Learn how to make the most refreshing and delicious Thai papaya salad (som tum) at home! This green papaya salad is bursting with incredible flavors and textures from freshly shredded green papaya, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy peanuts, all dressed in bold, sweet, sour, salty, and spicy fish sauce dressing.

This easy Thai salad recipe comes together in under 20 minutes with no cooking necessary. You can easily customize the spice levels and toppings for the perfect quick lunch or appetizer.

Ingredients

You can find all the ingredients for this Thai papaya salad recipe at your local Asian or Thai market. Full measurements and links to everything I used are in the recipe card below.

Salad

• Green Papaya: green papaya is an unripe papaya that is harvested early. The flesh is dark green and the core has white round seeds. It yields a crispy, crunchy, firm texture and has a light, mild flavor like jicama or cabbage.
• Roasted Peanuts: add a delicious nutty, textural element to the green papaya salad.
• Dried Shrimp: for added texture and umami flavor.
• Long Beans: are long green beans. They are earthier, slightly chewier, and have a nice bite to it. Can easily be substituted with green beans.
• Cherry Tomatoes: for added acidity, color, and sweetness.

Dressing

• Garlic: adds a rich garlicky allium flavor to the dressing.
• Thai Bird’s Eye Chili: is the source of heat in the dressing. Add more or less based on your spice tolerance.
• Hot Water: to help dissolve the palm sugar and dilute the bold flavors.
• Palm Sugar: gently sweetens and balances out the heat from the chilis.
• Lime Juice: adds the sour element that brightens up the fish sauce flavor.
• Tamarind Paste: adds a tangy element to the dressing. More information on making tamarind paste from a block is in the Expert Tips section below. Tamarind paste is also the base of the sauce in Pad Thai.
• Fish Sauce: is the base of the dressing that adds a salty umami flavor to the Thai papaya salad.

Substitutions and Additions

Substitutions

• Green papaya alternatives: green mango, chayote squash, or julienned kohlrabi.
• Cashews: an alternative to peanuts.
• Fresh shrimp: instead of dried shrimp.
• Tomatoes: any tomato of your choice.
• Sugar alternatives: brown sugar, coconut sugar or granulated sugar.
• Dressing: Instead of this dressing, you can use my prik nam pla (Thai dipping sauce).

Additions

• Salted duck egg: add chopped salted duck eggs for added creaminess.
• Protein: add grilled shrimp or grilled chicken for a protein boost.
• Herbs: cilantro or Thai basil for more freshness.

How to Make

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this Thai green papaya salad recipe.

1. Peel the papaya and slice it in half. Deseed and julienne into small strips. Soak the papaya in ice water for 10-15 minutes.

2. Crush the long beans in the mortar and pestle.

3. Using a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic and Thai until it forms a paste.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the hot water and palm sugar until the sugar dissolves. Then combine the garlic, Thai chili paste, lime juice, tamarind paste, and fish sauce.

5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the papaya, long beans, tomatoes, dried shrimp, roasted peanuts, and the dressing. Serve the Thai papaya salad with more roasted peanuts and enjoy!

Storage Instructions

You can store any leftover som tum in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. I do not recommend freezing; it will dramatically change the textures.

FAQ

Is green papaya the same as papaya?

No. Green papaya is an unripe papaya. Do not buy any papaya with orange flesh. Those ones are already ripe, sweet, and eaten as a fruit.

Is som tum spicy?

Yes! Traditionally, som tum is very spicy because it uses Thai bird’s eye chilies. You can adjust the heat by using fewer chilis or by removing the seeds before crushing.

Recipe