Top 15 Thai Salads

Larb is a heavily seasoned meat salad that's garnished with freshly chopped herbs and khao khoua — toasted ground rice. Considered the unofficial dish of Laos, larb is consumed both in Laos and the bordering Isan, a region in Thailand. The base of the dish is hand-minced meat, either beef, pork, chicken, duck, or fish, that can be raw or cooked, a souring agent - typically lime juice, and either fish sauce and/or padaek, a type of fermented fish sauce. The ingredients and variations of the basic recipe are endless, and similar dishes can be found throughout Southeast Asia. Larb is typically served wrapped in lettuce or with a portion of sticky rice and cucumber slices on the side.Expand

Som tam is a green papaya salad mostly associated with the northeastern part of Thailand (Isaan), though it is often suggested that it first appeared in Laos. Apart from thin strips of green papaya, this salad usually includes roasted peanuts, green beans, tomatoes, and a tangy sauce typically made with garlic, chili peppers, fish sauce, dried shrimps, palm sugar, and lime or tamarind juice. The varieties are plentiful and can include various additions. The sauce can also appear in many other combinations, and can significantly vary in sweetness and spiciness. Numerous restaurants and street stalls allow the customers to choose the variety they prefer and adjust the ingredients to their preference. It is still not clear whether this refreshing dish was invented in the north of Thailand, more precisely the Isaan region, or is it an original Lao creation. Many believe that it was primarily invented to utilize abundant papayas and that its original form did not use palm sugar because it mostly relied on spicy chili flavors. Regardless of its origin, this simple salad has gained global popularity and can be found on the menus of traditional Thai restaurants around the world. It can be enjoyed as the main dish or as a complement to rice, grilled meat, or marinated fish.Expand

Som tam khai khem is a traditional papaya salad originating from Thailand. There are many types of som tam, and this one can be distinguished from the rest because it’s topped with salted hard-boiled eggs. The salad is usually made with a combination of green papaya, bird’s eye chili, garlic, green beans, tomatoes, crushed peanuts, carrots, dried shrimp, and hard-boiled salted eggs. The ingredients are mixed thoroughly, while the salted egg is cut into quarters and placed on top of the salad, although it can also be mixed into it. The salad is dressed with a sauce consisting of fish sauce, palm sugar, lime or tamarind juice, and chicken stock.Expand

Yom wun sen is a traditional glass noodle salad originating from Thailand. The salad is characterized by bright and refreshing flavors and crunchy texture. It's made with a combination of glass noodles, fried garlic, cilantro, chili peppers, dried shrimp, lime juice, fish sauce, onions, Chinese celery, and roasted peanuts. Ground pork or beef can also be added to the salad for extra protein content. Yom wun sen is usually served cold or lukewarm and it's especially popular in the summer. It can be found in many Thai restaurants, but it's also often prepared at home.Expand

This hot and sour shrimp salad consists of blanched shrimps combined with chopped lemongrass stalks, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro, and mint leaves, all covered with a chili-lime dressing. The spicy shrimp salad is typically placed atop fresh lettuce leaves, then garnished with fresh mint sprigs. There are many variations of this dish, some of which call for other types of seafood or fish instead of shrimps, or even a mix of several seafood types for a more interesting salad.Expand

Yum woon sen is the name for a spicy Thai salad made with glass noodles, ground pork, chili peppers, and dressings. The noodles and the pork are cooked separately, then combined with crunchy chopped vegetables and drizzled over with fish sauce and lime juice. Once assembled, the salad is traditionally topped with peanuts, although some places use shrimps as the topping of choice. Because yum woon sen is typically quite spicy, people often consume it with steamed rice and lettuce on the side.Expand

Som tam mamuang is a traditional salad originating from Thailand. Although there are many versions, it's usually made with a combination of green mango, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots, chili peppers, peanuts, fish sauce, tamarind water, lime juice, sugar, and coriander. The peanuts are shrimps are roasted, and the rest of the ingredients are simply mixed together, then dressed with lime juice and fish sauce. The salad is often topped with roasted peanuts and garnished with coriander or scallions on top. Som tam mamuang should be served as soon as it's prepared.Expand

Mu nam tok is a traditional grilled pork salad originating from the northeastern parts of the country. The salad is usually made with a combination of glutinous rice, pork, oil, shallots, mint, scallions, coriander, cabbage, and extra herbs. The pork is marinated in a mixture of sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper before it's grilled and thinly sliced. The ingredients are tossed together, and the salad is then dressed with a combination of fish sauce, sugar, chili flakes, and lime juice.Expand

This simple Thai salad consists of fried eggs and sliced vegetables such as onions and carrots, as well as a generous amount of freshly chopped cilantro and various greens. The salad is drizzled with a dressing that usually combines lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, and fresh chili peppers. Yam khai dao can be prepared with duck or chicken eggs, and although it can be served with rice and enjoyed as a light main course, it can also accompany various meat-based Thai dishes.Expand

Yam kun chiang is a Thai salad made with crispy fried slices of dried pork sausage. The sausage slices are combined with ingredients such as bird’s eye chilis, shallots, cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro leaves, celery, and onions. Sweet, salty, and fatty, the sausage used in this dish is known as kun chiang in Thai, and it originates from China, where it is called lap cheong or lap chong. The salad is typically laced with fish sauce and lime juice or rice vinegar, and it is often consumed as a light lunch or an appetizer with a cold beer on the side. Yam kun chiang also pairs well with steamed rice or plain rice porridge, and it can even be used as a sandwich filling.Expand