Crispy Rice Salad with Crab and Mango

Crispy Rice Salad with crab and mango is a true flavor explosion! Golden, crunchy jasmine rice, sweet diced mango, delicate crab meat and a zesty dressing packed with lime, fish sauce, and plenty of fresh herbs. This Thai-inspired salad is zesty, light, fresh and full of texture – truly a party for your taste buds 🙂

If you are stuck in a bit of a food rut then this crispy rice salad is here to shake things up!! It is a salad, but not your average salad.

Picture this: crispy rice mixed with crab, mango and a loads fresh herbs tied together with a with an addicting dressing that hits all the flavor notes —sweet, salty, tangy and spicy.

It is just the kind of recipe I turn to when I feel like something light but, I can’t stress this enough, not boring! Why settle for a limp salad when you can make this crispy rice salad in mere minutes?

Crispy Rice Salad Origins

Crispy rice salad may have caught your eye trending on social media, but is NOT a new-fangled recipe. The OG crispy rice salad is Nam Khao (also known as Nam Khao Tod or Naem Khao), popular in Laos and northeastern Thailand.

The combo of tangy, spicy, salty and fresh flavors is classic in Southeast Asian cuisine and surprisingly easy to recreate at home. This is my version which brings together the essence of the original dish plus some of my own flourishes.

Here’s What You Will Need

Let’s take a look at the key elements that make this recipe so darned special! There’s a couple of specialist ingredients but, luckily, they are readily available.

• The rice: this salad is best made with day-old rice but I always make mine using those microwave-ready packs of jasmine or sushi rice for convenience. The rice is mixed with Thai red curry paste, cornstarch and sesame oil then fried until crispy.
• The dressing: zesty lime juice, salty fish sauce, sweet palm sugar or brown sugar and chopped chili. You can also add some chiu chow chili oil (chili crisp) for some extra heat!
• The all-important herbs: cilantro (coriander), mint and Thai basil or sweet basil if you can’t find the Thai version. I have been on a Thai kick of late (check my Thai Basil Chicken recipe!) so I am determined to grow Holy Basil and Thai Basil at home – watch this space!
• And the rest: I love to add lump crab meat to my crispy rice salad. You can use fresh crab or good-quality tinned crab meat. Fresh mango adds a lovely sweet note that balances the saltiness of the dressing. Finish off with some chopped shallots, red onion or scallions and chopped roasted peanuts for extra texture and crunch.

How to Make Crispy Rice Salad

Make the Crispy Rice

1. Add the rice, Thai red curry paste, cornstarch and toasted sesame oil in a bowl. Stir well to combine so that every grain of the rice is coated.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan or a cast iron skillet. Add the rice in a thin layer, press down and cook undisturbed for about five minutes or until it is golden and crispy underneath.
3. Flip over, don’t worry if it breaks into chunks, to crisp both sides. Drizzle a bit more oil, as needed, and cook until the rice is crunchy and golden. Transfer the rice into a large bowl and allow it to cool.

1. You can also crisp up the rice in the air fryer. Preheat to 400°F (200°C) for 2 minutes. Add a little neutral oil to the air fryer basket, spread the rice on it and press down. Cook for about 7 minutes or until the rice is crisp at the edges and still a bit chewy in the middle.

Make the Dressing and Assemble the Salad

1. Add all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and stir well to combine, making sure the sugar is fully dissolved.
2. Break up the rice into small chunks. Add the shallots, mango, crab meat and chopped herbs. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine.
3. Garnish with the chopped peanuts and serve with sliced chili and some extra lime wedges. SO YUMMY!!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Storage: This crispy rice salad is best served fresh. Leftovers will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator but the rice may lose some of its crispness. You could prepare the various salad elements ahead of time and combine them just before serving.
• Up the veggies: Feel free to add more veggies such as crunchy diced cucumber, sliced avocado, edamame beans, snow peas or papaya to this salad.
• Change up the protein: You can also replace the crab with cooked shrimp, flaked salmon, chicken or tofu or tempeh.
• What’s a good substitute for fish sauce? You can replace the fish sauce (nam pla) with light soy sauce and rice vinegar if preferred.
• Can I cook the rice in the oven? Absolutely! Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with a liner or baking paper. Spread the rice in an even thin layer and bake for about 15 minutes, flipping or stirring halfway through. You want golden brown edges and dry, crunchy bits. For ultra-crunchy rice, bake a few minutes longer — but make sure you keep an eye on it. Let the rice cool before using – it will crisp even more as it cools.

HAVE YOU MADE THIS CRISPY RICE SALAD RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #Nusde and make my day! I have also just launched my TikTok channel and would love to meet you there 🙂

You might also like my Black Rice Salad with Salmon.