This Fresh Vietnamese Veggie and Sprout Salad is such a great summer salad. It is loaded with fresh veggies and sprouts and the perfect combo of flavors and textures! It is also so simple to throw together and no oven is needed on these hot summer days!
Our Health Matters
Salads like this are a large part of how I get in my vegetable servings every day. I am not the type of person who sits and munches carrots but give me a big salad and it's done!
This from the USDA- If you are consuming less than the recommended amount of fruits and veggies per day, you may be missing out on important nutrients in your diets, such as folate, magnesium, potassium, fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K.
However, when it comes to getting enough nutrients, eating a variety is also important because each vegetable has a unique nutritional profile.
Ingredients
- Vermicelli Rice Noodles- I couldn't find them when I decided to photograph this salad, but prefer them as they are so much thinner. The noodles are pretty easy to find though, don't worry.
- Veggies- And lots of them! I used between 6-8 cups when making this salad. You can use your vegetables of choice, my favorites are cabbage, radish, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, etc.
- Sprouts- I used alfalfa, but any sprout or microgreen work well.
- Fish Sauce- This is a must in most Vietnamese dishes, and it is here as well. Fish sauce adds a great depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar- Another must in Asian-style recipes. It is very common and can be found in most grocery stores.
- Garlic- Another essential ingredient. I mean, you could leave it out... but should you? I don't think so.
- Chili Sauce- You can use just a little or more when it comes to this sauce. We always love a little heat, so we might add in a little more than most. Adjust as needed. This chili sauce is another ingredient that is pretty easy to find.
- Honey or sugar- I think both are good in this recipe, it is up to you which you prefer to use.
- Peanuts- Not essential, but I love the flavor they add!
How To Make
The most time-consuming part of this salad is prepping the veggies. Don't let that intimidate you though, it really isn't too hard, just plan about 10 minutes of cutting time and for the salad dressing.
I prefer bite-size pieces here, but you can always cut to the size you prefer.
I was looking for a shorter and thinner noodle to use, like vermicelli, but the best I could find in our small town was a pad Thai noodle. So I broke them into smaller sections and called it good.
Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again. Add to the salad. Last step is the dressing.
The Dressing
This dressing is very simple to make. Add all the ingredients to a bowl or mason jar (I prefer using this). Mix them well.
Now that all your veggies and sprouts are in your bowl, pour the dressing over top. Mix well to combine and that's it. Ready to go. I like to top with a little more sprouts, peanuts, and green onions, but that is up to you!
Notes
This is a simple salad to assemble, but let me share a few tips for creating the best salad.
- I showed my recommended ingredients, but just know you can make this your own. You can add in any veggies you like. If you want more protein, you can add in tofu, chicken, or shrimp. All are delicious in this yummy salad!
- You can use any rice noodle you like for this recipe. There are a lot of options.
- While many salads will hold well for several days, this is not one of those salads. The sprouts especially make this a salad that needs to be eaten within 24 hours. Otherwise they get soggy and limp.
- The dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance. If you are trying to save time, make this ahead of time. Then when you make up the salad, everything is ready to go.
FAQ
You do not. Bring the water to a boil, then add the noodles. Make sure and stir occasionally so the noodles won't stick together. Some noodles you will not cook them over the heat though, you will add them to the boiling water, then remove them from the heat. Make sure and read your directions before starting.
Yes. Just like pasta, it is much better with salted water.
You probably overcooked them. Be mindful not to do this. Depending on the noodles you are using, they can cook very quickly.
Other Options
Looking for a little more meat in your life? These teriyaki chicken burgers would pair perfectly with this salad! Salmon Fritters are also a really popular recipe on the blog, they would be so good with this Fresh Vietnamese Veggie and Sprout Salad!
If you are looking for another salad idea, I have plenty! Check these out.
Fresh Vietnamese Veggie and Sprout Salad
Ingredients
- 6 ounces thin rice noodles I was limited in what I could find, so I used pad thai noodles and broke them into smaller sections. Cook as directed. Rinse well with cold water and set aside to drain while you prep veggies.
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 3 cups cucumber cut into thin strips
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- ½ cup green onions, ⅛-1/4 inch sections
- ½ cup radishes cut into thin strips like the cucumbers. Or you can cut them however you choose 🙂
- ½ cup lightly salted peanuts
- 1-2 cups sprouts I used an alfalfa/clover mix
- ⅓ cup fish sauce
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey or sugar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1-2 teaspoons chili sauce I like this a little spicy, so we use about 3 teaspoons. If you don't like it spicy, reduce to one teaspoons or leave it out all together.
Instructions
- Combine all veggies and noodles in bowl. Combine fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and chili sauce into small bowl and whisk.Pour dressing over the salad and mix well. This salad is best eaten quickly. It will hold over night, but the veggies definitely get a little soggy. If that doesn't bother you, then double the batch and use it for meal prep!Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!