Vietnamese Noodle Salad Tangy Dressing (Printer-friendly)

Rice vermicelli mixed with crisp vegetables, aromatic herbs, and a tangy lime-based dressing for a fresh and satisfying dish.

# What You 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 (optional)

→ Tangy Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
11 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
12 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or substitute with extra soy sauce for vegetarian)
14 - 1 tablespoon sugar
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1 red chili, finely chopped (or to taste)
17 - 2 tablespoons water

→ Garnishes

18 - 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
19 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

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 Tips:

01 -
  • You get that perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and crunchy in every single bite
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent hours planning it
  • The herbs and vegetables stay crisp and fresh, making it ideal for meal prep or feeding a crowd
02 -
  • Cold water rinsing is non negotiable for rice noodles or they will clump together into a gummy mess
  • The salad tastes best if it sits for just 5 minutes after tossing, letting the herbs and vegetables release their flavors into the dressing
  • Do not dress the salad more than 30 minutes before serving or the noodles will absorb all the liquid and lose their slippery texture
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to create quick, uniform cucumber ribets if you do not feel like julienning
  • Toast the peanuts in a dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes before adding for an even more intense, nutty flavor

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