Vietnamese Noodle Salad Tangy Dressing (Printable)

Rice noodles with crisp vegetables and fresh herbs in a zesty 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 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 fish sauce
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

# Directions:

01 - Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cooled. Shake off excess water thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Julienne the carrot and cucumber into thin matchsticks. Slice the red bell pepper into thin strips. Trim and thinly slice the spring onions. Rinse bean sprouts and pat dry.
03 - Whisk together lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, chopped chili, and water in a small bowl. Continue whisking until sugar completely dissolves.
04 - Place cooked noodles in a large mixing bowl. Add prepared vegetables, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, and Thai basil. Pour dressing over the salad. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Divide salad among four serving bowls. Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts over each portion. Arrange fresh lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately while vegetables remain crisp.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of cool noodles and that punchy dressing wakes up your entire palate
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant
  • You can prep everything ahead and just toss when ready to serve
02 -
  • The salad tastes best after sitting for about 10 minutes so the noodles really absorb the dressing
  • Rinse the noodles under cold water until they are completely cool or they will continue cooking and get clumpy
  • Do not skip the step of seeding the cucumber or your beautiful salad will end up sitting in a puddle
03 -
  • Toast the peanuts in a dry pan for 2 minutes first to bring out their natural oils
  • Use kitchen shears to snip the herbs directly into the salad for the freshest flavor

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