Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Try my zingy Thai Salad next time you're looking for a quick, tasty side dish. Try making the dressing by hand or as a Thermomix Thai Salad. This recipe is so versatile because you can add thinly sliced beef for a Thai Beef Salad or marinated Tofu for a vegetarian Thai Salad.
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Salads are so easy to throw together on a weeknight. Thai Salad is always packed with flavour and is a good base for a meal. It includes fresh salad greens and two herbs, coriander, and mint.
Thai Salad Dressing
The salad gets so much of its flavour from the super tangy dressing. Ingredients such as fresh lime, coriander root, garlic, fish sauce for a little bit of funkyness and a small amount of chili. Such a mouth puckering taste sensation which is balanced by a little palm sugar if desired. The dressing it the only step that requires a Thermomix or blender.
Toppings or Garnishes
Adding some salted peanuts and bean sprouts gives the salad a nice crunch. If you can find friend shallots these are another great idea for sprinkling over the top of your Thai salad. Fried Shallots are available in Asian stores and most Woolworth's and Cole's also stock them in the international aisle.
Protein for your Thai Salad
Thai Beef
All this Thai Salad needs is a bit of protein to make it a complete meal. Sometimes I will serve it with the traditional thinly sliced beef.
Steps for making a Thai Beef Salad
- Select a thick cut of good quality steak
- Place the steak in the freezer for an hour or so until just stiff and barely frozen.
- Remove from the freezer and with a sharp knife cut the steak into slivers, progressing down the piece of steak.
- Place the slivers of steak in a glass bowl with a little extra chopped chilli, oil, and lime juice to marinate.
- Refrigerate until needed.
- Cook quickly over a high heat in batches.
- Add to the prepared salad
Thai Tofu Salad
Steps for making a Tofu Thai Salad
- Select a firm tofu and cut into large cubes.
- Marinate in chopped chili, oil, and lime juice.
- Refrigerate until required.
- Fry gently until golden.
- Add to the prepared salad.
My favourite way to serve the Thermomix Thai salad is with Tod Mun Pla or Thai fish cakes. When making the fish cakes for the salad, try making them a little bit smaller than usual so they can be scattered through the salad. If you're looking to add a bit more spice to your salad why not make my Thai hot sauce Nam Prik Pao as a side dish?
Balancing the Dressing
The dressing brings a true Thai flavour to the salad. There are 4 elements to Thai cooking - sweet, spicy, salty, and sour. It's the dressing that brings this salad alive and gives the dish its wow factor. If you taste the dressing and find it is too salty for your taste you can add a little more sugar, if it's too sour add a little more oil or coriander.
Why I LOVE this Thai Salad
- It's super healthy and counts for at least 2-3 vegetable serves.
- The salad is fabulously quick to prepare.
- Makes a great feature salad with just a little extra protein.
- It reminds me of being on holiday in Thailand.
- Fresh, tasty, light, and low in calories and carbohydrates.
- Perfect dish for the Barbecue season.
FAQ
Fish sauce is readily available in any supermarket in the Asian section.
I understand if some people prefer not to use fish sauce, but there really isn't anything else that gives the same salty and "funky" flavour. It really is essential.
Yes, you can make it ahead of time. But please don't add the dressing until just before serving.
Yes, absolutely leave the chili out if you don't like heat.
You can serve this with any protein, traditionally it is very thinly sliced beef strips. Although you could try tofu or the fish cakes above for an interesting Thermomix Thai Salad.
Other Favourite Salads
We eat a lot of salads through summer so you will find an abundance of Thermomix salad recipes on this site. Some of my favourites are the Lentil & Cous Cous Salad. The inclusion of legumes makes it filling and a good source of protein for vegetarians or vegans. I also love the Salmon Potato Salad for something a little more special, or the Caesar Salad with Homemade Caesar Dressing.
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Quick Thai Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad
- 100 g mixed salad leaves
- 170 g cucumber sliced
- 130 g red capsicum finely sliced
- 30 g red onion finely sliced
- 130 g bean sprouts fresh
- 25 g coriander fresh
- 25 g mint fresh
- ½ long red chili
- 30 g salted peanuts
Dressing
- 30 g fish sauce
- 50 g lime juice fresh
- 20 g sweet chili sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 20 g peanut oil
- ¼ long red chili
- 1 coriander root
- 4 g palm sugar or coconut sugar, or brown sugar
Instructions
- Place the mixed salad leaves on a large serving platter.100 g mixed salad leaves
- Add the cucumber, capsicum, bean sprouts, and red onion to the leaves.170 g cucumber, 130 g red capsicum, 130 g bean sprouts, 30 g red onion
- Roughly chop the coriander and mint. Add to the salad.25 g coriander, 25 g mint
- Toss the salad gently so the salad is combined.
- Thinly slice red chili and garnish the salad with the chili.½ long red chili
- Scatter the peanuts over the salad.30 g salted peanuts
Dressing
- Place all the dressing ingredients in the TM Bowl. Blitz 5 sec/Speed 9.30 g fish sauce, 50 g lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, 20 g peanut oil, ¼ long red chili, 1 coriander root, 4 g palm sugar, 20 g sweet chili sauce
- Dress the salad just prior to serving.
Notes
Nutrition
What style of Thermomix Thai Salad will you make? A vegetarian version with Tofu, the traditional Thai Beef Salad or will you try the Thai Fishcake Salad?
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Happy Cooking
j xx
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Julie Carlyle says
Hi Patricia
Thank you so much for coming back and leaving your lovely message. I'm so pleased you enjoyed the recipe.
j xx
Amanda Franklin says
Absolute taste sensation. Will be making this again!
Julie Carlyle says
Hi Amanda
I’m so pleased you think so!
J xx
Patricia Bellington says
Just delicious. Make the salad and fish cakes as part of the Monday night cook along, and they’re amazing!