Spicy Thai Mango Salad
This Thai-Inspired Mango Salad is loaded with sweet chunks of mango, crunchy cool cucumber, red onion, chilies and loads of fresh herbs. It takes just minutes to make and is bursting with fresh flavor. This Mango Salad recipe is Paleo, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Vegan.
Why You Will Love This Spicy Thai Mango Salad
- The flavours! It’s fresh, spicy, zesty, salty, sweet and tangy in every bite! This colorful salad is not only pretty, it packs a real punch of flavor and the sweetness of the mango pairs incredibly well with the crunchy veggies and kick of spice.
- This Thai Mango Salad takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and couldn’t be any easier to make. This is one of my favorite summer salads to make between May and September when it’s mango season. This amazing salad really showcases the fresh flavors of mango.
- There are no fancy ingredients required! You can find everything you need to make this recipe at any local grocery stores.
- You can enjoy it as a starter, side dish, or add some shrimp or chicken and enjoy it as a filling meal.
What Is Thai Mango Salad?
Thai mango salad, also known as “yum mamuang” in Thai, is a refreshing and spicy salad made with green mango, herbs, and vegetables. The main ingredient, green mango, is shredded or thinly sliced and mixed with red onions, cilantro, and chopped peanuts. The salad is then dressed with a sweet and tangy sauce made from lime juice, fish sauce, and chili peppers. The dish has a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors that is characteristic of Thai cuisine. Thai mango salad is often served as an appetizer or a side dish.
What Are Green Mangoes?
Green mangoes are unripe mangoes that are picked before they are fully ripened. They have a firm and crunchy texture and a tart or bitter flavor. In Thai culture green mangoes are often used in chutneys, salads or pickles. While green mangoes are traditionally used in this type of thai green mango salad, I personally prefer the soft texture and sweetness that ripe juicy mangoes add.
What You Need To Make This Thai Mango Salad?
This Thai Mango Salad recipe contains ingredients that you likely might already have in your fridge and pantry.
- Mango: as mentioned above, traditional Thai Mango Salad is made with green mango which is firm in texture and has a sour taste. I prefer to use sweet ripe mangoes in this salad which are much softer in texture. Feel free to use either ripe mangos or green mango.
- Cucumber: sliced persian or english cucumber both work in this simple salad recipe
- Red onion: thinly sliced red onion add a sharp flavour to this salad. For a milder flavour they can be substituted for thinly sliced shallots.
- Thai Red Chili: also known as bird’s eye chilies, are small but spicy red peppers commonly used in Thai cuisine to add heat and flavor to dishes. The amount added to the salad can be adjusted depending on your tolerance for spice. If you prefer just a little heat, i recommend removing all of the seeds from the chili before slicing it.
- Peanuts: I recommend using roasted and salted peanuts (or quickly heating raw peanuts in a pan to lightly toast them). If you are on the Paleo diet or following a legume free diet then the peanuts should be substituted for salted cashews. The nuts can be omitted completely if you are allergic.
- Fresh Mint and Fresh Cilantro: the mint and cilantro are a crucial ingredient in this salad and a wonderful freshness. For anyone who doesn’t like cilantro, you can substitute it for parsley, fresh basil or thai basil.
Is This Thai Mango Salad Spicy?
Thai red chilies are what give this thai mango salad a nice kick of heat. I like adding 1 chili for a nice 6/10 level of heat, but feel free to add more or less depending on how spicy you like things. If you aren’t able to find Thai red chilies you can use a red serrano chili instead which has a milder level of heat or alternatively you can stir 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or chili powder into the dressing if you do not have fresh chilies.
How To Make This Thai Mango Salad Vegan Or Vegetarian
There are two ingredients in this mango salad recipe which are unfortunately not vegan; honey and fish sauce. The fish sauce adds a really nice saltiness to the salad but to make this salad vegan and vegetarian simply omit it and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dressing. To make this salad vegan the honey should also be substituted for maple syrup or any other sweetener of choice just as agave nectar or monkfruit sugar.
Can I Add Protein To This Thai Mango Salad?
Absolutely! Grilled shrimp or prawns would both make a fabulous addition to this mango salad and make it a filling meal. You could alternatively add in grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken to save time. Alternatively if you wanted to add more vegetables to this healthy salad, thinly sliced red bell peppers are a great addition.
Can I Make This Thai Mango Salad In Advance?
I find that for the best flavour and texture, this salad is best eaten right after making. If you would like to make this Thai Mango Salad in advance, I recommend combining all of the salad ingredients in a container or small bowl and mixing together the dressing ingredients but keeping the salad dressing separate and only tossing it with the salad right before serving.
What About Leftovers?
Leftovers are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend adding in a handful of chopped fresh mint and cilantro to revive the salad if it has been in the fridge for a day or two.
Here are a few more easy salads that you might enjoy:
- Thai Watermelon Salad
- Citrus, Fennel, Avocado & Shrimp Salad
- Creamy Cauliflower Faux-Tato Salad
- Pesto Zoodle Salad with Prosciutto & Pine Nuts
- Roasted Fennel & Green Bean Salad
- Grilled Zucchini & Asparagus Salad
- Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
- Roasted Cauliflower, Date, Red Onion & Parsley Salad
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Spicy Thai Mango Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large mangoes peeled and cut into strips
- 1/2 cucumber cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 thai red chili stem and seeds removed, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup peanuts or cashews roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Dressing
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the mango, cucumber, red onion, red chili, chopped nuts and herbs.
- In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice, coconut aminos, fish sauce, honey/maple syrup and sesame oil. Taste and adjust the flavours as desired.
- Right before serving pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well coated. Serve.
Nutrition
I made this tonight with my 10 year old son, and we loved it! Love the mix of flavours, so tasty!! This will be a regular in our household. Thanks!
I made this today to accompany a Asian salmon dish, this recipe was a HUGE hit! Which will now be a summer staple. Very simple to make. Thank you.
I tasted this recipe over 15 years ago a family event. This was before I became plant-based in my eating . That recipe was the same but it had strips of seasoned chicken breast in it. This is an excellent recipe and I shared it with some friends when I saw it here on Pinterest. Love the great ideas that are shared here.
Fantastic. Such a lovely fresh salad – great blend of sweet, sour and a hint of heat. I added red pepper matchsticks too. It was wonderful served alongside Chicken Satay. Equally it would be amazing with a curry or in a wrap.