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Close-up eye-level view of a vibrant Thai Papaya Salad featuring finely julienned pale green papaya, bright orange carrots, and a glistening lime dressing.

Refreshing Authentic Thai Papaya Salad: Crisp & Tangy Recipe

Master the art of authentic Thai Papaya Salad with this crisp, refreshing recipe. Featuring finely julienned vegetables, crunchy peanuts, and a perfectly balanced, watery lime-based dressing, it's a vibrant flavor explosion.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Calories: 145
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad Ingredients
  • 4 cups Green Papaya Peeled and finely julienned (about 400g). Must be unripe.
  • 1 cup Carrot Peeled and finely julienned (about 100g).
  • 0.5 cup Red Bell Pepper Cut into delicate slivers (about 75g).
  • 1 cup Green Long Beans Chopped into 1.5-inch pieces (about 100g).
  • 0.33 cup Roasted Unsalted Peanuts Divided: half coarsely chopped, half left whole (about 50g).
  • 2 small Red Thai Chilies One for the dressing, one reserved whole for garnish.
  • 3 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice (about 45ml)
  • 2 tbsp Fish Sauce (about 30ml)
  • 1.5 tbsp Palm Sugar Or light brown sugar (about 20g).
  • 2 cloves Fresh Garlic Peeled.

Equipment

  • 1 Julienne Peeler Essential for creating fine, even strands of papaya and carrot.
  • 1 Mortar and Pestle Used to gently bruise the aromatics and beans.

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Peel and julienne the green papaya and carrot into long, thin strands. Place them in a large mixing bowl. Slice the red bell pepper into slivers and add to the bowl.
  2. In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic cloves and one red Thai chili until a coarse paste forms. Add the chopped green long beans and gently bruise them without turning them to mush.
  3. Add the palm sugar, fresh lime juice, and fish sauce into the mortar. Stir and gently muddle until the sugar is completely dissolved into a light, watery dressing.
  4. Pour the glistening lime dressing over the julienned vegetables in your mixing bowl. Toss vigorously to ensure every strand is evenly coated.
  5. Transfer the salad into a serving bowl. Top with a heavy sprinkle of coarsely chopped peanuts and scatter the whole peanuts throughout. Place the remaining single red Thai chili on top.

Notes

Tip 1: If your green papaya is slightly soft, revive it by soaking the julienned strands in ice water for 10 minutes before draining.
Tip 2: Adjust the spice level by removing the seeds from the Thai chili before pounding.