Southern Thai-inspired rice salad with pad Thai sauce

Inspired by childhood summers in Southern Thailand, this vibrant rice salad captures the freshness and variety of local market cooking. Traditionally known as khao yum, this dish combines steamed rice with crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs, and layers of texture that make every bite bright and satisfying.

In this version, we use our authentic Pad Thai Sauce to create a quick and approachable dressing that brings together sweet, tangy, and savory flavors. It is a simple way to enjoy the spirit of Southern Thai cuisine at home using ingredients you already have on hand.

With just 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, this vegan and gluten-free dish is perfect for a light meal, warm-weather lunch, or a fresh side to share. You can easily customize it with your favorite vegetables, making it a flexible and nourishing recipe for everyday cooking.

Author

Watcharee Limanon

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

2

Category

Entrée

Cuisine

Thai

Ingredients

• WATCHAREE’S Pad Thai sauce (for dressing)
• 3 cups of cooked rice
• 1 cup of coconut flakes, roasted and ground
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• ½ cup, green mango, shredded
• 1 cup green beans, sliced
• ½ cup lemongrass, diagonally sliced
• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup walnuts
• 5-10 kaffir lime leaves, chiffonaded
• Edible flowers (optional)
• Dried red chili (optional)

Directions

1. Arrange cooked rice in a bowl. My favorite is Thai jasmine rice cooked using water that is infused with butterfly pea flowers and a few drops of lime juice to change the color from purple to blue. Substitute jasmine rice with brown rice, Thai riceberry, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
2. Arrange the rest of vegetables on top of your rice bowl. You can substitute ingredients with your favorite vegetables such as zucchini or cucumber.
3. Add edible flowers if you have them and serve with WATCHAREE’S pad Thai sauce. Mix all ingredients and pad Thai sauce together. Enjoy!