Tam Sua (Thai Papaya Salad with Noodles)
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This authentic tam sua recipe makes a refreshing Thai papaya salad with noodles you’ll want to make again and again. It’s spicy, salty, and sour, with a gluten-free dressing that goes perfectly with grilled meats and sticky rice.
What is tam sua
Tam sua is a Thai papaya salad with rice noodles, combining shredded green papaya, vermicelli, tomatoes, chilies, and lime in a spicy, salty, sour dressing. It’s popular in Northeastern Thailand (Isan), and has a bold, punchy flavor, often including fermented fish sauce for extra depth.
If you’re curious about other styles, I also have recipes for the classic som tam Thai with its milder dressing and peanuts, the bolder som tam pla ra with fermented fish sauce, and a traditional Lao papaya salad you need to try!
Green papaya
The key ingredient for this tum sua recipe is crisp green papaya, bringing a cool crunch and a fresh bite to the salad. Here’s what to know so you get the best results:
- How to pick green papaya: Choose firm, heavy fruits with smooth, unblemished green skin and no soft spots.
- How to store green papaya: Keep unripe green papaya in the fridge for up to a week before shredding. Shredded papaya can stay crisp in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- How to prepare it for salad: Peel, remove the seeds, then shred using a julienne peeler or a sharp knife into thin, noodle-like strands. I highly recommend this Kiwi shredder!
- Where to find it: You can find green papaya at local Asian grocery stores or fresh markets, larger supermarkets with a good international produce section, or farmer’s markets in tropical regions, especially during summer.
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
You’ll find everything you need for this recipe at your nearest Asian market or grocery store. For exact measurements, head down to the recipe card below!
- Rice vermicelli – Thin round rice noodles (sen khao poon) that soak up dressing while keeping a chewy bite.
- Green papaya – Crisp, shredded unripe papaya gives the salad its signature crunch and absorbs flavor well.
- Fermented fish sauce – Adds bold, savory umami with a distinct aroma, common in Isan and Lao cooking.
- Tamarind paste – Brings sourness with subtle sweetness.
- Palm sugar – A caramel-like sweetener from palm sap that balances the heat and sourness.
- Fish sauce – Provides salty, umami depth; use Megachef fish sauce for the best flavor.
- Lime – Fresh lime juice brightens the salad with acidity.
- Bean sprouts – Add a mild, crisp texture that pairs well with spicy dressing.
- Culantro – A herb with a strong, cilantro-like flavor; cilantro can stand in if culantro isn’t available.
- Chilies – Thai bird’s eye chilies or Jinda chilies add authentic heat; for less spice, choose milder chilies or remove seeds.
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
How to make papaya noodle salad
- Peel and shred the green papaya into thin slivers. See how to shred papaya for tips.
- In a mortar, pound the garlic and chilies until roughly crushed.
- Add fish sauce, fermented fish sauce, tamarind paste, palm sugar, and squeeze in the lime juice, tossing in the lime peels as well; mash everything until the sugar dissolves.
- Stir in the tomatoes and gently bruise them to release their juices.
- Add the shredded papaya and mix until evenly coated.
- Add the rice vermicelli, using a spoon to help combine.
- Toss with the culantro and bean sprouts, then serve right away.
Serving suggestion
This Thai noodle salad is often enjoyed as a side dish with sticky rice, chicken wings, and fresh vegetables like yardlong beans, Thai eggplants, lettuce, and cucumbers.
More authentic Thai salad recipes
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Tam Sua (Thai Papaya Salad with Noodles)
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 chilies, to taste
- 3 tablespoons fermented fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 small lime
- 1/4 cup small tomatoes, sliced
- 2/3 cup green papaya, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups fresh rice vermicelli, see notes
- 5 culantro leaves, chopped
- 1 handful bean sprouts
Instructions
- Finely slice the culantro leaves, quarter the lime, and chop the tomatoes into quarters or smaller, based on size.
- Peel the green papaya and thinly shred it into slivers.
- In a mortar, pound the garlic and chilies until they’re broken down.
- Add fish sauce, fermented fish sauce, tamarind paste, palm sugar, and squeeze in the lime juice, tossing the lime peels into the mix. Use the pestle to mash and mix until palm sugar is dissolved.
- Drop in the tomatoes and gently stir.
- Add the shredded papaya to the mortar, mixing thoroughly to ensure every slice is flavor-soaked.
- Carefully mix in the rice vermicelli, use a rice spoon to help if needed.
- Mix in the culantro and bean sprouts, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- Fresh rice vermicelli: The 7 oz of fresh rice vermicelli used in this recipe is equivalent to the weight of dry vermicelli noodles once they are cooked.
