This Thai inspired salad has become our regular summertime go-to recipe in our family. Choose any protein; chicken, turkey tofu or other minces of your choice, add earthy mushrooms for umami + crunchy cucumber, radish, onion, scallions tossed up with tons of fresh herbs and all the Thai flavors we’ve come to love. Its so delicious and fresh you’ll make it on repeat all summer long. Simply sauté ground meat or crumbled tofu with aromatics and mushrooms, once cooked toss it with the chopped veggies, herbs, lime juice and fish sauce. Serve in fresh lettuce leaves and/or rice. Easy dinner to make any day of the week all summer long, it never disappoints.
Thai Larb Salad
Fresh, zesty full of delicious Thai flavors, Larb combines protein along fresh crunchy vegetables making it a perfect summer salad as an appetizer or light dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken, turkey or extra firm tofu crumbled
- 4 ounces cremini or other mushrooms of your choice chopped into small pieces
- 1 medium red onion diced and divided
- 2-3 Persian cucumbers diced
- 3-5 pieces radishes chopped
- 3 scallions sliced
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 5 cloves garlic about 1 tablespoon
- ½-1 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh chili finely chopped thai red or Serrano, use jalepno for mild
- 3 tbsps lemongrass, finely chopped or use 1 tablespoon paste, optional
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fish sauce more as needed, I like red boat brand
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or any other sweetener you have to balance
- â…“ cup lime juice about 2 limes
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup mint torn
- ½ cup Thai basil leaves only, torn
Garnishes
- 1 head Boston Bibb lettuce
- cooked rice as needed
- thai chillies, as needed
- sliced limes to serve
Instructions
Cook Protein
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ½ the diced red onion, mushrooms and sauté 3-4 minutes, add garlic, lemongrass and chili flakes. Saute until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the ground meat or crumbled tofu, breaking it apart with the back of a spoon or spatula. You're looking to have small crumbles Season with salt and black pepper and continue cooking until the meat is cooked or tofu has caramelized golden edges and all the liquid has released and evaporated this will take about 10 minutes. (the larb needs to be slightly dry to be placed in lettuce leaves)
- While the ground protein cooks, chop and prep the remaining ingredients. Add all the veggies to a bowl (cucumber, radish, remaining red onion, scallions). Once the protein is cooked add it to the veggie bowl along with all the 3 herbs, lime juice, sweetener and fish sauce. Taste, adjust lime, salt, sugar and chillies if needed. I like a little extra diced fresh chilies and lime juice.
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