This crunchy Thai noodle salad recipe is full of fresh flavor and veggies. Made with vermicelli noodles and a sweet & savory coconut milk dressing, it's the perfect cold noodle salad, especially for summer!
A nice, cold Thai noodle salad is my idea of a perfect summer dish.
Loaded with crunchy vegetables like cucumber, carrots and bell peppers mixed with rice noodles, and topped with a sweet and savory coconut milk dressing, it's got TON of authentic Thai flavor.
John and I went to Thailand on our honeymoon and I'd go back again in a heartbeat.
Aside from the beautiful scenery and culture, the food is AMAZING (duh).
I think I could live off Thai food the rest of my life.
It's just got so many fresh flavors and ingredients with that hint of that unforgettable umami-ness. Noodles, curries, fresh seafood...it's all my favorite.
While this crunchy Thai noodle salad wasn't on any of the menus we looked at, the flavors are definitely authentic Thai.
Similar to traditional Thai papaya salad, this Thai noodle salad is crunchy with lots of fresh flavors and a sweet and spicy dressing.
Unlike most of the Thai noodle salad recipes you'll find, this Thai noodles salad is made without peanut sauce and as much as I love a good peanut sauce, I wanted the authentic Thai flavors to really stand out :).
Crunchy Thai Noodle Salad Ingredients:
- rice noodles (I prefer vermicelli because they're nice and thin, but you can use any rice noodle you'd like!)
- romaine lettuce (you could also use cabbage or kale)
- cucumber
- carrot
- bell pepper
- mint and/or basil
- crushed peanuts, for serving
- limes, for serving
Other optional add-ins you could use in your Thai salad:
- bean sprouts
- bamboo shoots
- chicken, shrimp or tofu
What you need for your Thai Salad Dressing:
- peanut oil (any neutral flavored oil can be substituted)
- fresh ginger
- lemongrass
- chili garlic sauce
- fish sauce
- Tamarind paste
- brown sugar
- coconut milk
- lime juice
Lemongrass paste can sometimes be found in the herb section of your grocery store. You may also be able to find fresh lemon grass stalks which you can also use by finely chopping them.
If you can't find lemongrass, you can just omit it.
I like the flavor of the peanut oil, however, you could use avocado, sunflower or coconut oil.
Tamarind is used a lot in Thai cooking. It has a sweet and tangy flavor, most commonly recognized in Pad Thai.
You can find the puree or paste at your Asian Market or online.
I don't recommend leaving the tamarind out because it has such a great distinct flavor that really adds to the salad, however if you need to substitute, see my tips below for a substitution.
How to make cold Thai noodle salad:
- Make the dressing: in medium sauce pan heat oil over medium heat. Add ginger and lemongrass. Cook for 30 seconds until they become fragrant. Stir in chili garlic sauce, Tamarind, fish sauce and brown sugar. Cook additional 30 seconds.
- Whisk in coconut milk and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Set aside or store in mason jar until completely cooled.
- Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and add to large serving bowl.
- Mix in vegetables, mint and basil.
- Serve with cooled dressing, crushed peanuts and extra lime wedges.
Tips for making Thai noodle salad:
-
If you can't find Tamarind, you could substitute for extra lime juice or sugar mixed with vinegar (see recipe notes).
-
Simmering the Thai dressing ingredients in the coconut milk enhances the flavors and aromas. Be sure to cool the dressing completely before pouring over the noodles salad.
-
You can make the dressing up to 1 week ahead of time. I like to store it in a mason jar in my refrigerator.
- I like the combination of mint and basil, but you could use one or the other.
- Unless eating right away, keep the dressing separate until ready to eat that way the vegetables stay as fresh and crunchy as possible.
- Keep this Thai noodle salad vegetarian or add your favorite protein like shrimp or chicken!
For more fresh salad recipes try:
- Farro & Kale Caesar Salad
- Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberries
- Summer Melon Salad with Prosciutto & Mint-Basil Pesto
- Crunchy Asian Salad with Sesame Peanut Dressing
If you give this recipe a try, don't forget to leave me a comment or star rating below! I love to hear your feedback :).
Crunchy Thai Noodle Salad
This crunchy Thai noodle salad recipe is full of fresh flavor and veggies. Made with vermicelli noodles and a sweet & savory coconut milk dressing, it's the perfect cold noodle salad, especially for summer!
Ingredients
Coconut Lemongrass Dressing
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or canola/vegetable oil)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass paste, see recipe notes*
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce, see recipe notes for vegan option*
- ¼ cup Tamarind concentrate/puree, see recipe notes*
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Thai Noodle Salad
- 8 ounces thin rice noodles such as Vermicelli
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce (can also use cabbage or kale)
- 2 cup cucumber, diced (about 1 medium cucumber)
- 1 cup carrot ribbons, see recipe notes* (about 1 medium carrot)
- ½ cup bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh mint and/or basil, chopped
- crushed peanuts, for serving
- lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
Coconut Lemongrass Dressing
- In small saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add ginger and lemongrass and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in chili garlic sauce, fish sauce, Tamarind and brown sugar.
- Whisk in coconut milk and bring to simmer. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Let cool completely.
Thai Noodle Salad
- Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Run under cold water and place in large bowl.
- Add romaine, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper and mint/basil. Toss to combine.
- When ready to serve, add cooled dressing, toss and serve with peanuts and extra lime wedges (if desired).
Notes
*If you can't find lemongrass paste, you can use whole lemongrass stalks. Either grate them with a microplane, or cut into small pieces and place in food processor until finely chopped. You can omit altogether and use an additional tablespoon of ginger.
*If you can't find tamarind concentrate or puree, substitute with 2 tablespoons lime juice. The tamarind does have a distinct flavor so I do recommend using it if possible.
*Make the carrot ribbons simply by using a vegetable peeler and peeling long-ways into thin ribbons.
*Dressing can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in air tight container or jar in the refrigerator.
*For vegan/vegetarian: replace fish sauce with either soy sauce, coconut aminos or a vegan fish sauce listed below in recommended products.
*I like to keep the dressing and salad separate until ready to eat so the lettuce, mint and basil stay fresh as possible.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 299mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 4g
Anonymous
Sounds like a lovely salad. But I hope you realize that its not vegetarian from the start. Fish sauce is made from anchovies if I'm not mistaken, therefore its pescatarian from the dressing alone.
Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention! I've added a note in the recipe card to replace the fish sauce with a vegan fish sauce substitute for vegetarian and vegan options.
Katerina
Oh my, gimme some of this salad, it looks absolutely delightful! I am totally putting this on a list of meals to make next week - thanks so much for sharing, Alyssa! PS: Lovely to meet you 🙂
Wine a Little Cook A Lot
Thanks Katerina! Nice to meet you too 🙂