This Thai Prawn Mango Salad is testament to the fact that prawn and mango are a match made in heaven. This salad is made with fresh summer ingredient, and the result is an incredibly refreshing salad that’s light, herby and crunchy.

This Thai Prawn Mango Salad has to be one of my favourite mango dishes ever. Inspired by Thai flavours, this one’s a true tropical delight. Made without mayo or other usual heavy dressings, this one’s light, refreshing and super healthy.

If you’re a salad lover, you’ll be licking the bowl clean. And if you aren’t too big on salads, one bite and you’ll be transformed!

Love Mango Recipes? Check out Chicken Mango Salad, Mango Sorbet, Mango Dressing, Mango Cheesecake and Mango Ice Cream

Reasons You’ll Want To Try This Salad ASAP

• A no-cook salad that is healthy and super delicious
• Requires very little prep and comes together in just 10-15 minutes
• Uses simple ingredients
• The unique combination of mango, herbs and chillies makes it sweet, spicy and really refreshing
• Loaded with veggies for that lovely crunch
• Wholesome and hearty and the addition of rice noodles means this can double as a meal

Prawn & Mango Ingredients

I love that this Thai prawn salad uses just a handful of simple ingredients that are easily available. Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

• Prawns: Large or medium prawns work best with this recipe, but you can use any variety you prefer.

Frozen prawns are tricky defrost, especially if you’re a beginner. Make sure to check out my article on how to defrost prawns safely for 4 different methods of defrosting prawns.

• Mango: I have used 1 ripe and firm Alphonso mango for this salad. You can use any variety that’s easily available to you. Just make sure it’s perfectly ripe (for the sweetness) and firm so that it doesn’t disintegrate when tossed into the salad.
• Veggies: I have used onions, English cucumbers, red bell peppers and iceberg lettuce. Carrots, green beans and cherry tomatoes also work really well in this recipe.
• Vermicelli noodles: Cooked rice vermicelli noodles for an authentic Asian taste.
• Chillies: Finely chopped and added to the dressing for heat and spice. I have used green chillies here but if you get your hands on Thai red chillies, those are the best!
• Coriander and Mint: Both stem and leaves for lots of fresh flavour.  
• Thai Salad dressing: Mix fresh white vinegar or lime juice, fish sauce, coconut sugar or jaggery, grated ginger and garlic. Is super light and refreshing; perfect for this summer salad.

How to make Thai Prawn Mango Salad

Here’s a quick step by step collage to show you how to make Prawn Mango Salad:

1. Blanch prawns in boiling water with salt. Cook small prawns for 30 secs and large prawns for 1.5-2 minutes. Immediately strain the prawns and run them under cold water. Set aside.

2. Add all the dressing ingredients and mix to combine.

3. Add the veggies and toss it with some of the dressing.

4. Add the blanched prawns and toss!

5. Add the rice vermicelli noodles to a serving plate and drizzle the remaining dressing.

6. Add the rest of the tossed salad onto the noodles and serve!

Richa’s Top Tips

• Cooking Prawn: An important step to nail this prawn salad recipe lies in cooking the prawns. If you are using large prawns, blanch them in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. But for smaller varieties, just 30-45 seconds is enough. Avoid over blanching them to keep them plump and juicy.
• How to know when prawns are cooked: When the prawns start to curl and turn slightly pink, remove them from the salt water. This means that they are cooked.
• Use good quality ripe mango for that perfect flavour
• Make sure to cut all the veggies to the same size for a nice and even texture.

Storage Tips

• This salad is best enjoyed fresh, especially because the prawns and mango can lose texture over time.
• If you need to store it, keep the dressing and salad components separate. Toss everything together just before serving.
• Store cooked prawns in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1–2 days.
• Cut mango and veggies can be refrigerated separately for up to a day, though they may release some moisture.
• If already mixed, refrigerate and consume within 24 hours. The salad may become slightly soggy but will still taste good.
• Avoid freezing, as both prawns and mango do not hold up well after thawing.

Customisation Ideas

• Make it vegetarian: Swap prawns with pan-fried tofu, tempeh, or even chickpeas for a hearty plant-based version.
• Adjust the heat: Add more fresh red chillies or a dash of chilli oil if you like it spicy, or skip them for a milder salad.
• Switch the herbs: Use a mix of fresh mint, coriander, and Thai basil for a more layered, aromatic flavour.
• Add crunch: Toss in roasted peanuts, cashews, or crispy fried shallots for extra texture.
• Play with sweetness: If mangoes aren’t very sweet, balance the flavours with a little extra palm sugar or honey in the dressing.
• Bulk it up: Add cooked rice noodles or glass noodles to turn this into a more filling meal.
• Citrus twist: Try a mix of lime and orange juice for a slightly different tangy-sweet profile.

The perfect addition to any summer meal, this Thai Prawn Mango Salad is sure to be a hit with anyone who eats it. Be sure to make a large batch of this for all the summer parties you’ll be hosting this season!

Watch Thai Prawn Mango Salad Recipe Video

LOVE THIS RECIPE? Subscribe to my newsletter and be the first to receive all new recipes!

This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.