For the Prawns
LaManna Tom Yum prawns
Pad Thai rice noodles
Truss Tomatoes, cut into chunks
Lebanese cucumbers, cut into chunks
Coriander leaves, picked
Mint leaves, picked
Spring onion, sliced
Cashews, roasted & chopped
For the Dressing
Birdseye chilli, finely chopped
Garlic clove, minced
White sugar
Fish sauce
Lime juice
Grapeseed oil
Salt
350g
200g
2
1
1 Cup
1/4 Cup
1
1/4 Cup
1
1
2 tsp
2 Tbsp
3 Tbsp
1 Tbsp
Pinch
Method
Make the Dressing
- Whisk together the chilli, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, grapeseed oil and salt in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
- Set aside.
Cook the Prawns
- Arrange the tom yum prawns on a lined tray and cook in the oven or air fryer at 180°C (160°C fan forced or air fryer) until cooked through and lightly golden.
Cook the Noodles
- While the prawns cook – cook the rice noodles according to the packet directions until just tender.
- Drain well and rinse under cold water to stop them cooking further and to remove excess starch.
Toss the Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the noodles, tomatoes, cucumber, coriander, mint and spring onion.
- Pour over the dressing and toss well to coat everything evenly.
Assemble
- Pile the salad onto a platter or into bowls, top with the tom yum prawns, and scatter over the cashews.
- Serve immediately.
About this recipe
This Thai prawn salad is built around big, punchy flavours that don’t ask much of you in the kitchen. The LaManna Tom Yum Prawns bring the heat and fragrance straight out of the oven, while a quick chilli-lime dressing ties together the noodles, herbs and vegetables underneath.
The dressing is the engine of the whole dish. Fish sauce, lime juice, chilli and a touch of sugar hitting all four corners of salty, sour, spicy and sweet. Make it first so the flavours have a few minutes to come together while everything else cooks. If you’ve got dressing left over, it works just as well drizzled over our Sweet Chilli Prawn Lettuce Cups or as a dipping sauce with rice paper rolls.
For more prawn recipes, try our Summer Prawn Salad with mango and lime-chilli dressing for something tropical, or our Prawn and Chilli Linguine when you’re in the mood for pasta. Browse the full collection on our Recipes page.
What is Thai prawn salad made of?
A Thai prawn salad typically combines rice noodles, fresh herbs like coriander and mint, crunchy vegetables such as cucumber and tomato, and cooked prawns, all tossed in a chilli-lime dressing. This recipe uses LaManna Tom Yum Prawns for extra depth of flavour, and is finished with roasted cashews for crunch.
Can you make Thai prawn salad ahead of time?
You can prep the dressing, chop the vegetables and cook the noodles ahead of time – store them separately in the fridge. Toss everything together and cook the prawns just before serving. The noodles can absorb dressing as they sit, so if you do dress it early, hold back a little dressing to add at the table.
What noodles are best?
Thin pad Thai rice noodles work best.
They’re light, don’t clump as much as thicker noodles, and soak up the dressing well. Rinse them under cold water after cooking to stop them sticking together and to remove excess starch. Vermicelli rice noodles are a good substitute if pad Thai noodles aren’t available.
How do you keep a noodle salad from going soggy?
The key is to drain and rinse the noodles well under cold water after cooking as this stops the cooking process and washes off the starch that causes sticking and sogginess.
Toss the salad just before serving and make sure the cucumber and tomato are cut into chunks rather than finely diced, so they hold their texture.
Is Thai prawn salad healthy?
Prawns are a lean, high-protein ingredient and rice noodles are naturally gluten-free. The dressing uses minimal oil compared to most salad dressings, getting its flavour from lime juice, fish sauce and chilli instead. With fresh herbs, raw vegetables and a handful of cashews for healthy fats, it’s a well-balanced meal that comes in at around 25 minutes.
