Portions: 6 servings Calories: 181kcal |
Try this papaya salad, where vegetables combine with salty and sweet and a hint of spiciness in a plate that can be served as a salad or a light side dish that is just perfect for the warmer days of the year.
By - Last revised . Original Sep 6, 2013.
Why I ❤️ it Recipe Ingredients Video Preparation
Cabbage and papaya salad.
Why I ❤️ it
When life gives me delectable, ripe, and sweet papaya, I make papaya milkshake. And when I pick papaya that looks just perfect but turns out not to be ready just yet, I make it into a fantastic summer papaya salad to serve these hot days.
This papaya salad is a play in contrast: crispy, cold, raw vegetables flavored with soy sauce combined with brown sugar and the kick provided by a sprinkle of chili flakes.
Papaya salad recipe
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Utensils and tools
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or palm sugar
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes, double if you're a fan of spicy food
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plus extra for garnishing
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil, plus 3 extra tablespoons for serving
Vegetables
- 1 large carrots, cut into thin strips
- ½ small papaya, peel and shred
- ⅓ small white cabbage, shred
- 2 small cucumbers, shred
Video
Preparation
Before you start, make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.
Step 1: Mix dressing
Combine soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of water, sugar, chili flakes, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 2: Heating
Pour the dressing into a small saucepan heated over medium-low heat, and simmer until it has reduced to half the liquid.
Stir in the carrot, papaya, and cabbage, coating with the sauce, and cooking until it is heated through (2-3 mins) and reduced a bit in volume, but still has some crunchiness to it (about 2 mins).
Remove from the heat. Move the vegetables to a bowl (discard the liquid left in the pan) and let them cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Serving
Toss the cucumbers with the cooled vegetables. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of sesame oil.
Top tips
- You need very firm papayas for this recipe. You definitely don't want the mushy ones. The one I got wasn't green in color inside, but it was very crunchy and only faintly sweet.
- The easiest way to cut it into thin strips is with a mandolin.
- You can also slice with a potato peeler and cut the strips with a sharp knife.
- You can substitute minced roasted peanuts for sesame seeds.
- For a crisp flavor, you can also drizzle with a tablespoon of lemon or lime juice.
Serving suggestions
It can be served as a salad, but more often than not I serve it as a side dish in the summer, same as some of my other favorite cabbage dishes, and if you love tofu, don't miss these fun tofu skewers.
If you love the fruit-savory combination, you can also try it with this pineapple rice recipe.
Variations
We green papaya to make dulce en almibar (a dessert). In Asia, it's used in savory dishes, notably the Vietnamese green papaya salads and Thai green papaya salad recipe (som tam) green papaya salads.
You can substitute bean sprouts for cabbage for a crisp salad with a lovely taste.
Nutritional information
Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 562mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2085IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
More salad recipes
FAQs
Can green papaya be eaten raw?
Eating raw unripe papaya is not advised for some people (like pregnant women, and people with certain allergies) [1]. In any case, this recipe includes the step of cooking it, though briefly so it doesn't turn mushy. Consult your doctor if you have any doubts.
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Vegan Green Papaya Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes double if you're a fan of spicy food
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds plus extra for garnishing
- 3 tablespoon sesame oil plus 3 extra tablespoons for serving
Instructions
Mix dressing
- Combine soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of water, sugar, chili flakes, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Heating
- Heat the dressing over medium-low heat, and simmer until it has reduced to half the liquid.Stir in the carrot, papaya, and cabbage, coating with the sauce, and cooking until it is heated through (2-3 mins) and reduced a bit in volume, but still has some crunchiness to it (about 2 mins).Remove from the heat. Move the vegetables to a bowl (discard the liquid left in the pan) and let them cool to room temperature.
Serving
- Toss the cucumbers with the cooled vegetables. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of sesame oil.
Cook's notes
Nutrition
Reference
- Healthline - 8 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Papaya
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By , published Sep 6, 2013 on Tia Clara
This is the kind of sweet-savory salad my family will enjoy. I like how you used Asian flavors in this Papaya salad. It looks and sounds really healthy and I'm sure it's delish. Thanks for sharing!
I love dishes from Asian cuisine, and once in a while I borrow inspiration from them.
I have never tried combining these ingredients with papaya! So creative and how delicious this salad is! Like you said, I do love the contrast between two! As always I enjoy your photography very much!
Thanks, Nami.