By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 6
81 cal · 15 min
Green Papaya Salad
Recipe GLPR05b494a7511e2c
A vibrant Southeast Asian salad featuring shredded green papaya tossed with a punchy dressing of dried shrimp, Thai chiles, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar. The combination of fresh, spicy, sour, and slightly sweet flavors creates a complex and satisfying dish that's naturally light and refreshing.
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
6 Thai chiles
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
1 pound grated green papaya
Directions
Place the dried shrimp, Thai chiles, and garlic cloves in a mortar. Using a pestle, pound and crush them together until they form a coarse paste, releasing the aromatics and breaking down the shrimp.
Add the fresh lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar to the mortar and stir well to combine all ingredients into a cohesive dressing. Taste and adjust the balance of sour, salty, and sweet to your preference.
Place the grated green papaya in a large mixing bowl and pour the dressing over it.
Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all the papaya strands evenly with the dressing. Serve immediately while the salad is fresh and crisp.
Comments
Green papaya and dried shrimp are not reliably stocked at Charlotte's mainstream chains—you'll need a trip to an Asian market, likely in or around Koreatown near UNC Charlotte or Harris Teeter's international aisle if stocked. Fish sauce, Thai chiles, and palm sugar are specialty ingredients; fish sauce is easiest to find at Harris Teeter or Kroger's international section, but palm sugar and quality Thai chiles often require a second stop. The actual prep time is closer to 25–30 minutes once you account for papaya shredding and chile-seeding, and the pounding and bruising of ingredients demands attention and a mortar and pestle. This is a bright, worthwhile dish that reheats reasonably well and serves six, but it is a committed choice for a weeknight, not a grab-what-you-have recipe.
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