Vietnamese Noodle Salad With Tangy Dressing (Printable)
Rice noodles with crisp vegetables and fresh herbs in zesty lime dressing. Ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Noodles
01 - 7 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
03 - 1 small cucumber, seeded and julienned
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 ounces bean sprouts
06 - 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
→ Herbs
07 - 0.7 ounce fresh mint leaves
08 - 0.7 ounce fresh cilantro leaves
09 - 0.35 ounce Thai basil leaves
→ Tangy Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
11 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
12 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon vegetarian fish sauce substitute
14 - 1 tablespoon sugar
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1 red chili, finely chopped
17 - 2 tablespoons water
→ Garnishes
18 - 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
19 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Set aside in colander to drain completely.
02 - Julienne carrot and cucumber into matchstick-sized strips. Thinly slice red bell pepper and spring onions. Rinse bean sprouts under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
03 - Whisk lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, vegetarian fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, chopped chili, and water in small bowl until sugar fully dissolves. Adjust seasoning balance as needed.
04 - Combine cooked noodles, prepared vegetables, and fresh herbs in large mixing bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to evenly distribute flavors without crushing ingredients.
05 - Divide salad among four serving bowls. Top with roasted peanuts and additional fresh herbs if desired. Accompany with lime wedges for guests to add extra acidity.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The dressing hits every perfect note at once and you will want to put it on everything
- You can prep everything ahead and toss it together in five minutes flat
02 -
- Never skip rinsing the cooked noodles under cold water or they will clump together and soak up all your dressing
- The salad tastes best after sitting for just ten minutes so the dressing can soften the vegetables slightly
03 -
- A vegetable peeler makes the fastest work of turning carrots and cucumbers into ribbons
- Let the dressed salad sit for ten minutes before serving to let flavors meld