This easy Vietnamese Vermicelli Salad is made with rice noodles, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a tangy Vietnamese dressing. A light, healthy meal ready in 30 minutes, perfect for lunch or dinner.
One of my favorite memories traveling through Vietnam was escaping the midday heat with a big bowl of Vietnamese Vermicelli Salad. The weather was intensely hot and humid, and this cool rice noodle salad was incredibly refreshing. Light yet satisfying, bursting with fresh herbs and crisp vegetables, it was one of those meals I found myself ordering again and again.
What is Vermicelli Salad (Bún)?
Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Salad (often called Bún) is a fresh rice noodle salad made with tender vermicelli noodles, crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs, and a bright, sweet-tangy fish sauce dressing. It’s commonly served with grilled meats, shrimp, or tofu and is one of Vietnam’s most refreshing and beloved meals.
This version stays true to those fresh, vibrant flavors while being easy enough to recreate at home. Cool rice noodles are tossed with crunchy cabbage, cucumber, and carrots, plus handfuls of mint, basil, and cilantro, then dressed with a lively lime-and-fish-sauce dressing called Nouc cham. It’s healthy, colorful, incredibly refreshing, and perfect for warm summer days. Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or crispy tofu to make it a complete meal.
Why You’ll Love This Vermicelli Salad!
Fresh, light, and incredibly flavorful - Crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs, tender rice noodles, and a bright Vietnamese dressing come together in every bite.
Perfect for warm weather - This refreshing noodle salad is ideal for hot summer days when you’re craving something light but satisfying. Bring it to your next potluck - guests will love it!
Easy to customize - Add grilled chicken, shrimp, crispy tofu, or extra vegetables to make it your own.
Great for meal prep - Prep the vegetables and dressing ahead of time, then toss everything together for quick lunches or easy dinners throughout the week.
Naturally gluten-free - Made with rice noodles and easily adapted with vegan fish sauce for a delicious plant-based meal.
Vermicelli Recipe Ingredients
- Vietnamese dressing - Rice vinegar, fresh lime juice, sugar (or honey), fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce), garlic, and Fresno chile create a bright, sweet, tangy, and savory dressing that ties the whole salad together.
- Rice vermicelli noodles - Thin rice noodles are light, tender, and the traditional base for this refreshing Vietnamese salad.
- Fresh vegetables - Shredded cabbage, cucumber, carrots, and green onions add crisp texture, color, and plenty of freshness.
- Fresh herbs - Mint, Thai basil (or regular basil), and cilantro (coriander) are essential for authentic Vietnamese flavor.
- Optional garnishes - Crispy shallots, roasted peanuts, and bean sprouts add irresistible crunch and texture.
- Easy additions - Make it a complete meal by adding crispy tofu, grilled chicken, shrimp, or your favorite seasonal vegetables like bell peppers or radishes.
How to Make Vermicelli Salad
1. Cook the noodles. Follow the package instructions. My preferred method is to pour hot water over the vermicelli noodles and let them soak until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain as much water as you can to prevent the salad from being too watery.
2. Mix the dressing. Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix. The sugar will dissolve while you prep the veggies, but you can also heat the dressing in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Just be sure to chill it in the fridge before using.
3. Assemble. Add the noodles to a large bowl and add the prepped vegetables. Toss, then add the dressing and herbs, and toss again.
4. Taste and adjust. Taste for salt, heat, and sweetness, and adjust to your desired preference.
5. Garnish. Serve with crushed roasted peanuts and crispy shallots.
Chef’s Tips
- Be careful not to overcook the noodles. Rice vermicelli should be tender but still slightly chewy. Rinse with cold water as soon as they’re tender to stop the cooking and prevent the noodles from becoming mushy.
- Drain the noodles well. Excess water will dilute the dressing. After rinsing, let the noodles drain thoroughly or gently pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel if needed.
- Dress just before serving. For the freshest texture, toss the noodles, vegetables, herbs, and dressing together right before eating. If making ahead, store the dressing separately until serving.
- Serve chilled or at cool room temperature. This salad is at its most refreshing when the noodles and veggies are cool, making it especially perfect for hot summer days!
- Use lots of fresh herbs. Mint, Thai basil, and cilantro are what make this salad taste authentically Vietnamese. The herbs are just as important as the veggies in this salad!
Serving Suggestions
Serve as is for a light and refreshing summer meal, or top with Grilled Lemongrass Chicken, Lemongrass Shrimp, Crispy Tofu, or Baked Sesame Ginger Tofu for a boost of protein.
Meal Prep & Storage
To prep Vermicelli Salad ahead of time, slice the veggies and make the dressing up to 2 days in advance. Cook the noodles a day ahead if you’d like, tossing them with a tiny drizzle of neutral oil to keep them from sticking.
Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Vietnamese Recipes You Might Like
After you try this Vermicelli Salad recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Vermicelli Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 7 cups 1x
- Category: 30 minute Dinner, asian salad, Gluten Free, meal prep, noodle salad, potluck recipes, salad, Side Dish, summer recipe, vegetarian, weeknight dinner
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, high fiber, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This Vermicelli Salad is loaded up with fresh veggies and herbs! This vegan- adaptable salad is bursting with flavor and sooooo healthy, delicious and light!
Ingredients
Vietnamese Dressing
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons organic cane sugar, coconut sugar, or honey
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or use vegan fish sauce )
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon Fresno chili, sliced thin or 1/4– 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Vermicelli Salad
- 4 ounces uncooked rice vermicelli noodles
- 2 cups cabbage, finely shredded, or use a mandolin
- 2 cups of cucumber (thinned skinned)
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded (use a julienne peeler for thin long shreds)
- 1/2 cup green onions
- 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/2 cup Thai basil, chopped (or sub regular basil)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Garnish: crispy shallots, chopped roasted peanuts, and bean sprouts
Feel free to sub other veggies- cucumber, bell pepper, radishes, etc. or add crispy tofu or chicken breast
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package directions. (I usually pour hot water over noodles and let them soak until tender.) Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well.
- Make the dressing. Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl; the sugar will dissolve while you prep the veggies. Or you can heat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then refrigerate to cool.
- Combine. Place drained, rinsed noodles in a large bowl and top with prepped veggies. Toss well. Add the dressing and herbs, tossing again.
- Taste, adjust salt, heat, and sweetness to taste.
- Garnish. Top with crushed roasted peanuts and crispy shallots.
Notes
For extra protein, add shrimp, Baked Sesame Ginger Tofu, crispy tofu, or leftover rotisserie chicken.
Leftover salad will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
If making ahead, toss noodles with a little oil (to prevent sticking), place in a bowl, then layer with veggies, then herbs, cover, and store in the fridge for up to a few hours. Toss with dressing right before serving, and garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup without peanuts
- Calories: 107
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 435.8 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.1 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This is the perfect dinner for a hot summer night! I made as directed and added leftover Grilled Lemongrass Chicken from last night – simply delicious and so fresh!
Sounds lovely Cindy!
I love this recipe! I use chilli crisp instead of chilli flakes for some extra flavor. So delicious!
Oh perfect Hannah!
Sounds delicious…will be making this soon. Does the nutritional information include the olive oil? Thank you.
Hi Paula, it does not. It really doesn’t need it unless you are using kelp noodles. 🙂
This recipe was fresh and delicious.
Just a note – Simmering the dressing was… pungent! Would recommend keeping a window open if you can. But the flavor the fish sauce brings out of the salad is absolutely worth it.
Thanks Chris! Glad you liked this. 🙌
Making this now! I used pure palm sugar in the sauce (chilling) instead of cane. I also added some scallions and red cabbage. I used Thai basil as well. Serving with baked tofu as requested by the child 🙂 I am LOVING your recipes!
Yay! 🙌
I’m a huge fan of vermicelli noodle salads. I’ve always wanted to make my own at home and this one tastes JUST like a restaurant. Thank you for the awesome, super easy recipe! This will definitely become a weekly staple in my house.
wow–so easy, healthy, and it serves up GORGEOUS. Much to my dismay, my teenager and his friends have become addicted to fast food. But he loves spring rolls, so that fact along with all the basil and mint i have growing in my garden compelled me to try this recipe. I used the rice noodles i had on my shelf, and they worked well. I used extra-firm tofu to punch up the protein. The sauce was a breeze to make and is delicious next day as a dipping sauce as well. All the beautiful colorful herbs and veggies and chopped peanuts in a big bowl w chopsticks made it look exactly like our favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle and my kid LOVED it…which is nice in these dwindling days of teenager/mom time. Oh and we had some nice green tea with it too. just easy and healthy and lovely, all around. thank you!
Awwwwww Maryellen! Made my morning. Love that you used your own homegrown herbs and so glad you all liked it. xoxo
Fast and refreshing! Makes a perfect light lunch or side dish. The dressing is delicious and provides a perfect little kick to the salad. I made the salad with Thai basil, which integrated well.
thanks Theresa, Im so glad you liked it!!!
Though my salad looks nothing like this, the flavors are amazing. I think I added too many noodles because I had to double the dressing. My plan is to plant a herb garden so I can make this any time. Thanks!
Yay! Shallan! Im so glad you liked this one!!! Did you paint your garden??
Made this with the rice vermicelli. It is so Good! The herbs really pop!
Yes, they “make” it. Glad you liked it!
Hi! Can you freeze this salad? Thanks!
Ana, I have never tried freezing it! I think the herbs would discolor, and it wouldn’t have the same “freshness”, so personally, I wouldn’t. I guess you can always try it and see!
How do you make quick pickled onions/shallots
I will put a link to a recipe in this post.
What an amazing website. First time I have used it. I picked a whole lot of broad beans yesterday and marinated them with garlic, chilli and parsley (also from garden) and it worked very well!!! Thanks
Sounds great Sue!
Super yummy!!
Glad you are liking it! Thanks!
I cannot get over that lighting on those kelp noodles! So perfect 🙂 Plus I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Awww, thanks Kim, yes, give them a try and let me know what you think!