Crunchy, tangy, and utterly irresistible, this Crispy Rice Salad is inspired by Nam Khao Tod, a Thai street food favorite. While traditional versions require making sticky rice from scratch, this simplified version uses frozen sticky rice as a shortcut, making it super easy to make at home!
This delicious Thai crispy rice salad recipe, also known as Nam Khao Tod, is a dish that takes rice and turns it into a crispy, flavor-packed meal! While traditional versions from Thailand or Loas require making fresh sticky rice and deep frying, this simplified version uses frozen sticky rice that's baked until golden and crunchy. The crispy rice is then tossed with fresh herbs and aromatics, creating a dish that has the perfect balance of salty, tangy, and spicy flavors.
Each ingredient here is key to building just the right flavor. Red curry paste adds warmth and depth, fish sauce brings that essential umami, and fresh lime juice makes all the flavors pop! I like to serve it wrapped in lettuce leaves for a light meal, but you can also serve it with some protein sides to make it more filling.
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored, and any brands mentioned are based solely on personal preference. All opinions are my own, and although I have worked with the brands mentioned before, I receive no compensation for mentioning specific products in this post.
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Ingredients
- EatInnovAsian Sticky Rice: This pre-cooked frozen rice saves time while still delivering the perfect sticky texture we need.
- Red Curry Paste: Different brands vary in spiciness, so adjust according to your taste.
- Sugar: To balance out the flavors!
- Fish Sauce: Add this to taste, for a deep umami flavor.
- Makrut Thai Lime Leaves: These aromatic leaves add a distinct citrusy flavor that's essential to Thai cuisine. They can usually be found at Asian markets.
- Oil: To crisp up the rice!
- Peanuts: Peanuts add a crunchy texture to this rice salad.
- Red Pepper Flakes: For a bit of heat!
- Lime: Fresh lime juice adds a layer of bright, tangy flavor.
- Shallot & Green Onions: Shallots and green onions add a light onion flavor without being overwhelming.
- Cilantro: For an herbaceous flavor.
- Romaine Lettuce: I like to toss in some chopped romaine lettuce and serve more on the side!
- Fried Shallots: If desired, you can add fried shallots which will add an extra layer of crispy texutre.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Crispy Rice Salad
Step 1: Microwave sticky white rice according to package directions. Once heated through, open the bag to allow it to cool.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix together red curry paste, sugar, 2 teaspoon fish sauce, makrut Thai lime leaves and oil. Add sticky white rice and mix until combined.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. On a sheet pan, add oil and add rice mixture. Spread it out evenly and bake for 30 minutes or until crispy. Toss halfway through. Remove and set aside to cool.
Step 4: In a large bowl, add crispy rice, peanuts, red pepper flakes, lime juice, 3–4 teaspoon fish sauce, cilantro, shallots, green onions and fried shallots. Toss to combine.
Step 5: To serve, toss in chopped lettuce and enjoy with a fork or scoop it on lettuce and have it as lettuce wraps.
Top Tips
- Don't skip cooling the rice before mixing with seasonings - this prevents clumping and helps achieve better crispiness!
- Spread the rice mixture thinly on the baking sheet for maximum crispiness. Break up any large clumps before baking.
- For easy clean up, line the sheet pan with parchment paper before baking the rice!
- Watch carefully during the last few minutes of baking. The rice can go from perfectly crispy to burnt quickly!
- Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving. The perfect balance of salty, sour, and spicy is key.
Substitutions & Variations
- Vegan: Replace fish sauce with vegan fish sauce and add extra lime juice for brightness.
- Gluten Free: This salad with crispy rice is naturally gluten free, as long as you use a fish sauce that is gluten free!
- Makrut Lime Leaves: If you can’t find Makrut lime leaves, use lime zest to get some of those citrus notes in the rice.
- Add-ins: Try adding cooked ground pork, chicken, or crispy tofu for a heartier meal.
- Spice Level: Feel free to adjust the red curry paste and red pepper flakes to your heat preference.
- Nut Alternatives: Swap peanuts for toasted sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
Storage Suggestions
The crispy rice mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Before serving, re-crisp the rice on a baking sheet in the oven and serve with the remaining ingredients.
Once the salad is dressed and combined, I would eat it as soon as possible. If there are leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days in the refrigerator. The lettuce will wilt a bit and the rice won’t be as crispy, but it will still be good!
FAQs
Yes! While my easy crispy rice salad recipe uses frozen rice, you can make your own sushi rice at home and use that instead. I would make about 1 cup of rice, which will result in just over 2 cups once it is cooked.
The heat level is totally customizable, so you can decide whether it is spicy or not! If you are sensitive to spice, start with less curry paste and red pepper flakes, then adjust to taste.
More Recipes to Try
Other recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Crispy Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 1 box EatInnovAsian Sticky White Rice
- 2 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- fish sauce to taste
- 1-2 tablespoon makrut Thai lime leaves finely diced
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ¼ cup peanuts toasted
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 small bunch cilantro chopped
- fried shallots as desired for topping
- romaine lettuce for serving
Instructions
- Microwave sticky white rice according to package directions. Once heated through, open the bag to allow it to cool.
- In a bowl, mix together red curry paste, sugar, 2 teaspoon fish sauce, makrut Thai lime leaves and oil. Add sticky white rice and mix until combined.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. On a sheet pan, add oil and add rice mixture. Spread it out evenly and bake for 30 minutes or until crispy. Toss halfway through. Remove and set aside to cool.
- In a bowl, add crispy rice, peanuts, red pepper flakes, lime juice, 3–4 teaspoon fish sauce, cilantro, shallots, green onions and fried shallots. Toss to combine. To serve, toss in chopped lettuce and enjoy with a fork or scoop it on lettuce and have it as lettuce wraps.
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