This Vietnamese Noodle Salad is loaded up with crunchy summer veggies that are lightly pickled, then tossed with rice noodles in a tangy Vietnamese dressing.
Here’s a light and refreshing Vietnamese Salad we had while traveling through Vietnam. It’s made with rice noodles, fresh summer veggies that are slightly and quickly pickled and a light Vietnamese dressing called Nuoc Cham! It’s a simple way to use up veggies from your CSA box or garden.
Ingredients in Vietnamese Noodle Salad
- Veggies- Crunchy veggies like salad turnips, radishes, carrots, bell pepper, onions, cabbage, daikon, snow peas, jicama, and cucumber work well here. You will need 4-5 cups of vegetables.
- Protein (optional): Turn this into a meal by adding cooked shrimp, shredded or leftover chicken, or crispy tofu!
- Fresh herbs- a must here! Fresh mint, cilantro, green onion, basil or Thai basil, take your pick or use all of them for the best flavors.
- Noodles – rice noodles keep this nice and light, but almost any noodle will work here. Vermicelli noodles, mung bean noodles, kelp noodles, etc.
- Fish sauce: Feel free to sub our vegan fish sauce, or low-sodium soy sauce.
- Acid- We use both rice wine vinegar and fresh lime juice.
- Brown Sugar– or sub coconut sugar, or organic cane sugar.
- Shallot and Garlic- to add savory depth and bite .
How to make Vietnamese Noodle Salad
Step one: Prep your veggies. Shred, cut into matchsticks, or make ribbons. A veggie peeler is nice and easy to make thin ribbons.
Slice cucumbers, radishes, turnips, bell peppers, then cut into matchsticks.
You’ll need about 4-5 cups of veggies.
Step two: Make the pickling liquid ( which will double as the dressing, then marinate the veggies in the pickling liquid for 15-20 minutes while you cook the noodles.
Step three: Cook the noodles according to the instruction on the package. Rinse the noodles with cold water .
Step four: Mix the pickled veggies and the pickling liquid into the noodles. Add half the herbs and scallions, and chill.
Step five: Before serving, give a quick toss and then sprinkle with more fresh herbs. I also love adding crushed peanuts…. up to you!
Optional Step 6: To turn this into a light meal, add cooked shrimp, shredded chicken or crispy tofu.
Faqs
Yes, substitute the fish sauce with our Vegan fish sauce, or use low-sodium soy sauce.
Yes, but be sure to cook noodles to al dente so they don’t get overly soft ( and break) as they sit. Leftovers will keep 3 days in the fridge.
More Asian Salads
Vietnamese Noodle Salad
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4-6
- Category: salad, side dish
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Vietnamese Noodle Salad is loaded up with crunchy summer veggies that are lightly pickled, then tossed with rice noodles in a tangy Vietnamese dressing.
Ingredients
- 4–5 cups vegetables, shredded, julienned or matchstick cut: carrots, bell peppers, daikon radish, salad turnips, cucumber, zucchini, jicama, snap peas, radish, green papaya
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced grated
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or coconut sugar, agave or honey)
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce (optional) or red chili flakes
- 6 ounces rice noodles
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup chopped Thai basil or mint, or a mix of both
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or peanut oil
- Optional: 4–8 ounces cooked, chilled shrimp, shredded chicken breast or crispy tofu.
- Optional: crushed toasted peanuts
Instructions
- Prep your veggies, cutting into juliennes, ribbons or matchsticks and place in large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, add garlic, shallot, fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, brown sugar and Sriracha and give a stir, bring to a simmer. Place the vegetables in a large bowl, and pour the pickling liquid over the top, toss to coat well. Chill 15-30 minutes in the fridge, and toss again.
- Cook rice noodles according to the directions on the package, to al dente, rinse with cold running water. Alternately, pour boiling water over the rice noodles in a shallow dish or bowl. Let noodles soak until tender ( to al dente) but not too soft (to prevent breaking), anywhere from 5-15 minutes, depending on the size, then drain and rinse under very cold water until thoroughly chilled.
- Add the cold noodles, the olive oil, and half of the herbs to the pickled vegetable bowl; toss to combine.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss once more, taste and adjust salt, acid and sriracha to taste. Sprinkle with remaining herbs, and optional crushed peanuts. Add a protein if you like.
- This salad is best served very cold, so I’ll often make it one hour ahead or the day before.
Notes
If adding shrimp, shredded chicken or crispy tofu, toss in at the same time as the noodles.
Salad will keep 3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup without protein
- Calories: 211
- Sugar: 11.1 g
- Sodium: 600.1 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.1 g
- Fiber: 3.2 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Another wonderful recipe! But, Sylvia, I’ve got an issue with your recipe mailings. Everything looks so great, most recipes end up in my favorites. I’m now acquiring a million favorites, LOL! Thank you so much!!
Hahaha- a good problem. 🙂 I’m so glad you gave this one a go!
Beautiful recipe. I love the sharpness of pickled vegetables. I was looking for fresh ideas for quick and healthy lunches. This is exactly that – healthy, full of vegetables and nourishing.
I’m so glad you liked it!
I love this recipe- make it all the time. The mint makes it.
This looks so tasty and fresh! Perfect for dinner in a hot summers day.
Hi Sylvia, I’ve been following you for about a month now and everything looks so beautiful and delicious!! Can you tell me what CSA you’re part of? I’m in Wenatchee, WA and have been looking for one. Thanks so much and thanks for all the great recipes. 🙂
Thank you Kari!
I’ve been with Urban Eden Farm, a small local boutique Spokane Farm. You probably have many in your area, such a sunbelt!
Thanks, I’ll take a look at Urban Eden and keep looking locally too. Happy Saturday!! 🙂
I love this! So fresh and beautiful.
Thanks Dani!!
Yum! This looks insanely delicious! Your photography is out of this world. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
xx Sydney
Thanks Sydney, appreciate it!
This looks so fresh and healthy! i love the colors!
Thanks I love love love it too!