Authentic Thai Larb Recipe (Larb Moo) 

This authentic Thai Larb Moo recipe is a paleo, Whole30, and keto-friendly dish made from scratch. It’s a healthy and flavorful dish consisting of ground pork and vegetables cooked in a flavorful sauce. 

What Is Larb Moo?

Larb Moo, also spelled “Laab Moo,” is a traditional and popular dish in Thailand. It is a minced meat salad, typically made with ground pork, though other meats like chicken, beef, or fish can also be used. Larb is known for its bold and fresh flavors from fresh herbs and veggies and other flavorful ingredients.

It’s naturally on the low-carb side, but I made keto Thai Larb by omitting the toasted rice and using toasted cashews instead. This substitution also makes my version paleo and Whole30 friendly as well! 

If you like meat and veggies in a tangy, semi-spicy homemade sauce, this Thai Larb recipe will blow you away!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I’ve been to Thailand twice, and I fell in love with the food there. As someone who is gluten-free, I very much appreciate that many Thai dishes are naturally free of gluten. 

One of my favorite dishes I enjoyed there was Larb Moo (or Thai Larb, as you see it many times on Thai menus here). It’s a super flavorful dish full of vegetables, minced pork, and cooked in the most delicious sauce.

Today, we’re making this amazing Thai dish from scratch, with authentic ingredients and one minor swap: instead of toasted rice, we’re using crunchy cashews to make this a low-carb, paleo, and Whole30 salad. Same great flavors, without the carbs! 

Watch a Short Video of This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Before you get started, gather the ingredients needed to make Larb Moo, including:

• Cashews: Cashews are used as a paleo replacement for toasted rice and add crunch to the recipe. Make sure you’re using raw cashews to toast them yourself.
• Avocado oil: I love avocado oil because it’s great for high-heat cooking and doesn’t add any flavor to the final dish. If you don’t have avocado oil, feel free to use any other cooking oil of your choice.
• Shallots: If you can’t find shallots, you can use onions instead.
• Ground pork: Ground chicken or turkey can also be used if you don’t consume pork.
• Lime juice: Using fresh lime juice is best. However, if you don’t have fresh lime, you can use lime juice from a bottle. You may need a bit less since I find that bottled lime juice is more concentrated in flavor.
• Coconut aminos: A paleo and Whole30-friendly alternative to soy sauce. It’s delicious and adds a slight natural sweetness as well!
• Fish sauce: Fish sauce is a crucial flavor in Thai cooking and adds a delicious umami saltiness. This is my favorite brand of fish sauce with high-quality, clean ingredients.
• Thai Chili Flakes: Also called prik bon, you can get these at your local Asian mart or online. If you’re unable to find Thai chili flakes, you can use any chili flakes that you can get at the grocery store. I find that Korean chili flakes, or gochugaru, are a close substitute. Red pepper flakes will also work in a pinch. 
• Green onions
• Fresh cilantro
• Fresh mint leaves
• Lettuce: You can use romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, or even shredded iceberg lettuce. I personally prefer butter lettuce and find that it holds up well.
• Cucumbers

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, and add cashews. Toast while constantly stirring until lightly browned and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. 
2. Use a knife or a food processor to chop the cashews until crumbly. Set aside.
3. Heat avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork to the pan and cook, stirring while breaking up the meat, until it’s browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
4. Add shallot slices and quickly stir together, then turn off the heat. The residual heat will soften the shallots.
5. Add lime juice, coconut aminos, fish sauce, chili flakes, cilantro, green onions, mint, and 3/4 of the toasted cashew crumble. Stir well.
6. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding more fish sauce for saltiness, chili flakes for spice, or lime juice for more sourness.
7. Serve with lettuce and cucumbers, and garnish with the rest of the cashew crumble on top. You can also serve with more mint leaves, cilantro, and green onions on the side.

Expert Tips

• If you taste the Larb Moo and feel like it needs to be a bit saltier, you can add more fish sauce to it. The fish sauce also brings a level of saltiness to the dish that enhances the flavor of the pork and vegetables.
• When you want to make the dish a bit spicier, you can add more of the chili flakes to it. If you can’t tolerate spiciness, omit the chili flakes or decrease the amount when preparing this dish.

Serving Tips

Larb Moo can be enjoyed as a main dish or as part of a larger meal, often served with Thai sticky rice or fresh vegetables. If you’re eating a special diet, serve with a side that best fits your dietary needs. 

Storage Tips

Store leftover cooked pork and vegetables together, but store your lettuce and cucumbers in a separate airtight container. Store in the fridge to keep your ingredients fresh. 

You can assemble more of the Larb Moo when ready to eat it, adding the ground pork and vegetables to a bed of lettuce with cucumbers and additional garnishes if desired. 

Recipe FAQs

More Thai-Inspired Dishes 

Easy Thai Green Papaya Salad

Instant Pot Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs 

Thai Curry Wings

Paleo Shrimp Pad Thai

30 Minute Chicken Pad See Ew

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