Som Tum Isaan is one of the most iconic Thai dishes from northeastern Thailand, known locally as Isaan. It’s a tangy, spicy, pungent, and savory green papaya salad deeply loved in and outside of Thailand.
This green papaya salad takes crisp unripe papaya, chilies, fish sauce, lime juice, and sometimes fermented fish sauce, then pounds everything together to create a bold, refreshing, deeply flavorful salad.
Som Tum Isaan is often served with grilled meats like Sai Krok Isan, Gai Yang or Kor Moo Yang or Crying tiger beef steak, sticky rice, and fresh vegetables.
Jump to:
- What Is Som Tam (Papaya Salad)
- Isaan vs Central Thai Papaya Salad
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Shred Green Papaya for Som Tum
- How to Make Som Tam Isaan
- Tips for Great Som Tam
- How Papaya Salad Is Eaten in Isaan
- MSG and Som Tam
- Equipment
- Why the Mortar and Pestle Matter
- No Mortar and Pestle?
- What Makes Isaan Food So Bold
- Common Questions
- Som Tam Isaan (Isaan Papaya Salad)
- Hi there, I’m Suwanee!
This Som Tum Isaan recipe is the base behind countless papaya salad variations in Thailand. It isn’t the sweet restaurant-style appetizer. This is everyday food, meant to be eaten with sticky rice, grilled meats, and other Isaan dishes at family meals, roadside stands, and local markets.
What Is Som Tam (Papaya Salad)
Som Tam simply means som = sour, tam = pound. This dish is made by pounding green papaya with seasonings in a mortar and pestle. You’ll see countless versions throughout Thailand, including:
- Som Tam Thai (often sweeter, popular in Bangkok)
- Som Tum Lao (savory, spicy, bold)
- Som Tum Pu Pla Ra, with salted crab (Pu Dong)
- Som Tam with fermented fish sauce Isaan (this version)
This recipe is the Isaan style papaya salad I grew up with. It's less sweet, more sour, more savory, alot of pungentcy and built to eat with sticky rice.
Isaan vs Central Thai Papaya Salad
Isaan som tum is bright, sour, and savory, with heat as the default. It’s lightly sweet, often made with fermented fish sauce, and usually eaten with sticky rice and grilled meats.
Central Thai versions tend to be sweeter and milder, often served on their own and commonly topped with peanuts.
Both are delicious. Isaan papaya salad just leans more rustic and bold, the kind of food meant to be eaten with a full table.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Base:
- Garlic. Adds sharpness and aroma. Lightly crushed so it perfumes the salad without overpowering it.
- Thai chilies. Small but very spicy and bring real heat and fragrance. Serrano or Fresno chilies can be used as substitutes with less punch.
- Green papaya. The star of the dish. It should be firm, pale, and crisp. Always use unripe green papaya, never ripe. Add internal link to cutting guide.
- Long beans. Traditionally used in Thailand. Milder and slightly chewy and hold up better when pounded than regular green beans.
- Cherry tomatoes. Add sweetness, acidity, and juice. Gently bruised to release flavor without turning watery.
Seasoning:
- Fish sauce. Provides salt and clean umami. Use a good Thai brand for best flavor.
- Fermented fish sauce (pla ra). The backbone of Isaan som tum. Deep, funky, and savory. I use Pan Thai brand, which is widely available in my city and well balanced for papaya salad. Start small and adjust. Pan Thai is my go brand.
- Fresh lime juice. Brightens and lifts the dish. Leaving the squeezed lime rind in adds extra aroma from the citrus oils.
- Palm sugar. Softens the sour and salty notes with gentle sweetness. Thai palm sugar is best. Light brown sugar works in a pinch.
- MSG. Traditional and optional. Adds depth and savory balance when used lightly.
Traditional Isaan Add Ins (Optional)
- Thai eggplants. Add crunch and slight bitterness.
- Shrimp paste. Can be used if pla ra is unavailable, though the flavor will be different.
- Dried shrimp. Adds chewiness and extra umami.
- Tamarind concentrate. Brings an extra layer of sour depth.
How to Shred Green Papaya for Som Tum
- Shredding green papaya is one of the most important steps in som tum. The texture matters just as much as the seasoning. Read this full post on how to peel a papaya.
- For beginners, I highly recommend using a Kiwi peeler. It’s the easiest and safest method and gives you long, even strands that hold dressing well. Simply peel the skin, cut the papaya in half, scoop out the seeds, and shred downward into thin strands.
- The more traditional method is shredding by hand with a knife, where the papaya is lightly scored and shaved. This is how many Thai cooks do it, but it takes practice and strong knife skills. If you’re not comfortable, it can be dangerous, so go slow or stick with the peeler.
You can find a full step-by-step guide here: How to Cut Green Papaya.
How to Make Som Tam Isaan
- Shred the green papaya. Peel the papaya, rinse it, and pat dry. Shred it into thin strands using one of the methods pictured above. Keep the shredded papaya in an ice bath until you’re ready to use it so it stays crisp.
- Pound garlic and chilies. Just until crushed and fragrant, not pasty.
- Add the vegetables. Add the long beans and pound until lightly broken, not mushy. Add the cherry tomatoes and the lime wedges and pound lightly. Leave the squeezed lime halves in the mortar to releases aromatic oils. I do this step before the sauces on purpose to build flavor early.
- Add shredded papaya. Add the shredded papaya and gently pound and toss until everything is coated.
- Add the seasonings. Add fish sauce, Pla Ra, lime juice, palm sugar, and MSG. Start with small amounts and adjust as you go. You should hit sour, salty, and spicy right away. The trick is to add small amounts and increase at you go. Taste and adjust often, especially if you’re new to making papaya salad.
- Balance + serve. Adjust with more chilies, lime, sugar or fish sauce as needed. That's it! Enjoy immediately. Som Tum isn’t meant to sit. The texture and flavors fade quickly.
Tips for Great Som Tam
- Always use green papaya, not ripe papaya. Ripe papaya is too soft and sweet and will lose both texture and balance quickly.
- Soak shredded papaya in an ice bath for extra crunch
- Taste constantly and adjust
- Add lime, fish sauce, and pla ra gradually
- Don’t over-pound the vegetables
- Balance som tum with other dishes on the table
How Papaya Salad Is Eaten in Isaan
Som tum is a staple dish in Isaan food, where meals are built around bold salads, sticky rice, and shared plates. It is rarely eaten alone. In northeastern Thailand, it’s served alongside:
- Laab Moo (Pork larb)
- Khao niew (sticky rice)
- Beef larb
- Sai Krok Isaan (fermented sausage)
- Nam Jim Jaew dipping sauce
- Isaan soups like Gaeng Om Gai
- Bamboo shoot salad (Soop Nor Mai)
- Raw vegetables like cabbage, water spinach, leafy lettuce, cucumber, and long beans
- Boiled eggs or pork rinds as extra protein
MSG and Som Tam
MSG is very common in Som Tum and in many Thai dishes. It’s very commonly used, especially in street food and everyday cooking. It boosts savory depth without replacing fish sauce and is added in small amounts. Optional at home, but very traditional.
Equipment
- Mortar and pestle. Non negotiable for real som tum. A Thai clay or granite mortar lightly bruises the papaya so it absorbs the dressing without turning soft. A blender won’t work.
- Knife or julienne tool. Hand shaved is traditional, but a julienne peeler works. Thin strands hold flavor best. Kiwi Peeler tool pictured on the right.
- Large spoon. Helps scoop and toss while pounding so everything coats evenly.
Why the Mortar and Pestle Matter
Som tum isn’t tossed like a regular salad. It’s gently pounded so the vegetables bruise just enough to release their oils and soak up the dressing while staying crisp. This pounding motion is the heart of som tum cooking. A mortar and pestle helps release aroma from the garlic and chilies, naturally mix the seasoning, and give the papaya the right texture without turning it mushy.
No Mortar and Pestle?
Try One of These methods:
- Large bowl + wooden spoon or muddler. Add the papaya, chilies, and garlic to a large bowl and use the back of a wooden spoon or a muddler to gently bruise everything. You’re not mashing, just waking it up. Toss as you go so the dressing coats evenly.
- Make the sauce first. Mix the dressing in a small bowl and set it aside. Finely chop the garlic and chilies, add them to the sauce, and let it sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Once everything’s ready, combine and gently massage by hand. Gloves help.
- Zip loc bag method. Put everything into a sturdy zip loc bag, seal it, and lightly roll over it with a rolling pin or another heavy kitchen tool. Go gently. This mimics the bruising without turning the papaya mushy.
It won’t be exactly the same as using a mortar and pestle, but these methods will still get you a flavorful, satisfying som tum at home!
What Makes Isaan Food So Bold
Som Tum is one of Thailand’s most loved foods and a big part of Isaan cooking. If you actually know what Som Tum Pla Ra is and order it at a street stall, food court, or local restaurant, don’t be surprised if people look at you for a second.
It’s usually that impressed, slightly shocked kind of look. You’ll probably get a few laughs, some comments, and a lot of approval.
Pla ra has always been seen as “stinky” food, something tied to rural life and a poor man’s diet. For a long time, it wasn’t something foreigners were expected to eat. But that story is shifting. People are talking about it more, cooking it proudly, and owning it. What used to be brushed off as humble is now being celebrated for what it really is the heart of Isaan flavor and culture.
Common Questions
Traditionally, yes. But you can reduce the chilies and adjust to your heat tolerance.
Yes. Green mango, chayote, cucumber, or fresh green beans work in a pinch.
Som Tum Isaan is bolder, more savory, and more pungent due to pla ra and sharper acidity. Som Tum Thai is sweeter, milder, and does not use pla ra.
Pla ra isn’t technically required, but it’s what defines Som Tum Isaan. Without it, the dish loses its depth and character.
Som Tam Isaan (Isaan Papaya Salad)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Som Tum Isaan is one of the most iconic dishes from northeastern Thailand. This bold, spicy, pungent green papaya salad is Thailand’s most famous salad, eaten everywhere from street stalls to family tables.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1–10 Thai chilies, fresh or dried (adjust to taste)
- ⅓ cup long beans, cut into 1½ inch pieces. Any type of beans will work.
- ⅓ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1½ cups green papaya, finely shredded (about 6 oz)
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce (Thai brand preferred, Squid brand works well)
- 3 tablespoons fermented fish sauce (pla ra) – Pan Thai brand
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus ½ squeezed lime, rind left in
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar, finely shaved or softened. Regular white sugar will also work
- 1 tablespoon water (to loosen the sauce)
- ½ teaspoon MSG (optional but traditional)
Instructions
- Shred the green papaya. Peel the papaya, rinse it, and pat dry. Shred it into thin strands using one of the methods pictured above. Keep the shredded papaya in an ice bath until you’re ready to use it so it stays crisp.
- Pound garlic and chilies. Just until crushed and fragrant.
- Add the vegetables. Add the long beans and pound until lightly broken, not mushy. Add the cherry tomatoes and the lime wedges and pound lightly. Leave the squeezed lime halves in the mortar to releases aromatic oil. I do this step before the sauces on purpose to build flavors.
- Add shredded papaya. Add the shredded papaya and gently pound and toss until everything is coated.
- Add the seasonings. Add fish sauce, Pla Ra, lime juice, water, palm sugar, and MSG. Start with small amounts and adjust as you go. You should hit sour, salty, and spicy right away. The trick is to add small amount and increase at you go. Taste and adjust often, especially if you’re new to making papaya salad.
- Balance + serve. Adjust with more chilies, lime, sugar or fish sauce as needed. Enjoy immediately. Som Tum isn’t meant to sit. The texture and flavors fade quickly.
Notes
- Soak your shredded papaya in an ice bath before pounding for that coveted extra crisp and crunch salad.
- Taste constantly and adjust as needed, especially if you're new to the salad.
- Add lime, fish sauce, Pla Ra and MSG gradually
- Don't over-pound the papaya or the other veggies you choose to add to the salad, just a light crush is enough.
- Balance with other dishes served on your table. Som Tum is one part of a balanced Isaan meal, not the whole plate.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Isaan recipes, Thai salads
- Method: Pounding
- Cuisine: Isaan Recipe, 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!
Susan says
Zowie. The photos alone make me want to love this salad! This is my sister's fave dish but it's never won me over at restaurants. lol BUT Suwanee's presentation and explanation make me believe it's wonderful and want to make it myself!!😀 Love this site so much and all of her amazing photos first-hand knowledge of Thai food❤️. More please!