Spicy Thai Mango Salad
Spicy Thai Mango Salad featuring fresh mango, cucumber, carrot, and cilantro, tossed in a spicy, sweet, and savory vegan dressing! Ready in under 15 minutes, it’s perfect for a light lunch or snack.
Fresh & Spicy Thai Mango Salad
This Spicy Thai Mango Salad is one of those simple, delicious salads that I so enjoy! It’s my kind of easy, and so amazingly fresh & healthy!
Full of fresh, colorful ingredients tossed in a simple dressing that balances sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy notes in every bite. It’s light, energizing, and full of flavor!
Inspired by Thailand’s iconic Som Tam (green papaya salad), this version swaps unripe papaya for sweet, ripe mango while keeping the classic punch of heat and veggies.
It comes together fast, stays true to authentic Thai flavors, and is completely irresistible!
Ingredient Notes
This fresh, no-cook vegan Thai-inspired salad is easy to adapt. Feel free to swap ingredients based on what you have—the core flavors will still be delicious.
The Salad
- Cucumber — regular (American), English (hothouse), or Persian — all work great. English/Persian is less watery and crisper.
- Carrots — regular carrots are best for julienning into “noodles” with a vegetable peeler or julienne tool.
- Mango — ripe mango brings sweet juiciness; unripe (green) mango adds tart crunch (classic Som Tam style). Use whichever you prefer or have!
- Cherry tomatoes — halved for bursts of juicy sweetness (grape tomatoes or chopped regular tomatoes are fine swaps).
- Cashews or peanuts — optional but recommended for nutty crunch and extra protein (roasted or raw; omit for nut-free).
- Cilantro — fresh and fragrant, skip if it’s not your thing — the salad is still delicious.
- Lime — fresh juice for bright acidity (regular or key limes, Meyer lemon is a good substitute).
The Dressing
- Tamari — for salty umami (sub with coconut aminos for gluten-free).
- Coconut sugar — adds gentle sweetness (swap with pure maple syrup or your preferred sweetener).
- Garlic — fresh cloves for punch (garlic powder or paste works in a pinch).
- Red pepper flakes — for a kick of heat (a dash of sriracha or chili garlic sauce is a great alternative).
Quick tip: Traditionally, Som Tam uses unripe green papaya for a tart, crunchy texture. Ripe mango gives a sweeter, juicier twist, but both are fantastic. Start with less dressing and add more to taste — it should be bold but balanced!
How To Make Thai Mango Salad
Making this mango salad is easy! Make sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go to speed up the process.
Start by making the spicy dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and lime juice.
Assemble. In a large mixing or serving bowl, add the prepared mango, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes, and cilantro (shown above). Pour the spicy Thai dressing over the top and toss to coat (shown below).
Now you are ready to serve and enjoy!
Tips For Success
- For julienning cucumbers and carrots, I find this Julienne Tool and Mandoline handy. If your vegetables are on the thinner side, the julienne tool works great, but if they are on the wider side, the mandoline is a fantastic tool.
- Before adding the dressing to the salad, give it a good stir to ensure the sugar has dissolved or is at least incorporated into the dressing before pouring. It tends to settle to the bottom of the bowl.
Serving Suggestions
Thai mango salad is best eaten right away or within a few hours at room temperature. Here are some creative options for serving this fresh salad:
- Serve in individual bowls, piled high, with a squeeze of lime over the top and more red pepper flakes to taste.
- Pair alongside summer rolls or fresh rice paper rolls.
- Serve with sticky rice and grilled vegetables or tofu for a complete meal.
- We love it with this flavorful Cilantro-Lime Rice for a hearty pairing.
Storage & Make-Ahead
This salad stores well and is best eaten within 24 hours. For leftovers, drain off any excess liquid and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice right before eating to revive the bright flavor.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The mango will continue to soften and release juices, so it’s best enjoyed within the first 24 hours.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the dressing and chop all the vegetables 1 day in advance. Keep them separate in the fridge and toss everything together just before serving for the freshest, crunchiest results.
- Freezing: Not recommended. The fresh mango and herbs do not hold up well after freezing.
More Easy Summer Recipes!
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Thai Crunch Salad
- Mango + Avocado Sushi Rolls
- Sesame Ginger Cucumber Soba Salad
If you try this mango salad recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love hearing what you think or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
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SPICY THAI MANGO SALAD
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
This fresh, spicy Thai mango salad (vegan Som Tam) is loaded with ripe mango, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, and cilantro, topped with a tangy-sweet-spicy dressing. Gluten-free optional, no-cook, high-fiber, and perfect for light lunches, summer sides, or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, julienned (or your favorite)
- 2 large carrots, julienned
- 1 mango, julienned or sliced
- handful cherry tomatoes, halved
- handful cashews or peanuts, optional
- cilantro, as much as you like, to serve
- 1 – 2 limes, to serve
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon coconut, pure cane or raw sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- juice of one lime
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix together tamari, sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and lime juice. Set aside. Mix before adding to the salad; we want the sugar to be fully dissolved.
Prepare your vegetables and fruit, place them in a medium-sized bowl, pour the dressing, and mix well. Serve in individual bowls with an extra squeeze of lime and nuts on top.
Serves 2
Notes
Store: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The mango will continue to soften and release juices, so it’s best enjoyed within the first 24 hours for optimal texture. Freezing is not recommended.
Make ahead: Prepare the dressing and chop all the vegetables 1 day in advance. Keep them separate in the fridge and toss everything together just before serving for the freshest, crunchiest results.
Nut-Free: Simply omit the cashews or peanuts to keep this recipe nut-free.
Gluten-Free: For the dressing, use tamari or coconut aminos (no soy sauce) to keep this fruit salad GF.
You can sub in 3–4 Persian cucumbers for the English cucumbers. Both types of cucumbers have fewer seeds, making them ideal for julienned dishes. Regular cucumber works too if needed.
Add red bell pepper to the mix; it will add a bit of sweetness and crunch.
In place of sugar, use pure maple syrup instead.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Asian, Thai
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Made this last night, so yummy!
I’ve never tried this before. I’ll have to make this.
Tried it and it’s amazing. I do prefer it dressed a day before – feels slightly like a pickled salad this way
It tastes great, thank you!
I just made this! It tastes great. Great variety of veggies and the mango. Super refreshing too
This is a keeper recipe. Brought this to a dinner party where pad Thai was the main course. Big hit. Thank you.
So delicious! Thank you. I feel like I’m in Thailand :)
Yay, that’s a nice compliment and says a lot! So glad you enjoyed it! Cheers :)
I have tried this today for my dinner with sone herb rice. It’s soooooo good!!! Thank you so much for sharing this :)
We made this last night, and it was AMAZING. We also chopped up and threw in a jalapeno and some scallions, and it was so good we ate the whole thing! I will definitely peruse other recipes on your site.
–Lily
This looks like the most delicious thing ever! <3