Green Papaya Salad Recipe

Peel and shred papaya and carrot

Peel the green papaya. Using a mandoline, julienne peeler, or sharp knife, shred the papaya into long thin strips until you have about 3 cups packed. Peel the carrot and shred it into approximately 1 cup of matchsticks. Place both in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.

Trim and blanch green beans

Trim the ends off the green beans and cut into 1- to 1.5-inch pieces. Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil, add the beans and blanch for 30–45 seconds until bright green and just tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry. Add to the bowl with papaya and carrot.

Prepare tomato and shallot

Cut the roma tomato into wedges (about 6–8 wedges) then slice each wedge into 2–3 pieces so they are bite-sized. Thinly slice the shallot if using. Gently toss the tomato and shallot with the shredded vegetables, taking care not to crush the tomato pieces.

In a small bowl or jar, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, and palm (or brown) sugar. Stir or shake until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust to a balanced sweet-sour-salty profile: it should be tangy from lime, salty from fish sauce, and slightly sweet. Add the minced garlic and the finely chopped chili; stir to combine.

Pour the dressing over the shredded vegetables. Using two forks or salad tongs, toss everything together vigorously for 30–45 seconds so the dressing evenly coats the papaya and the tomato juices meld with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more fish sauce for saltiness, lime for acidity, or sugar for sweetness as needed.

Transfer the salad to a serving plate. Sprinkle the coarsely chopped roasted peanuts and sliced shallot over the top. Garnish with cilantro if using and serve with lime wedges on the side.