Description
A refreshing and light Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Salad featuring tender rice noodles, fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, and a tangy, flavorful dressing. Perfect for a quick and healthy meal or side dish, this salad combines aromatic cilantro, mint, and basil with a zesty fish sauce and lime dressing, finished with optional crunchy peanuts and fried shallots for texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Vegetables
- 8 oz vermicelli rice noodles
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup cucumber, julienned
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/2 cup bean sprouts (optional)
Toppings
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional, for crunch)
- 1/4 cup fried shallots (optional, for garnish)
Dressing
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian option)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small red chili, finely chopped (optional for heat)
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Prepare the Noodles: Cook the vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep the noodles from sticking together.
- Prepare the Vegetables: While the noodles are cooling, shred the carrots, julienne the cucumber, and chop the cilantro, mint, and basil to prepare the fresh vegetables and herbs for the salad.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, sugar, minced garlic, chopped chili if using, and water. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more sugar or lime juice as desired for a balanced tangy and savory flavor.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled vermicelli noodles with the shredded carrots, cucumber, and fresh herbs. Toss well to evenly distribute all the ingredients.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle the dressing over the noodle and vegetable mixture and toss again thoroughly so everything is coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle chopped peanuts, fried shallots, and bean sprouts over the top for added crunch and texture, if using.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the salad immediately for the best texture and freshness or chill it for 10-15 minutes beforehand to allow the flavors to meld together nicely before serving.
Notes
- This salad is naturally gluten-free when using gluten-free fish sauce or soy sauce.
- For a vegetarian or vegan option, substitute fish sauce with soy sauce or tamari.
- Adjust the amount of chili to your preferred heat level or omit entirely.
- Chilling the salad briefly enhances the flavors but avoid leaving it too long to prevent noodles from becoming soggy.
- Fresh herbs are essential for authentic flavor—don’t skip the mint, basil, or cilantro.
- Optional toppings like fried shallots and peanuts add a pleasant crunch but can be omitted for simplicity.
