Vietnamese Noodles Salad Recipe

Name: Red Lantern Asian Fusion Olympias Vietnamese Noodles Salad Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles (thin); 4 cups mixed salad greens (or shredded lettuce); 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves; 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves; 1 cup fresh mint leaves; 1 large cucumber; 2 medium carrots; 1 cup bean sprouts; 1 medium red bell pepper; 3 stalks scallions (green onions); 0.5 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped; 12 oz cooked shrimp, sliced chicken, or tofu; 3 tbsp fresh lime juice; 3 tbsp fish sauce (nuoc mam); 3 tbsp water; 2 tsp granulated sugar; 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 1 to taste Thai bird chiles or jalapeño, minced

Inspired by Red Lantern Asian Fusion Olympia

Time30m

Serves4

Make Vietnamese Noodles Salad Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Noodle & Greens

8 oz rice vermicelli noodles (thin)

4 cups mixed salad greens (or shredded lettuce)

1 cup Fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 large Cucumber

Vegetables & Crunch

2 medium Carrots

1 cup Bean sprouts

1 medium Red bell pepper

3 stalks scallions (green onions)

1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Protein (optional)

12 oz cooked shrimp, sliced chicken, or tofu

Dressing (Nuoc Cham style)

3 tbsp Fresh lime juice

3 tbsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)

3 tbsp water

2 tsp granulated sugar

2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced

1 to taste Thai bird chiles or jalapeño, minced

Method

Noodle & Greens

Cook the noodles

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add rice vermicelli and cook according to package instructions (usually 3–5 minutes) until just tender. Stir gently to separate. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and remove starch. Drain well and toss with 1 teaspoon neutral oil (optional) to prevent sticking.

Prepare the greens and herbs while noodles cook: wash and spin-dry salad greens, cilantro, basil, and mint. Remove large stems from herbs and roughly chop or leave leaves whole depending on preference. Thinly slice cucumber lengthwise then into half-moons or use a mandoline for thin ribbons.

Vegetables & Crunch

Julienne the carrots and red bell pepper into matchsticks. Trim and thinly slice scallions on the diagonal. If using bean sprouts, rinse and drain them well. Coarsely chop roasted peanuts and set aside for garnish.

If you prefer softened veg, briefly blanch carrots and bean sprouts in the noodle cooking water for 15–30 seconds and immediately plunge into ice water, then drain thoroughly.

Protein (optional)

If using protein: slice cooked shrimp, chicken, or pressed firm tofu into bite-sized pieces or strips. Warm briefly in a skillet with a teaspoon of oil (optional) or serve cold. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime.

Dressing (Nuoc Cham style)

Make the dressing

In a small bowl, combine lime juice, fish sauce, water, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add minced garlic and minced chile to taste. Taste and adjust: more lime for brightness, more fish sauce for saltiness, more sugar to balance. Dressing should be bright, salty-sour-sweet and lightly spicy.

Assembly & Serve

In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained noodles, salad greens, herbs (reserve a few leaves for garnish), cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, scallions, and bean sprouts. Add the protein if using.

Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss gently with tongs or salad forks to combine, ensuring noodles and herbs are evenly coated. Add more dressing to taste (typically all of it for 4 servings if you like it well-dressed).

Plate individual portions or serve family-style. Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts on top and garnish with extra herbs and lime wedges. Serve immediately so greens remain crisp.