Yam Khai Dao (Thai Fried Egg Salad)
Yam Khai Dao is a crispy, crunchy, spicy and tangy Thai fried egg salad that is seriously delicious. Fried eggs get sliced and teamed up with a mix of veggies and tossed in a bold and flavorful dressing to make this salad that's perfect as a quick lunch or a sizzling side!
The best part? It comes together in under 30 minutes, just like my chickpea egg salad and Egyptian boiled egg salad, making it a great lunch option when you're looking for something rich in protein.
I've recently been obsessing over the fiery and tangy flavors of Thai food- especially my Prik Nam Pla, which is perfect to team up with potstickers.
This salad borrows those flavors, and elevates a simple egg salad, taking it to the next level. And of course, that crunchy, crispy texture from the fried eggs is a beautiful contrast to the soft, juicy tomatoes and the dressing.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
The best part about the recipe has to be its flavor! The balanced sweet, spicy and tanginess is to die for, and it perfectly reflects the spirit of Thai cooking while still keeping it simple and easy.
This salad is an absolute staple in my household- we end up making it almost every week, and once you give it a try, I'm sure you'll love it too.
Recipe Ingredients
Eggs: Preferably organic and range-free. I like to buy the best quality eggs, especially for recipes (like my Mexican deviled eggs), which feature them as the main ingredient.
Tomato: Choose a ripe, juicy and bright red tomato.
Onion + garlic: For that savory, umami flavor.
Red chilies: An absolute must- for the heat! Bonus points if you're able to find Thai bird eye chilies.
Apple cider vinegar: To make that fruity, tangy dressing.
Peanuts: Roasted peanuts, roughly chopped, for some extra crunch.
Palm sugar: Just a bit, for the sweetness. Brown sugar and jaggery can work well too, if you don't have brown sugar.
Lime juice: For that citrusy zing.
Cilantro: To garnish. You can also use Thai basil if you want to, for a bit of complexity.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- For extra flavor, you can also add some fish sauce or soy sauce into the dressing.
- Don't have peanuts? Sesame seeds are a great alternative to get that bit of crunchy texture. I actually used them for my crunchy Thai cucumber salad and it was a hit!
- Chopped scallions can also be an excellent garnish to use for this salad. Sometimes, I actually end up spooning some of my ginger scallion oil over the salad!
- Don't have roasted peanuts? Simply dry roast some raw peanuts in a pan over medium heat until toasty.
How to Make Thai Fried Egg Salad
Step 1: Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the eggs until super crispy and crunchy. Try to keep the yolk intact, if you love it runny.
Step 2: Transfer to a chopping board and slice.
Step 3: In a small bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, palm sugar, lime juice, sliced red chilies and grated garlic.
Step 4: Add the sliced onions, egg, tomatoes and chopped cilantro to a bowl. Drizzle the prepared dressing over it.
Step 5: Garnish with roughly chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.
💭Top Tip
Always use a deep pan or pot to fry the eggs, and fry them carefully. Watch out for the hot oil spluttering as you add the eggs into the oil!
How to Store Leftover Yam Khai Dao
It's best to finish up and use your leftover Thai fried egg salad as quickly as you can- it doesn't stay good for too long.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Make sure you use room temperature eggs for this recipe. If you use cold eggs, it will bring down the temperature of the hot oil, and you won't get those crispy, bubbly edges you're looking for.
- You can prep for this salad ahead of time if you want to! Simply prepare the dressing up to a couple of days in advance, and then fry the eggs and assemble the salad whenever you want to.
- To make the salad protein rich, you can also add some shredded chicken into it- don't forget to adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- For that extra pungent flavor, you can slice up some fresh galangal and add it to the dressing too. I used it for my Tom Yum Gai soup, and it had such a beautiful kick of flavor- look for it in the specialty produce aisle.
- Veggies like cucumbers and bell peppers can be great additions to the salad- add them in if you want to bulk it up.
How to Serve Yam Khai Dao
Enjoy this crispy Thai egg salad on its own, or as a side with any Thai curry and rice. You can also team it up with a simple rice dish like coconut lime rice or lemon dill rice to make it more hearty and wholesome.
And of course, you can also serve it with the classic Pad Thai or chicken Satay if you're making it for a crowd or a special dinner.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but you won't get those bubbly, crispy edges you're looking for. I would highly recommend deep frying the eggs for the best texture.
You can use pretty much any spicy chilies for this recipe. It's best to use red chilies, but green ones can work just as well.
More Salad Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Yam Khai Dao or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Yam Khai Dao (Thai Fried Egg Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 tomato
- 1 onion
- 2-3 garlic
- 2 red chilies
- ½ tablespoon palm sugar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2-3 cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tablespoon peanuts
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the eggs until super crispy and crunchy. Try to keep the yolk intact, if you love it runny.
- Transfer to a chopping board and slice.
- In a small bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, palm sugar, lime juice, sliced red chilies and grated garlic.
- Add the sliced onions, egg, tomatoes and chopped cilantro to a bowl. Drizzle the prepared dressing over it.
- Garnish with roughly chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure you use room temperature eggs for this recipe. If you use cold eggs, it will bring down the temperature of the hot oil, and you won't get those crispy, bubbly edges you're looking for.
- You can prep for this salad ahead of time if you want to! Simply prepare the dressing up to a couple of days in advance, and then fry the eggs and assemble the salad whenever you want to.
- To make the salad protein rich, you can also add some shredded chicken into it- don't forget to adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- For that extra pungent flavor, you can slice up some fresh galangal and add it to the dressing too. I used it for my Tom Yum Gai soup, and it had such a beautiful kick of flavor- look for it in the specialty produce aisle.
- Veggies like cucumbers and bell peppers can be great additions to the salad- add them in if you want to bulk it up.
