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One drizzle of this Thai salad dressing recipe, and boom, your greens just leveled the heck up. Flavorful AF and ridiculously easy to throw together, this is just a killer balance of spicy, tangy, sweet, and salty. Drizzle it over crisp salad greens, dunk fresh spring rolls in it, or straight-up spoon it onto chilled rice noodles.
Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
The one ingredient worth double checking is the vegan fish sauce, since brands vary on what goes into it. You can follow my recipe and make it GF for sure!
Skip the blender. Mince the chilies, garlic, and basil fine, then shake it all in a jar. 5 minutes start to finish and no pitcher to wash.
Plain brown sugar does the same work as palm or coconut sugar. And if the concentrate is pricey, purée tamarind paste with boiling water.
Coconut or palm sugar is less processed than brown, which is what my wife reaches for. Pull the sweetener back and let the lime carry it if you want.
Red jalapeños or serranos sub for the bird's eye chilies, Italian basil covers the Thai basil, and parsley stems work if cilantro tastes soapy to you.
Bird's eye chilies bring the fire, but their heat level varies. If you're nervous, start with one and blend, then taste before adding more.
Bottled lime juice is kinda astringent tasting to me. It's such a crucial part of this dressing that it's absolutely worth using the real deal.
Oodles more tips, step-by-step recipe photos, info on weird ingredients, and FAQs are all still here. I just tucked 'em out of the way so you can start cooking sooner.
Thai salads are all about the balance of flavors- spicy from bird's eye chilies, tangy from fresh lime juice and tamarind, deep umami from (in my case, vegan) fish sauce, and a hit of sweetness to round it all out. And yeah, a proper Thai grandma would be smashing all this together with a mortar and pestle, but a blender works just fine (and won't judge you for taking shortcuts).
Like my Japanese goma dressing, Thai sweet chili sauce, Vietnamese peanut sauce, and Arabic tarator, this dressing takes about as much time to make as throwing a smoothie together.
Toss it on grilled veggies, use it as a dipping sauce, or let it soak into some noodles. However you roll, you're about to have a restaurant-level Thai dressing in your fridge, ready to make everything taste better.
Will be craving this over and over
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🥰Why you'll adore this Thai salad dressing recipe
✊ Vegan AF: Like all my vegan Thai recipes, this one has no fish sauce, no honey, and no mashed up animal nonsense of any kind. Just umami-packed Thai goodness that's salty, sweet, sour, and spicy.
🔥 Perfectly Balanced Flavor: Lime juice, tamarind, and vegan fish sauce hang out together like best friends in junior high in this dressing. The sweetness isn't just an afterthought; it's calculated to balance the acidity like a pro.
⚡ Quick & Effortless: Pulse it up in a blender or shake it in a jar and, you've got a restaurant-quality dressing in minutes. No cooking, no stress, verrrrry little mess to deal with.
Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all my vegan recipes, this one went through serious testing with hundreds of cooks all over the globe to make sure it works, so you know you're about to make something awesome that actually works and people love.
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🥗Thai salad dressing ingredients
Bird's Eye Chilies
These small but mighty chilies pack a fiery punch, bringing the characteristic heat to many Thai dishes like Thai yellow curry, pad woon sen, and of course red curry paste. If you have a milder spice preference, substitute with red jalapeños or serrano peppers.
Thai Basil Leaves
Thai basil offers a slightly spicy, anise-like flavor that deepens the dressing's complexity. If you don't have it, Italian basil can be used, and while the dressing will still be yummy, it's not going to taste super-authentic.
Have more in your pantry? Make some Thai basil eggplant (aka the most popular recipe in my site), or some Thai basil fried rice and thank me later.
Cilantro Stems
Often overlooked, cilantro stems are packed with flavor and provide a fresh, citrusy note to the dressing. If you're one of those who find cilantro's taste soapy (not judging you), flat-leaf parsley stems can serve as a substitute. Cilantro is also really good in vegan pad kee mao.
The Sweetener
Brown sugar is the go-to in Thai dressings, bringing that deep, molasses-y sweetness that balances out all the bold flavors. If you like less processed sugar like my wife does, coconut sugar and palm sugar are killer alternatives. Bonus? They're the same sweet magic used to make that sticky caramel in Filipino turon and the gooey filling inside Indonesian klepon.
Vegan Fish Sauce
The vegan fish sauce from Ocean's Halo is my go-to-it's savory, funky, and just the right hit of umami without harming any lovable fishies. If you want a more intense dressing, swap it out for vegan nuoc cham for an extra kick of spice and garlic.
Got leftover vegan fish sauce and don't have a clue what to use it in? Vegan tom kha, vegan tom yum soup, and som tam all use it for a power-up.
Tamarind Concentrate
This tangy, slightly sweet concentrate adds depth and a hint of sourness; it's a staple in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. If you can't get the concentrate, you can make a puree of tamarind paste and boiling water. Of course, tamarind also makes some insanely good imli chutney.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Nam Prik Pao
My nam prik pao recipe cranks up the heat with extra bird's eye chilies and a deep, smoky flavor from the toasted shallots and garlic. Blend it all together with tamarind, palm sugar, and vegan fish sauce, then cook it down to a rich chili paste.
Nam Jim Jaew
Nam jim jaew gets a smoky upgrade with toasted rice powder, adding a nutty depth that amps up the flavor. Swap in ground dried chilies for that extra kick and you've got a sauce that's perfect for grilled tofu or tempeh. The smoky, herbal heat in this dip makes it a knockout with any charred veggie or protein.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make Thai salad dressing
Ace this salad dressing on your first shot by following these step-by-step photos with helpful tips. Or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the easy-to-print recipe card.
Step One
Oblivion:
Finely mince the bird's eye chilies and garlic and grate the ginger.
Step Two
Blender, Done That:
Toss the chopped chilies, ginger, and garlic into a blender with the Thai basil, minced cilantro stems, sugar, vegan fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind concentrate, water, and salt.
Step Three
Smooth Operator:
For a dressing with some texture, pulse a few times. For a smooth consistency, blend on high for 60 seconds.
Step Four
Dress for Success:
Use right away or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Stir before serving.
💡Serving Ideas
This dressing was born to hang out with salads (obviously), the the dream team of Thai cucumber salad, oi muchim, and sunomono all shine with a splash of this magic, turning simple cucumbers into flavor-packed bites with just the right crunch. If you're rolling with Thai tofu larb salad, it'll soak right at home into the crumbled tofu.
And don't you dare stop at salads! Try it with vegan Thai spring rolls, where it adds a tang to the fresh veggies. Or splash it over coconut jasmine rice and vegan green curry tofu for a burst of brightness.
👉Top tips
- Tame the Heat, Don't Mute It:
Bird's eye chilies bring the fire, but their heat level varies. If you're nervous, start with one and blend, then taste before adding more. Want the flavor without the burn? Remove the seeds and membranes before mincing. - Fresh Lime Juice or Bust:
Bottled lime juice is kinda astringent tasting to me. It's basically the way I feel about cartoned, pasteurized orange juice vs. glorious, freshly-squeezed stuff. And it's such a crucial part of this dressing that it's absolutely worth using the real deal.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Thai basil has a little extra spice and an anise-like kick, but if all you've got is regular basil, feel free to roll with it. The flavor will be a bit less authentic but still delicious.
Oh, for sure! This stuff clings to tofu like they were meant to be together. It's also amazing for tossing things like vegan fried chicken in.
Oh yeah. It's a killer dip for banh trang cuon, tofu karaage, or lumpiang shanghai. If you want it thicker, add extra Thai basil or cut down on the water.
❄️ Refrigeration:
Keep this homemade salad dressing in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavors deepen as it sits, but the herbs can lose their intensity, so give it a good stir before using.
✌️You'll love these Thai condiments too:
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Thai Salad Dressing
Equipment
- food processor optional
Ingredients
- 2 bird's eye chilies or to taste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons ginger grated
- ¼ cup Thai basil leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro stems minced
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar coconut sugar, or palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Finely mince the bird's eye chilies and garlic. Grate the ginger
- Transfer to a blender pitcher along with the chopped Thai basil, minced cilantro stems, sugar, vegan fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind concentrate, water, and salt.
- Pulse in the blender a few times for a more textured dressing, or blend for 60 seconds on high speed for a fully smooth dressing.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving.
Notes
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Cy says
Will be craving this over and over