This Thai banana blossom salad is a bold, refreshing dish made with tender banana flower shreds, creamy coconut dressing, and savory pork or your favorite protein. It’s packed with texture and flavor—sweet, salty, tangy, and just a little spicy. If you’re craving something new and full of Thai flavor, this salad is a must-try.
This recipe uses my homemade Nam Prik Pao for extra depth in the dressing.
Try it alongside these other Thai salads: Thai green bean salad, Shrimp Yum Woonsen, Laab Gai (chicken salad), Thai mango salad with shrimp, and Papaya Salad (Som Tum).
A Taste of Home, From My American Kitchen
I grew up in a small village in Issan, where banana trees lined every road and backyard. We used banana blossoms often—slicing them into tender shreds and soaking them in enough water to keep them from turning brown. I’ve carried those skills into my American kitchen.
Whether this is your first time cooking with banana blossoms or not, I’ll walk you through the best way to prep them so they stay tender and vibrant.
Jump to:
- A Taste of Home, From My American Kitchen
- What Is Banana Blossom Salad (Yum Hua Plee)?
- What Are Banana Blossoms?
- Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Ingredients for Thai Banana Flower Salad
- How to Prepare Banana Blossoms
- How to Make Thai Banana Blossom Salad
- Kitchen Tips!
- Variations & Substitutes
- Storing Leftovers
- Try These Recipes Next
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Recipes
- Banana Blossom Salad (Yum Hua Plee)
- Hi there, I’m Suwanee!
What Is Banana Blossom Salad (Yum Hua Plee)?
Banana Blossom Salad, or Yum Hua Plee, is a traditional Thai dish made with the tender inner petals of the banana flower—also known as banana heart. It’s tossed with lime juice, fish sauce, coconut milk, herbs, and a little protein to create a delicious banana blossom salad that’s creamy, tangy, spicy, and just slightly bitter (in the best way).
The version I’m sharing here is softer and sweeter than the rustic Issan one I grew up with, where we’d load it with fermented fish and fiery Thai chilis. This one leans more coconut-forward with clean, balanced flavors and a touch of extra flavor.
What Are Banana Blossoms?
Also called banana flowers or banana hearts, these deep purple blooms grow at the end of banana clusters. Once you peel away the tough outer petals, the inside is filled with tender shreds you can use just like a vegetable. In Thai cooking, they’re often used in Asian salads like this one—for their texture, mild flavor, and adaptability.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
This delicious banana blossom salad is creamy, coconut-forward, slightly bitter, and full of umami. The texture is more fibrous than my Thai pomelo salad, but just as refreshing.
It’s perfect for light lunches, summer meals, or as an excellent salad base for jasmine rice, sticky rice, or grilled proteins. It’s plant-based friendly and easily adaptable for vegan or vegetarian diets.
Ingredients for Thai Banana Flower Salad
- Thinly sliced banana blossoms — tender inner shreds from fresh banana blossoms, soaked in water with salt and lime juice for a quick 10-minute soak to reduce bitterness.
- Ground pork — cooked with a touch of oil and fish sauce until browned and fragrant. (Feel free to use tofu, shrimp, or chicken.)
- Raw shallots — sliced thin for bite and brightness.
- Chopped cilantro — a handful of fresh herbs for that classic Thai flavor.
- Nam Prik Pao — Thai chili jam that adds smoky heat and depth.
- Coconut milk — adds plenty of richness and creamy contrast to the spicy notes.
- Fish sauce — a classic version like Squid brand gives a salty, umami punch.
- Fresh lime juice — for tang. Use Tamarind juice or vinegar as substitutes
- Palm sugar — or regular sugar, to balance it all out.
- Roasted peanuts and fried shallots — for crunch and contrast.
- Optional: toasted coconut flakes, chopped Thai chilis, spring onions.ingredient 1
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Prepare Banana Blossoms
- Trim the base – Cut off the bottom and wipe off any sticky sap with a towel. It’s totally normal!
- Peel the outer petals – These darker layers are tough and fibrous. Keep going until you get to the soft, pale parts inside. Save the pretty petals if you want to use them as serving bowls later.
- Remove the florets – Inside each layer are little white flowers. Most of the time I toss them, especially if they’re from an older blossom—they can be bitter and chewy. If they’re young and tender, keep a few.
- Slice the core – The core looks like a mini cabbage. Cut it in half to make it easier, then slice everything thinly.
- Soak in lime water – Place the sliced blossoms in a large bowl of cold water with salt and lime juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes. This helps with the bitterness and keeps them from browning.
- Blanch if needed – If your banana blossom feels a little tough or is from an older tree, give it a quick 1-minute blanch in simmering water, then dunk it into an ice bath. Drain well and it’s ready to go.
How to Make Thai Banana Blossom Salad
- Prep the banana blossoms. See section above on how to cut the banana flower. Remove the outer petals and florets and thinly slice the soft, pale layers inside. Soak everything in a large bowl of cold water with lime juice and salt for at least 10 minutes. This step keeps the color bright and helps with the bitter astringency that banana flowers can have.
- Cook the pork. Heat hot oil in a small pan. Cook the ground pork until golden brown and fully cooked through. Season with a little fish sauce. Drain off any excess water or fat and set it aside.Pro tip: Start heating your blanching water while the pork cooks to save time.
- Blanch the banana blossoms. Drop the soaked banana slices into gently boiling water for 30–45 seconds. Transfer them straight into an ice bath to keep the texture crisp. Drain and shake off any leftover water.
- Make the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, stir together Nam Prik Pao, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and coconut milk. This is your flavor bomb!
- Toss it all together. Add the banana blossoms, pork, and the rest of the ingredients—fried shallots, roasted peanuts, and cilantro. Gently mix everything so it’s well coated in that creamy, savory sauce.
- Garnish and serve. The last thing- Top with extra herbs, peanuts, and fried shallots. Use the saved outer petals as little serving bowls if you like—beautiful and no dishes to wash after!
Kitchen Tips!
- Always soak in acidulated water to avoid browning
- Use blanching for older banana flowers to reduce bitterness
- Slice thinly for better texture and flavor absorption and offers a much better texture when eaten.
- Try with shredded chicken, turkey or tofu for easy protein swaps
Variations & Substitutes
- Swap ground pork with shredded chicken breast, tofu, or shrimp
- Make it vegan. Swap pork for tofu and use vegan fish sauce or soy sauce.
- Use cashews or slivered almonds instead of peanuts
- Add toasted coconut for an extra layer of flavor
- Toss in a small handful of chopped green mango, thinly sliced lemongrass for added crunch and tanginess.
- Use sliced red cabbage, napa cabbage, or leafy greens to wrap the salad in.
Storing Leftovers
This salad is best fresh but will keep for up to 1 day in the fridge. Not recommended for longer storage due to the delicate nature of the banana flower.
Try These Recipes Next
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for them fresh or canned at Southeast Asian, Filipino, or Vietnamese markets. Fresh ones are deep red and oval-shaped.
Yes! Totally! They’ve been eaten in Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine for centuries with a long history of cooking them in many different ways- Just prep them the right way and sliced them into long thin pieces.
Yes, but soak in lime water first. Blanching helps if it’s on the older side.
They’re slightly bitter and tart—like cabbage meets artichoke. Creamy dressings balance it out.
Yes! High in fiber and antioxidants. A traditional Thai postpartum food too.
Related Recipes
Looking for other delicious and authentic Thai recipes like this? Try these:
Banana Blossom Salad (Yum Hua Plee)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Thai banana blossom salad is a bold, refreshing dish made with tender banana flower shreds, creamy coconut dressing, and savory pork or your favorite protein. It’s packed with texture and flavor—sweet, salty, tangy, and just a little spicy. If you’re craving something new and full of Thai flavor, this salad is a must-try.
Ingredients
- 3 cups sliced banana blossoms, outer petals and flowerremoved, you'll want to chop these into thin pieces.
- 8 oz ground pork (or any protein: tofu, chicken breast, shrimp)
- ½ cup sliced raw shallots
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons Nam Prik Pao (Thai chili jam)
- ½ cup coconut milk. Adds a creamy flavor base.
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (I use Squid brand)
- 3.5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup roasted peanuts [use my homemade recipe]
- ⅓ cup fried shallots [make it at home here]
- 2 teaspoons palm sugar or regular sugar
- 1 tablespoon flavorful frying oil
- For soaking the sliced blossom: 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon of lime juice and enough water for soaking the blossoms.
- Optional toppings: toasted coconut flakes, chopped Thai chilis, spring onions
Instructions
- Prep the banana blossoms. See the blog post above on how to cut the banana flower with step-by-step images. Remove the outer petals and florets and thinly slice the soft, pale layers inside. Soak everything in a large bowl of cold water with lime juice and salt for at least 10 minutes. This step helps maintain the color's brightness and reduces the bitter taste that banana flowers can have.
- Cook the pork. Heat hot oil in a small pan. Cook the ground pork until golden brown and fully cooked through. Season with a little fish sauce. Drain off any excess water or fat and set it aside.Pro tip: Start heating your blanching water while the pork cooks to save time.
- Blanch the banana blossoms. Drop the soaked banana slices into gently boiling water for 30–45 seconds. Transfer them straight into an ice bath to keep the texture crisp. Drain and shake off any leftover water.
- Make the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, stir together Nam Prik Pao, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and coconut milk. This is your flavor bomb!
- Toss it all together. Add the banana blossoms, pork, and the rest of the ingredients—fried shallots, roasted peanuts, and cilantro. Gently mix everything so it’s well coated in that creamy, savory sauce.
- Garnish and serve. The last thing- Top with extra herbs, peanuts, and fried shallots. Use the saved outer petals as little serving bowls if you like—beautiful and no dishes to wash after!
Notes
- Always soak in acidulated water to avoid browning
- Use blanching for older banana flowers to reduce bitterness
- Slice thinly for better texture and flavor absorption and offers a much better texture when eaten.
- Try with shredded chicken, turkey or tofu for easy protein swaps.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Thai salads
- Method: pan fried
- Cuisine: Thai
Hi there, I’m Suwanee!
I’m the person behind this Thai food blog. I spent the first thirteen years of my childhood in Thailand, where I fell in love with the flavors of Thai cooking. What started as sharing recipes from my kitchen has grown into a journey from home cook to restaurant chef — and now one of just eight contestants chosen nationwide for PBS’s The Great American Recipe, Season 4. You’re in the right place if you love to cook Thai food. Come by often, and let’s get cooking!
Suwanee says
Thank you, Alice! I love it! It's amazing and I love learning about the similararites between the two cuisines as well. I hope I get to try your version sometime soon.
Alice Koh says
This recipe is a taste of home too for my Peranakan culture. We called it Kerabu Jantung Pisang. (Heart of the banana). It always amazed me how similar some of our dishes are.