Papaya Salad

After a week camping I’m ready to get back to routine, especially with another trip coming up. That means all the salads and smoothies! Not because I’m trying to eat healthy but just because I missed my smoothies and even with taking lots of veggies and fruit up it still wasn’t the same or enough. Since I’m SERIOUSLY missing my papaya this Papaya Salad is one of the first things I’ll be making. After a papaya smoothie this morning since I have to run and get or have fresh papaya, and cabbage, delivered.

I’ve really been loving papaya, especially since Baby G was born. My family well not so much. All of them have grabbed cut papaya out of the fridge thinking it was cantaloupe and been really upset with me. Speaking of cantaloupe it was one of the things we took with us camping and ate 2 cantaloupes in a day! There was a little left that the in-laws and other family helped finish up.

I brought a papaya up camping and planned to cut it in half and eat it with overnight oats or muesli. The second day we were up there it finally started feeling like it was getting a little ripe and not rock hard so I made my muesli only to wake up the next morning to a rotten papaya. I was really upset. There was no finding a papaya up in Ely, the closest town to where we were staying up in the BWCA.

We weren’t portaging or having

any crazy BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area) trip just our annual family camping trip with my husband’s family (he is the oldest of 6 kids). All of us get together and last year we found this amazing group camp site. It has a private dock on a BWCA lake. Everyone loved it so much last August they booked it again. The only week we could get was this past week as it books up a year ahead of time. Last time I was 11 weeks pregnant and not feeling the best. This year we took Baby G on his first canoe ride and it was his first camping trip! He turned 3 months old the day we were suppose to leave but things didn’t go as planned and we left the morning after.

Back to this salad and I’m trying to keep it quick since we just got unpacked, I’m exhausted, and it’s late. I didn’t want to take time away from the family so I didn’t get the post written while we were gone and things were crazy before leaving. I planned on trying to write it on the long 5+ hour car ride home but lost my computer cord.

Any coleslaw or cabbage salad fans out there? Or maybe Thai or Asian food fans? If there are this is for you! Everyone else give it a try I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how good this simple salad is!

All you need is a firm, not too ripe, papaya and a handful of ingredients and you can whip it up in less than 15 minutes! Even quicker if you buy an Asian Salad mix and shredded carrots. Just papaya, cabbage, carrots, cilantro, green onion, Thai chili pepper, peanuts, and a few ingredients for the dressing, oh and no oil. So much fresh flavor and texture!

I’m lucky enough that IF our garden does well all I need to buy to make this salad are papaya, peanuts, and the dressing ingredients. I have to run out and check my herb wall and our garden this morning as it was dark when I got a chance to last night.

I really don’t know if I even got my point across at how delicious this salad is but the post is way longer than I planned or intended and it’s late so if not I hope the few pictures I snap speak for themselves.

Don’t forget it’s Meatless Monday and there are more great recipes linked up below and as always Deborah and I hope you join us and look forward to what’s cooking in your kitchen.

Print Recipe

Papaya Salad

Fresh and flavorful this Papaya Salad will tantalize your taste buds! Vegan, gluten free, and vegan friendly this healthy salad will be on repeat this summer.

Course

Dinner, Lunch

Prep Time

15 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 2 c shredded papaya
• 14 oz shredded cabbage (or Asian salad mix with cilantro omit cilantro)
• 1/2 c shredded carrots
• 1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh red Thai chili pepper with seeds, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/4 c coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Dressing

• 5 TBSP fresh lime juice
• 3 TBSP coconut palm sugar, or sub brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 TBSP fish sauce, optional

Course Dinner, Lunch Prep Time 15 minutes Servings servings Ingredients 2 c shredded papaya 14 oz shredded cabbage (or Asian salad mix with cilantro omit cilantro) 1/2 c shredded carrots 1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 fresh red Thai chili pepper with seeds, thinly sliced (optional) 1/4 c coarsely chopped salted peanuts Dressing 5 TBSP fresh lime juice 3 TBSP coconut palm sugar, or sub brown sugar 3 garlic cloves, grated 2 TBSP fish sauce, optional

Instructions

1. Mix dressing ingredients and set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cabbage, carrots, cilantro (reserving a little for garnish optional), green onion, and sliced chili pepper.
3. Gently add in shredded papaya. I like to use my mandolin but a large box grater or even vegetable peeler work.
4. Toss with dressing and divide into bowls.
5. Top with optional peanuts and remaining cilantro.
6. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

To make paleo sub almonds, or omit for nut free option.

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