Last Updated on 15 September, 2026 by Elby | The Tasteful Pantry
Vietnamese Salad is a vibrant, flavour-packed recipe that brings together fresh ingredients, aromatic herbs, and a tangy dressing. Known for its balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes, this salad will become a favourite for those that love Vietnamese cuisine and light, yet satisfying meals. Also try Beef Noodle Salad, which has a similar flavour profile.
This rice noodle salad ticks all boxes – fresh and healthy, quick and easy, delicious and versatile. Not to mention, it is a great way to use up vegetables and herbs from the fridge. You can also use any leftover Vietnamese Salad in rice paper rolls with some hoisin sauce and added protein of your choice – a great way of turning one meal into two!
Vietnamese Salad with Nuoc Cham Ingredients
Nước chấm dressing
- Water
- White sugar
- Lime juice
- Fish sauce
- Garlic, minced or finely chopped
- Red chilli, finely chopped (Thai, bird’s eye, or cayenne)
Salad
- Vermicelli (rice noodles)
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced or peeled into ribbons
- Carrot, grated
- Fresh mint, finely sliced
- Fried shallots
- Peanuts, roasted and chopped
- Long red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
How to Make Vietnamese Salad
Nước Chấm Dressing
- Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat as soon as the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the lime juice and fish sauce. Stir in the garlic and chilli and taste. Add more lime juice or fish sauce, if necessary. Set aside. See notes for vegetarian option.
Salad
- Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions. As soon as they are cooked, run them under cold water so they don’t go gluggy. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cucumber, carrot, mint and half of the cooled dressing. Toss to combine.
- Serve and top with as much of the remaining dressing as desired. Sprinkle with the fried shallots, peanuts and extra chilli, if using.
Versatile Vietnamese Salad
Vegetarian Option: Although the main salad ingredients are all vegetarian, the recipe in this post (as is) is not. However, that is a quick fix if you are after a vegetarian option. Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (also known as nước chấm) is key to this salad. If you are after a vegetarian option, substitute the fish sauce quantity for half light soy sauce and half vinegar (white, rice or wine work well). Although it will be a slightly different flavour, it is still delicious! ?
Fresh Ingredients: Carrot, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and mint are staples in my kitchen, but these can be substituted in the Vietnamese Salad to accommodate what you have available. Try bean sprouts, shredded lettuce or cabbage, coriander, Thai basil.
Proteins: Options such as grilled chicken, prawns, thinly sliced beef or tofu can be added, making it versatile enough to suit most diet.
Top Tips for Delicious Rice Noodle Salad
Vietnamese salad is a super simple dish, however just a few tips can ensure success every time!
- What truly sets Vietnamese Salad apart is the dressing. This classic sauce combines lime juice, sugar, garlic, fish sauce and chilli to create the perfectly balanced flavour profile. However, it is important to taste the sauce adjusting the flavours as necessary and adding more or less chilli to suit your tastes.
- Toppings play a key role in adding texture and flavour. Chopped, toasted peanuts and crispy fried shallots complement the salad’s vibrant flavours.
- Rinsing the rice noodles in cold water stops them from cooking and from going gluggy. I also mix a few tablespoons of the dressing in straight after rinsing to stop them from sticking together.
This salad is a must-try. Its vibrant colours, bold flavours, and versatility make it a standout dish. Perfect for a light lunch, a dinner party, or a healthy snack, Vietnamese salad is a dish that never fails to impress.
Feedback and More: Did you try the Vietnamese salad recipe? Select a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment below to let me know what you thought. Cheers, Elby!
If you liked this recipe, check out some of my other delicious Asian style dishes. Also, follow The Tasteful Pantry on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for all the latest recipes and info.
Vietnamese Salad
*Note: Adjusting servings will not adjust the ‘light grey’ quantities
Ingredients
Nước Chấm Dressing
- 180 ml water
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 45 ml lime juice
- 60 ml fish sauce
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or finely chopped
- 1 red chilli - finely chopped, Thai, bird’s eye and cayenne all work well
Salad
- 150 grams vermicelli - rice noodles
- 120 grams cherry tomatoes - halved
- 1 Lebanese cucumber - thinly sliced or use a peeler to make strips
- 1 large carrot - grated
- ¼ cup fresh mint - finely sliced
- 2 tbsp fried shallots - onions, found in most supermarkets
- ½ cup peanuts - roasted and chopped
- 1 long red chilli - finely sliced (optional)
Instructions
Nước Chấm Dressing
- Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat as soon as the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the lime juice and fish sauce. Stir in the garlic and chilli and taste. Add more lime juice or fish sauce, if necessary. Set aside. See notes for vegetarian option.
Salad
- Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions. As soon as they are cooked, run them under cold water so they don’t go gluggy. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cucumber, carrot, mint and half of the cooled dressing. Toss to combine.
- Serve and top with as much of the remaining dressing as desired. Sprinkle with the fried shallots, peanuts and extra chilli, if using. Enjoy!!
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition and calorie figures are estimates only.
