Vietnamese Noodle Salad Tangy Dressing (Printable Version)

Rice noodles with crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and zesty lime dressing

# 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:

01 - Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking. Drain well and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
02 - Julienne the carrot and cucumber into thin matchsticks. Slice the red bell pepper into thin strips and thinly slice the spring onions. Rinse the bean sprouts and pat dry. Add all prepared vegetables to the bowl with the noodles.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, chopped chili, and water. Continue whisking until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture is well combined.
04 - Add the fresh mint, cilantro, and Thai basil to the noodle and vegetable mixture. Pour the tangy dressing over the salad. Using tongs or salad servers, toss gently but thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Divide the salad among 4 serving bowls. Top each portion with roughly chopped roasted peanuts and additional fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dressing hits every perfect note at once tangy, sweet, salty, and bright
  • Everything comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you fussed for hours
  • You can prep everything ahead and the flavors actually get better as they sit
02 -
  • Cold, rinsed noodles are absolutely crucial, they will not absorb dressing properly if they are still warm
  • The salad tastes best after sitting for 15 minutes, giving the flavors time to mingle
  • Add the dressing right before serving or the noodles will become soggy
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to quickly julienne the carrots and cucumbers into thin ribbons
  • Toasted sesame oil whisked into the dressing adds a gorgeous nutty depth

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