar and pestle, if you have that).
Add to the bowl with the dressing, along with the tomatoes.
Drain the papaya well and add it to the salad. Toss everything together well, and garnish with more chopped peanuts. Serve!
This papaya salad goes great with these other recipes to make a full meal!
- Thai Chicken Stir-fry with Basil & Mint
- Pad See Ew
- Thai Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Thai Basil Eggplant & Chicken
- Spicy Meatball Banh Mi
- 10-Minute Thai Basil Chicken
- Green Curry Chicken
- Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
- Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi
- Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
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Recipe
Thai Green Papaya Salad
Ingredients
- 1 green papaya (about 2 1/2 pounds/1kg whole)
- 2-3 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 Thai bird chilies
- 1 tablespoon peanuts (dry roasted/salted, plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (or to taste)
- 4 long beans (cut into 2-lengths; can substitute string beans, cut in half lengthwise and crosswise)
- 1 medium tomato (cut into small chunks)
Instructions
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin of the papaya. If you have a julienne peeler, peel off julienned strips from all around the papaya. If not, cut the papaya in half and scrape out the seeds. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, julienne the papaya. Transfer to a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes to firm up the papaya strips and make them crunchier.
- Meanwhile, chop the garlic, bird chilies, and peanuts together on a board until finely minced. Add to a mixing bowl along with the salt, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. If you have a mortar and pestle, you can also pound these ingredients together to make the dressing, which is more traditional.
- Crush the long bean pieces with the flat side of your knife until bruised (or with the mortar and pestle, if you have that). Add to the bowl with the dressing, along with the tomatoes.
- Drain the papaya well and add it to the salad. Toss everything together well, and garnish with more chopped peanuts. Serve.
