Description
A vibrant and refreshing Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodle Salad featuring tender rice vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and a tangy nuoc cham dressing. This versatile dish can be enjoyed vegetarian or with your choice of grilled protein, making it a perfect light and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded cucumber or thinly sliced cucumber
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped lettuce or napa cabbage
- 1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup fried shallots (optional)
- Lime wedges for serving
Optional Protein Additions
- 1 cup grilled lemongrass chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu
Nuoc Cham Dressing
- 1/4 cup fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian version)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small red chili, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Noodles: Cook vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions until tender. Rinse them thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process and drain well to remove excess water.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce (or soy sauce), fresh lime juice, sugar, water, minced garlic, and finely chopped red chili if using. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves to create the nuoc cham dressing.
- Assemble Salad: Divide the cooked and drained noodles evenly between 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with shredded carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, lettuce, fresh mint, and cilantro leaves.
- Add Protein: If desired, add your choice of 1 cup grilled lemongrass chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu on top of each bowl for added flavor and nutrition.
- Dress and Garnish: Drizzle each bowl generously with the prepared nuoc cham dressing. Sprinkle crushed roasted peanuts and fried shallots over the top for added texture and flavor.
- Serve: Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side to be squeezed over as desired for an extra burst of freshness.
Notes
- Customize the salad by adding seasonal vegetables like radish, bell pepper, or pickled daikon for extra crunch and flavor.
- For meal prep, keep the noodles, vegetables, dressing, and protein separate to maintain freshness, then combine just before serving.
- Use gluten-free fish sauce or tamari to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Fried shallots are optional but add great texture and flavor.
