Vietnamese Noodle Salad Tangy (Printable version)

Refreshing rice noodles with crisp vegetables and herbs in tangy lime dressing.

# List of ingredients:

→ 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 ounces fresh mint leaves
08 - 0.7 ounces fresh cilantro leaves
09 - 0.35 ounces 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

# Directions:

01 - Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, drain well, and set aside.
02 - Julienne the carrot and cucumber, slice the bell pepper and spring onions, and rinse the bean sprouts. Set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, chopped chili, and water until the sugar completely dissolves.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the noodles, vegetables, and fresh herbs. Pour the tangy dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Divide the salad among serving bowls. Top with roasted peanuts and additional herbs if desired. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a restaurant kitchen
  • The dressing hits every single flavor note—sour, salty, sweet, spicy—without measuring spoons
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it right before serving, making it perfect for gatherings
02 -
  • Rinse the noodles thoroughly under cold water or they'll clump into a solid mass
  • The dressing tastes quite salty on its own but balances perfectly once tossed with the noodles
  • This salad is best eaten immediately—leftover noodles will soak up all the dressing and become soggy
03 -
  • A vegetable peeler creates perfect ribbons if you don't want to julienne by hand
  • Let the dressing sit for 10 minutes before using so the garlic and chili have time to mellow
  • Serve this with chopsticks and small bowls for the most authentic experience

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