This raw and crunchy Spicy Thai Salad can be lightly spiced or hot-n-spicy with a serrano or Thai pepper! I cannot handle peppers that are too hot, so I just marinade the pepper slices in the dressing instead of eating them. So good!
This very flavorful and colorful dish also wow you with some less common salad ingredients, including jicama, bean sprouts and mango.
The hotness of chili peppers varies, so be careful if you are not used to using either of these types (Thai or serrano). I use a dish glove to slice them so they don’t make my fingers tingle. If you don’t want any pepper flavor at all, however, feel free to leave it out of the recipe.
This makes a lot (9 cups), but feel free to halve the recipe if you're just one person. I like to eat pre-dressed salads within 2 to 3 days.
PrintSpicy Thai Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 (makes about 9 cups salad, ⅓ cup dressing) 1x
Ingredients
- 1 red Thai or serrano chili pepper, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 pitted Medjool date (or 2 Deglet Noor)
- 1 small to medium clove garlic
- 2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
- 1½ cups julienne-cut carrots
- 1 cup julienne-cut jicama
- 1 cup julienne-cut mango (ripe but firm)
- 3 cups white bean sprouts
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup sliced or chopped basil
Instructions
- In a small cup or bowl, add the sliced chili, lime juice, rice vinegar, pitted date and garlic, and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the cut green beans and boil for 2 to 3 minutes (do not overcook). Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain.
- To prepare the carrots, jicama, and mango, use a mandolin or other slicer that can create “julienned” pieces (thin like matchsticks), see photo below. Place into a large bowl along with the bean sprouts, tomatoes, and basil.
- Remove the sliced chilis from the vinegar, and set them aside in a small bowl. Pour the remaining ingredients into a small blender jar and blend.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss. If you want to use the hot-n-spicy chili pepper slices, you can; I suggest putting them on the side and letting people add them if they like (I can’t handle the pepper slices themselves, but I love the spiced vinegar). Serve as is or garnish with chopped basil leaves.
Notes
Mango: Be sure to use a mango that is still firm and not overly ripe and juicy, or it will harder to cut.
Variations: If you don’t have one of the ingredients, the salad will still be great. I know sometimes bean sprouts, mango and fresh basil can be harder to find depending on the season.
- Prep Time: 25 mins.
Gina
This is the (very beautiful) salad of my dreams! Having lived for several years in SE Asia, this healthy version of the flavors I have come to love has my name all over it. Many thanks! (And lovely photos, by the way.)
Cathy
Hi Gina, thank you so much! 😉 Hope you enjoy it!
Louise
Looking forward to making this! Any recommendations on what to serve it with for dinner or lunch?
Cathy
You could serve it with soup, stew or baked potatoes. 🙂