Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 7 mins

Total: 22 mins

Servings: 6 servings

This Thai rice noodle salad is fresh and flavorful, and it’s quick to make, too. It features vermicelli rice noodles and lots of fresh summer vegetables—feel free to add or substitute depending on what’s available at your local market. You also have the option of tossing in cooked baby shrimp or tofu.

Rice noodles are so much lighter in texture and calories than pasta noodles, and yet they’re just as fun and satisfying to eat. This healthy dish will prove to be a big hit at your next potluck, picnic, BBQ, or dinner party. This noodle dish makes a great summertime salad, lunch, snack, or side dish that’s low in fat but high in flavor.

This salad tastes best when eaten fresh, as rice noodles tend to dry out when left longer than two days. Until ready to eat, place in a sealed covered container in the refrigerator.

“This crowd-pleasing dish is packed with tons of summertime flavors and comes together in no time. I used three limes, plus more for serving (which I think were very necessary for flavor). On that note, the dressing tasted sweet to me, so I wanted more heat and salt.” —Lauryn Bodden

A Note From Our Recipe Tester Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Salad Dressing:

• 1/3 cup lime juice, from about 3 limes, more to taste

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce, more to taste

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, more to taste

• 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar, to taste

• 1 to 3 teaspoons chili sauce, to taste

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salad:

• 8 ounces dried vermicelli rice noodles

• 1 to 2 cups bean sprouts, optional

• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into small slices

• 1 medium carrot, sliced into matchsticks

• 4 medium green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 small red or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 can cooked shrimp, drained, optional, (or substitute with tofu)

• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, more for garnish

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, for garnish

• 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Dressing

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. In a cup or small bowl, mix together lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, minced garlic, and sesame oil until the sugar has dissolved.

   

3. Taste test for a sweet-sour balance, adding more sugar if too sour for your taste. Note that the dressing will taste quite strong and salty now, but will be delicious when combined with the salad.

   

Prepare the Salad

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Lightly boil rice noodles until al dente, about 7 minutes.

   

3. Drain the noodles.

   

4. Add the optional bean sprouts, if using, while noodles are still hot. Gently toss (the residual heat from the noodles will lightly cook the sprouts), then rinse with cold water to keep from sticking. Set aside to drain.

   

5. Place noodles and sprouts in a large salad bowl. Add the tomatoes, carrot, green onions, bell peppers, optional shrimp or tofu, and fresh cilantro. Toss to mix.

   

6. Add half of the dressing plus fresh basil and nuts, tossing well to incorporate. Taste test, adding more or all of the dressing depending on how many noodles you've made. If not salty enough, add more fish sauce or soy sauce. If not spicy enough, add more chili. If too salty, add a little more lime juice. If too sour, add more sugar.

   

7. Place on a serving platter or in a salad bowl and sprinkle with fresh basil, cilantro, and peanuts. 

   

Tip

• If you’re having trouble combining the noodles with the other ingredients because the noodles are too long and tangled, cut them several times with a pair of kitchen shears or clean scissors.
• If not eating immediately, do not add the herbs or nuts and cover and allow to sit in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or until cold.

Recipe Variations

• Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed chili for the chili sauce, or to your taste.
• Use dry-roasted, lightly chopped cashews in place of the peanuts.
• Instead of shrimp, try 1/2 cup deep-fried tofu cut into small cubes.

Why are my rice noodles sticky?

After cooking rice noodles, drain in a colander and gently run cold water over them; this will keep them from clumping together and being sticky.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	179
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g	6%
Saturated Fat 1g	3%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1237mg	54%
Total Carbohydrate 31g	11%
Dietary Fiber 4g	14%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 71mg	356%
Calcium 62mg	5%
Iron 2mg	8%
Potassium 567mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.