Papaya salad, also known as som tam in Thai cuisine, is a vibrant, tangy, and refreshingly spicy dish that’s beloved across Southeast Asia. Made from shredded green (unripe) papaya, it combines the bold flavors of lime juice, chili, garlic, fish sauce, and palm sugar, creating a mouthwatering balance of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. It’s one of those dishes that wakes up your taste buds with every single bite.
What makes papaya salad so special is its versatility. While it’s traditionally enjoyed in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, it has taken on regional variations all over the world. Some versions include dried shrimp, peanuts, cherry tomatoes, or fermented fish sauce, making it a fun dish to adapt based on your tastes. Whether you’re a spice lover or just dipping your toe into Southeast Asian flavors, this recipe is simple to follow and endlessly customizable.
This guide will walk you through how to make an authentic papaya salad at home, plus a few tips on substitutions, flavor adjustments, and presentation. Get ready to impress your palate (and your guests) with a dish that’s as bold as it is beautiful.
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Best Time to Eat & What to Serve With It
Papaya salad is best enjoyed fresh, shortly after it’s made. It’s often served as a light lunch, a vibrant appetizer, or a side dish during dinner. Because it’s refreshing and slightly spicy, it’s especially popular during hot weather or summer months, when lighter, cooling meals feel just right.
For pairing, this salad works wonderfully with sticky rice, grilled meats like Thai chicken (gai yang) or pork skewers, and even spring rolls or steamed fish. The crunchy texture and zesty dressing cut through rich, savory dishes beautifully. If you’re keeping things plant-based, it also pairs well with tofu or grilled vegetables.
To drink, consider pairing it with Thai iced tea, sparkling water with lime, or even a light, citrusy beer. The acidity and spice in the salad love a cooling, slightly sweet contrast. Whether you’re enjoying it solo or as part of a larger meal, papaya salad is always the life of the party on any plate.
How to Make Papaya Salad
Papaya Salad Recipe Ingredients
1 small green papaya (about 1-2 pounds)
2-4 Thai chili peppers (adjust based on your heat tolerance)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons dried shrimp (optional)
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1-2 tablespoons palm sugar (or substitute with brown sugar)
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons tamarind juice (if available)
1-2 long beans or green beans
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Step By Step How to Make Papaya Salad
Step 1 – Prepare the Papaya
Peel the green papaya and rinse under cold water. Use a julienne peeler to shred the papaya into thin strips. If you don’t have a julienne peeler, you can grate it or thinly slice it into matchsticks. Place the shredded papaya in a bowl of cold water to keep it crisp, then drain when ready to use.
Step 2 – Make the Dressing
Pound Garlic and Chilies: In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilies to a coarse paste. You can adjust the amount of chilies based on how spicy you like your salad. Add the long beans and gently pound to bruise them so they absorb the dressing. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, and tamarind juice. Pound and stir to mix well and dissolve the sugar.
Step 3 – Combine the Salad
Add the shredded papaya and cherry tomatoes to the mortar (or transfer everything to a larger mixing bowl if necessary). Use the pestle and a spoon to mix and pound the salad gently. The goal is to combine all the flavors and slightly bruise the papaya and tomatoes so they soak up the dressing. Add the roasted peanuts and dried shrimp. Mix gently to distribute evenly throughout the salad.
Step 4 – Serve
Taste and Adjust: Taste your papaya salad and adjust the seasoning if necessary. It should be a harmonious balance of sour, sweet, salty, and spicy. Serve the salad immediately on a plate or in a bowl, garnished with extra peanuts.
Tips for Making Papaya Salad
The key to a great papaya salad is balance. Each ingredient should complement the others, with no single flavor overwhelming the rest. Papaya salad is often served as part of a larger meal including sticky rice and grilled meats or fish.
There are many regional variations of this dish. In Laos, for example, a similar dish called “Tam Mak Hoong” might include ingredients like eggplant and use more fish sauce and chili.
How Many Calories Has A Papaya Salad
One cup of green papaya has about 40 calories, Cherry Tomatoes has 15 calories, Dried Shrimp adds around 30 calories, Roasted Peanuts is around 207 calories and Palm Sugar is about 30-40 calories per tablespoon.
A single serving of papaya salad could range from approximately 150 to 350 calories.
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.