✔ Updated · rebuilt as 26 traditional Thai sides grouped by type + curry pairings
Thai side dishes are the salads, rice, stir-fried vegetables and small bites that round out a Thai meal.
The most popular Thai side dishes are jasmine rice, sticky rice, coconut rice, som tam (green papaya salad), Thai cucumber salad, stir-fried morning glory, Thai green beans, tod mun pla (fish cakes), fresh spring rolls, corn fritters and chicken satay with peanut sauce. With curry, serve jasmine rice plus something cool and crunchy, like cucumber salad.
In Thailand, dishes are shared family-style around a bowl of rice, and a good spread balances spicy, sour, salty and sweet flavors with something fresh and crunchy. Below are 26 easy Thai side dishes, grouped into fresh salads, rice, vegetables and small bites, with what each one tastes like, which ones suit Thai curry best and the pantry staples you need to make most of them.
Thai Salads
Thai salads (yam) are bright, crunchy and often spicy, dressed with lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar and fresh chili rather than oil. They are my favorite way to cool down and freshen up a rich curry or grilled meat.
1. Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)
Shredded unripe papaya pounded with garlic, chili, lime, fish sauce and palm sugar, plus tomatoes, long beans and roasted peanuts. Sour, sweet and fiery.
2. Thai Cucumber Salad
Cucumber, red onion and chili in a sweet-sour vinegar or lime dressing with crushed peanuts. A cool, five-minute side for curry, satay and fish cakes.
3. Yam Mamuang (Green Mango Salad)
Tart shredded green mango tossed with shallots, cilantro, chili, toasted peanuts and a lime, fish sauce and palm sugar dressing. Crunchy and refreshing.
4. Larb (Minced Meat Salad)
Minced chicken or pork cooked with lime, fish sauce, chili flakes, shallots, mint and toasted rice powder. Serve warm in lettuce cups with sticky rice.
5. Yam Woon Sen (Glass Noodle Salad)
Springy mung bean glass noodles tossed with shrimp or ground pork, celery, onion, tomato, peanuts and a spicy lime dressing. Good warm or at room temperature.
6. Yam Kai Dao (Fried Egg Salad)
Crispy-edged fried eggs cut into pieces and tossed with shallots, celery, tomato, chili, lime juice and fish sauce. Ready in 15 minutes.
7. Yam Makheua Yao (Grilled Eggplant Salad)
Long green eggplants charred until soft, peeled and dressed with lime, fish sauce, chili and shallots, often with shrimp and a sliced boiled egg.
8. Ajad (Cucumber Relish)
Thin cucumber slices, shallot and chili in a quick sweet vinegar dressing. The classic cool side for satay, fish cakes and rich curries.
Thai Rice Sides
Rice is the center of almost every Thai meal, and the other dishes are often described as things to eat with rice. I always make fluffy jasmine rice, which is standard in central and southern Thailand, while sticky rice is the everyday staple in the north and northeast (Isan). For more ideas, see our rice recipes.
9. Jasmine Rice (Khao Suay)
Fragrant, soft long-grain rice steamed or simmered plain. The default side for curries, stir-fries and salads. Rinse it well and use about 1 1/4 cups water per cup.
10. Sticky Rice (Khao Niao)
Glutinous rice soaked for at least 4 hours and steamed until chewy. Eaten by hand with som tam, larb and grilled chicken, or with mango for dessert.
11. Thai Coconut Rice
Jasmine rice simmered in coconut milk and water with a pinch of salt and sugar until rich and lightly sweet. A natural partner for spicy curries and satay.
12. Khao Pad (Thai Fried Rice)
Day-old jasmine rice stir-fried with egg, garlic, onion, fish sauce and a little soy, served with cucumber slices and lime wedges. Ready in 15 minutes.
13. Khao Pad Sapparot (Pineapple Fried Rice)
Jasmine rice stir-fried with pineapple, cashews, raisins, egg, curry powder and fish sauce, sometimes served in a hollowed-out pineapple.
14. Kai Jeow (Thai Omelet)
Eggs beaten with fish sauce and deep-fried in hot oil until puffy and golden with crisp edges. Served over rice with sriracha; a comfort-food staple.
Thai Vegetable Sides
Thai vegetable sides are cooked fast and hot in a wok, so they stay crisp and bright. Oyster sauce, garlic, chili and fish sauce do most of the seasoning work, and I keep all four in my pantry.
15. Pad Pak Boong (Stir-Fried Morning Glory)
Water spinach flash-fried with garlic, chili, fermented soybean paste and oyster sauce. One of Thailand's most popular vegetable dishes; regular spinach works too.
16. Thai Stir-Fried Green Beans
Green or long beans stir-fried with red curry paste, garlic, fish sauce and a pinch of sugar, often with kaffir lime leaves. Spicy, savory and crisp-tender.
17. Stir-Fried Eggplant with Thai Basil
Soft Asian eggplant stir-fried with garlic, chili, soy, oyster sauce and a big handful of Thai basil until silky and glossy. Great with plain jasmine rice.
18. Pad Pak Ruam (Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry)
Whatever is fresh, often cabbage, carrot, baby corn, mushrooms and broccoli, stir-fried hot with garlic, oyster sauce and a splash of fish sauce.
19. Pad Kana (Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce)
Crisp Chinese broccoli (gai lan) flash-fried with garlic, chili and oyster sauce, sometimes with crispy pork belly. Bitter-sweet and bright green.
Thai Appetizers, Small Bites and Sauces
These small bites work as starters or as extra dishes on a shared table. Most are served with a sweet chili, peanut or cucumber dipping sauce.
20. Tod Mun Pla (Thai Fish Cakes)
Springy fish cakes made from minced white fish, red curry paste, kaffir lime leaves and sliced long beans, fried until golden. Serve with cucumber relish.
21. Fresh Spring Rolls (Por Pia Sod)
Soft rice paper wrapped around rice noodles, lettuce, herbs, cucumber, carrot and cooked shrimp, served with peanut or sweet chili sauce. No frying needed.
22. Thai Corn Fritters (Tod Man Khao Pod)
Crispy fritters of sweet corn kernels, red curry paste, egg and rice flour with lime leaves, fried in small spoonfuls. A good vegetarian side with sweet chili sauce.
23. Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Chicken strips marinated in coconut milk, turmeric and spices, grilled on skewers to 165°F and served with creamy peanut sauce and cucumber relish (ajad).
24. Son-in-Law Eggs (Kai Look Keuy)
Hard-boiled eggs fried until blistered and golden, then drizzled with a sweet, sour and salty tamarind sauce and topped with crispy shallots and chili.
25. Por Pia Tod (Fried Spring Rolls)
Thin wrappers rolled around glass noodles, cabbage, carrot and pork or mushrooms, fried at 350°F until crisp and dipped in sweet chili sauce.
26. Moo Ping (Grilled Pork Skewers)
Pork shoulder marinated in garlic, cilantro root, fish sauce, palm sugar and coconut milk, grilled on skewers to 145°F. A street-food favorite with sticky rice.
What to Serve With Thai Green Curry
Thai green curry is rich, creamy and spicy, so pair it with something plain to soak up the sauce and something fresh and crunchy for contrast. The same rule works for red, yellow, massaman and panang curries. For the difference between the two most common curries, see red curry vs. green curry, and for more pairings, our guide to what to serve with chicken curry.
- To soak up the sauce: jasmine rice, coconut rice or rice noodles.
- To cool it down: Thai cucumber salad or cucumber relish (ajad).
- For crunch: fish cakes, corn fritters or fresh spring rolls.
- For greens: stir-fried morning glory or green beans, kept lightly seasoned so they don't compete with the curry.
Easiest Thai Side Dishes to Make at Home
If you are new to Thai cooking, start with the sides that need no special equipment and are ready in 20 minutes or less.
| Side dish | Time | Key ingredients | Best with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thai cucumber salad | 10 min | Cucumber, red onion, chili, vinegar, sugar, peanuts | Curry, satay, fish cakes |
| Jasmine rice | 20 min | Jasmine rice, water | Almost everything |
| Coconut rice | 25 min | Jasmine rice, coconut milk, salt, sugar | Curry, satay, grilled meats |
| Stir-fried morning glory | 10 min | Water spinach, garlic, chili, oyster sauce | Rice, grilled chicken or fish |
| Thai green beans | 15 min | Green beans, red curry paste, fish sauce | Rice, fried rice, curry |
| Fresh spring rolls | 25 min | Rice paper, rice noodles, herbs, shrimp | Pad Thai, salads, as a starter |
Thai Pantry Staples for Side Dishes
A handful of staples covers most of the dishes on this list. Fish sauce brings salt and savory depth, lime and tamarind add sourness, palm sugar balances the heat, and fresh herbs finish everything off. Pair your sides with a main like our pad Thai, or read up on spring rolls vs. egg rolls and how to ripen a mango for mango sticky rice. For more tangy ingredients, see our list of sour foods.
- Sauces: fish sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sweet chili sauce.
- Sour and sweet: limes, tamarind paste, palm sugar or light brown sugar, rice vinegar.
- Aromatics: garlic, shallots, Thai chilies, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, red curry paste.
- Herbs: cilantro, Thai basil and mint.
- Pantry: jasmine rice, glutinous (sticky) rice, coconut milk, roasted peanuts, rice noodles, rice paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are traditional Thai side dishes?
Traditional Thai sides include jasmine rice, sticky rice, som tam (green papaya salad), larb, stir-fried morning glory, fish cakes (tod mun pla), son-in-law eggs and cucumber relish. In Thailand, dishes are shared at the table rather than served as a main with sides, all eaten with rice.
What goes well with Thai green curry?
Serve Thai green curry with steamed jasmine rice or coconut rice to soak up the sauce, plus something fresh and crunchy such as Thai cucumber salad. Fish cakes, corn fritters, fresh spring rolls and lightly seasoned stir-fried greens also make good accompaniments.
What are some easy Thai side dishes?
The easiest are Thai cucumber salad, jasmine rice, coconut rice, stir-fried morning glory or spinach, and Thai green beans. Each takes 25 minutes or less and uses everyday Thai staples like fish sauce, lime, garlic, chili and oyster sauce.
What is the most popular Thai side dish?
Rice is the most common, since almost every Thai meal is built around jasmine or sticky rice. Beyond rice, som tam (green papaya salad) is one of the best known and most loved Thai dishes, along with stir-fried morning glory and chicken satay.
What Thai side dishes are vegetarian?
Thai cucumber salad, coconut rice, jasmine and sticky rice, corn fritters, stir-fried eggplant with Thai basil and fresh vegetable spring rolls are easy to make vegetarian. Swap fish sauce for light soy sauce and use a vegetarian oyster sauce made from mushrooms.
