Easy Thai Green Papaya Salad Recipe (Som Tum/Tam)

What is Thai Papaya Salad?

​​Thai Green Papaya Salad, also known as “Som Tum”, “Som Tam Thai” or “Som Tam,” is a popular, refreshing salad in Thai cuisine. Its main ingredient is unripe, green papaya which is shredded or thinly sliced to create a crunchy base for the salad.

This flavorful dish combines sweet, sour, spicy, and salty flavors that are addicting and delicious. Its dressing is made from simple ingredients like lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and Thai chilies. The ingredients can be sourced from Asian markets and/or local grocery stores.

You can find this salad in Thai restaurants around the world. It’s a light and refreshing dish that make it a perfect side dish or appetizer, especially when it’s hot.

What Makes This Recipe Great

I first had this Thai Papaya Salad while traveling in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It’s a popular street food there, and you can grab one at a stand. They make the whole thing in front of you, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I was so excited to recreate this dish at home, so I can enjoy it as often as I like!

The traditional method of making this salad is to use a mortar and pestle to pound the dressing and the vegetables together so the vegetables are infused with all the flavor. If you don’t have access to these, don’t worry, you can still make the salad with a knife.

This naturally gluten-free, popular Thai salad is packed with protein, full of nutrients, and has the most addicting kick! I hope you love it as much as I do!

• Green Papaya: This is just an unripened papaya. It has dark green skin with light green flesh. For this recipe, you can use a sharp knife to shred the papaya (this is the method), but I like to do it using a shredder like this.
• Bird’s Eye Chilies: These are small Thai chilies that are very spicy. They are green or red, but ripe red ones are commonly used in this salad. I used 3, which made the salad very spicy, and that’s how I like it. Use less for a milder spice.
• Dried Shrimp: These are dehydrated baby shrimp that come in different sizes. I used small dried shrimp, but for bigger ones, you can roughly chop them before adding. You can order these online as well.
• Long Beans: Also called Chinese long beans, they look like green beans that are extra long. Once they are softened in the mortar and pestle, they are tender enough to enjoy raw.
• Sugar: Typically, palm sugar is used, but you can substitute regular sugar or coconut sugar. 
• Roasted Peanuts
• Lime Juice
• Fish Sauce
• Garlic Cloves
• Grape Tomatoes: You can also use cherry tomatoes for this recipe. 

1. Use a veggie slicer, julienne peeler, or a sharp knife to peel and shred the papaya into thin slices. Place the shreds into a large bowl. 
2. In a mortar and pestle, add the peanuts and pound to break them into smaller pieces. Reserve 2 tbsp of peanuts to the side and add the rest in the bowl with the papaya.
3. Add bird’s eye chilis and garlic to the mortar and pestle, and pound until broken down into small pieces. Then, add sugar and pound again until a paste is formed. 
4. Add long beans and dried shrimp, and lightly pound until the beans are bruised and softened.
5. Stir in lime juice and fish sauce with a spoon until everything is combined.
6. Pour all contents of the mortar over the shredded papaya and crushed peanuts.
7. Add grape tomatoes to the mortar and pestle and pound a few times to lightly crush. Add to the salad.
8. Toss the salad well to combine. Top with the remaining peanuts, and serve immediately.

Expert Tips

• If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can use a knife to chop the peanuts, garlic, and shrimp. Use the side of the knife to pound and break down the other ingredients on a cutting board and combine them in the mixing bowl.
• You can add additional protein to this salad or swap the dried shrimp for an alternative like chicken, tofu, beef, pork, or seafood. 

Serving Tips

• This Thai Papaya Salad recipe is a refreshing appetizer or side dish traditionally served cold. 
• Garnish with roasted peanuts, lime wedges for extra tanginess, and adjust the spice level to taste. 
• It pairs well with Thai curries, sticky rice, grilled meats or can be enjoyed as a full meal with added protein. Serve in a communal dining setting and mix well before serving. Enjoy the perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and savory flavors.

Storage Tips

• Leftover Thai papaya salad can be saved in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, but remember that the green papaya will soften the longer it sits.

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