Vietnamese Noodle Salad With Tangy Dressing (Printable)

Refreshing rice noodles with crisp vegetables and herbs in a tangy lime dressing.

# 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 ounces fresh mint leaves
08 - 0.7 ounces fresh cilantro leaves
09 - 0.35 ounces Thai basil leaves

→ Tangy Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
11 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
12 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon granulated 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 the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water, drain well, and set aside.
02 - Julienne the carrot and cucumber, slice the bell pepper and spring onions, and rinse the bean sprouts.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, chopped chili, and water until the sugar dissolves.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the noodles, vegetables, and fresh herbs. Pour the tangy dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Divide the salad among serving bowls. Top with roasted peanuts and extra herbs if desired. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything gets prepped ahead so its the ultimate make ahead lunch for busy weekdays
  • The dressing hits every perfect note sweet, sour, salty, and just enough heat to make things interesting
  • You can throw in whatever vegetables are languishing in your crisper drawer
02 -
  • Rinse those noodles thoroughly under cold water or they will continue cooking and turn into a gummy mess
  • The salad tastes even better after 20 minutes in the refrigerator as the noodles absorb more of that tangy dressing
  • Fish sauce sounds intense but trust me it transforms into something completely different when mixed with the other ingredients
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to create quick, even ribbons of carrot instead of tedious julienne work
  • Serve the salad slightly chilled rather than ice cold for the best flavor experience
  • If making ahead, keep the peanuts separate and add them just before serving so they stay perfectly crunchy

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