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Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Crisp green papaya, a pungent lime and fish sauce dressing, and warm grilled shrimp make a fresh Thai-inspired main-course salad.
Warm grilled shrimp top crunchy green papaya salad with tomatoes, long beans, herbs, peanuts, and lime wedges.

Green papaya stays crisp under a bright, salty-sweet dressing, while just-grilled shrimp make the bowl substantial enough for dinner. A quick blanch gives the long beans a tender bite without losing their snap.

Fresh cilantro and mint cool the chile's gentle heat, and roasted peanuts add a savory crunch. Use gluten-free fish sauce and serve the salad as soon as it is tossed.

Cut for crunch

A julienne peeler creates fine strands that take on dressing quickly while staying crisp. If cutting by hand, keep the matchsticks narrow and even so they soften at the same rate.

Keep the chile gentle

Pounding garlic and Thai chile releases their aroma into the lime and fish sauce. Removing most of the chile seeds keeps the heat mild to medium while leaving a clean tingle in the dressing.

Garlic and Thai chile are pounded in a stone mortar with lime juice and fish sauce for salad dressing.
Garlic, Thai chile, lime, fish sauce, and palm sugar are pounded into the salad dressing.

Blanch for snap

A short blanch brightens the long beans and takes away their raw edge, while a cold rinse stops them from cooking further. Dry them well before dressing so their surface water does not dilute the sauce.

Cook shrimp by sight and feel

A hot grill or grill pan gives peeled shrimp quick contact with the heat. Pull them as soon as they turn opaque throughout and feel just firm; they tighten quickly if left on the grill.

Opaque grilled shrimp, papaya strands, herbs, and chopped peanuts show the salad's finished textures.
Just-firm shrimp, crunchy papaya strands, fresh herbs, and roasted peanuts finish the salad.

Build contrast at the last moment

Toss the papaya only shortly before serving so it keeps its crunch beneath the warm shrimp. The peanuts stay crisp when scattered over the platter at the end, and lime wedges let each diner brighten a portion.

Taste the dressing before tossing

The dressing should taste sharp, savory, and lightly sweet before it meets the papaya. If it feels too salty, add a little lime juice; if it feels too tart, dissolve a little more palm sugar before tossing.

Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Shrimp

4 servings
35 minutes total

Ingredients

  • •  1 1/2 lb firm unripe green papaya, peeled, seeded, and cut into matchsticks
  • •  1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • •  8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
  • •  6 oz long beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
  • •  2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • •  1/2 small Thai chile, thinly sliced
  • •  3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • •  2 tbsp gluten-free fish sauce
  • •  1 tbsp finely grated palm sugar
  • •  2 tsp neutral oil
  • •  1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • •  1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
  • •  1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
  • •  1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • •  2 medium limes, cut into wedges

Method

  1. Prepare the produce

    Peel and seed the green papaya, then cut it into fine matchsticks. Halve the cherry tomatoes, trim and cut the long beans into 2-inch lengths, roughly chop the cilantro and mint, and reserve the lime wedges for serving.

    Look for: The papaya strands are narrow and even, and the herbs are fragrant without being bruised.

  2. Blanch the beans

    Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the long beans, and blanch for 2 minutes until vivid green and crisp-tender. Drain and rinse under cold water, then dry well so excess water does not dilute the dressing.

    Look for: The beans bend slightly but keep a crisp bite and vivid color.

  3. Pound the dressing

    In a mortar, pound the garlic and Thai chile with a pinch of the kosher salt until pulpy. Add the lime juice, gluten-free fish sauce, and palm sugar, then work the mixture until the sugar dissolves and the dressing is pungent, balanced, and pourable.

    Look for: The garlic and chile form a rough paste, and no gritty palm sugar remains.

  4. Toss the salad

    Scrape the dressing into a large bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes and blanched long beans and lightly bruise them with the back of a spoon, then add the papaya, cilantro, and mint and toss until the dressing coats the strands.

    Look for: The tomatoes release a little juice without collapsing, and the papaya remains crunchy.

  5. Heat the grill

    Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until the grate is hot. Toss the shrimp with the neutral oil and remaining kosher salt, then arrange them in one layer for even cooking.

    Look for: The shrimp glisten lightly with oil and the cooking surface is fully hot.

  6. Grill the shrimp

    Grill the shrimp for about 2 minutes until the undersides turn pink and release easily; turn and grill for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove them as soon as they are opaque throughout, just firm, and gently curved, with no translucent center.

    Look for: The shrimp are opaque from edge to center and spring back gently when pressed, rather than feeling soft or rubbery.

  7. Finish and serve

    Pile the papaya salad on a platter and place the warm shrimp over it. Scatter the roasted peanuts on top and serve immediately with the reserved lime wedges so each portion can be brightened at the table.

    Look for: The shrimp are still warm and the peanuts stay crunchy over the freshly dressed salad.