This is a refreshing Vermicelli Noodle Salad that is quick to make and super healthy at only 170 calories per serving! The dressing is made with Asian ingredients and is very neutral so will suit most Asian foods, including Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, and even Korean dishes like Bulgogi.
Try it with Chinese Chicken Wings, Asian Glazed Salmon or Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)!
Vermicelli Noodle Salad
Asian cuisine doesn’t really have the equivalent of Western “go to” side salads like Coleslaw, Rocket and Parmesan, or Garden Salads. So I created this Vermicelli Noodle Salad as a simple, refreshing salad to accompany Asian foods.
It’s one of those sides that I called a two-in-one, being that it’s made with vermicelli noodles, which helps fill out the meal instead of having rice on the side, plus plenty of crunchy fresh vegetable.
This makes a terrific NO COOK light summer meal!
What you need for Vermicelli Noodle Salad
Here’s what you need:
Vermicelli noodles are thin noodles made from rice. Prepare per packet directions – usually just soaked in warm tap water or boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drained;
Vegetables – sub with vegetables of choice! Anything that can be chopped into thin strands like pictured are ideal;
Chilli is optional – a subtle hit of spiciness is very on theme for Asian salads.
Turn this into a quick meal with the addition of something store bought like shredded chicken, hot smoked salmon, pre cooked prawns or even canned tuna!
How to make it
And here’s how to make it. No rocket science involved here! Shake the dressing in a jar (the best way to make any type of dressing), prepare noodles per packet, then toss it all together.
What to serve with Vermicelli Noodle Salad
This is a sensational hot weather meal, as a light meal by itself or with a simple piece of cooked protein. My favourite is to top it with big flakes of Asian-style salmon, such as one of these:
Asian salmons
The refreshing flavours in this noodle salad goes really well with pretty much any Asian mains, such as these:
Asian mains
The dressing of this Vermicelli Noodle Salad is really neutral so this salad goes with pretty much any South East Asian cuisine such as these (click to browse recipes):
Asian foods
Have I convinced you yet that this is a great salad to add to your Asian repertoire??! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Vermicelli Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- 100g / 4 oz dried vermicelli noodles (Note 1)
- 2 cups white or green cabbage , shredded
- 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot (1 medium carrot)
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 2 green onions , finely sliced
- 1/2 cup coriander/ cilantro leaves
Dressing (Note 2 for substitutions)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any other neutral oil)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 birds eye chilli , finely minced
Garnishes (optional)
- Fried Asian Shallots , to garnish (optional)
- Red chilli , finely sliced
Instructions
- Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
- Prepare vermicelli noodles per packet directions (usually soak in warm or boiling water 2 minutes). Drain well then set aside for 10 minutes to drain off exces water. Turn out onto tea towel if necessary to dry more (watery noodles = watery flavour).
- Combine vermicelli noodles with remaining salad ingredients.
- Just prior to serving, toss through dressing. Garnish with Fried Asian Shallots if you wish.
Recipe Notes:
- Light soy sauce – sub with regular dark soy sauce, however, the colour of the dressing will be a darker colour and so the salad will look browner than in the photo.
- Rice wine vinegar – sub with lime juice for more of a Thai / Vietnamese spin. Can also sub with other mild vinegars like white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar, even apple cider vinegar.
- Chilli – is optional. 1 chilli provides a nice subtle hum, barely there. I also like to add slices of chilli for a bit more of a kick!
- Sub vegetables with any that can be thinly sliced in similar shapes (eg iceberg lettuce, snow peas, red onion, capsicum/bell peppers, cucumber)
- Add mint for a Thai / Vietnamese spin. Could also add Thai Basil leaves.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2014. Updated with new photos and video in November 2019.
Life of Dozer
Dozer! Stop pretending to sleep, I know you can hear me!!
Seriously good recipe! The dressing is the star here. Go fish sauce for sure on this one. Noodles and cabbage just transform. Cleans the palette. Love that you can add any veg to this, peppers, celery, cucumber on and on. Oh and shrimp is just an awesome addition. Thank you for this perfect recipe. I’m gojng to be eating this a couple of time a week for sure.
That’s great! So pleased you enjoyed this Tom – N x
We are calling this recipe “Asian Coleslaw”. Have made it 3 times and it is so easy and tasty.
I do omit the beansprouts though as we do not like them. Have also used 5mm flat rice noodles which was the winner so will keep using them.
Have even made it without the shallots, coriander and fried onions (could not go to the supermarket) and it was still a success.
Very good salad. I on the other hand added thin sliced red peppers for color and thai basil for that spicy punch.
Glad you enjoyed this Scott! Thank you for letting me know! N x
Superbe!!!
Loved the fried Asian shallots as a garnish at the end!
Fantastic salad.!
I served it with the Thai fish cakes.
Perfect dinner.
Next, I will try your Beef and rice with veggies.
Love hearing that Berny! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤
Very good recipe! I love that it’s tasty and low cal both. Mine turned out really well. It seems very flexible based on what ingredients you have available. I did substitute whole wheat maifun noodles to make it even healthier. I used scallions instead of shallots based on personal preference. Also I could not find bean sprouts so I used 6 oz snow peas blanched and sliced julienne. I also could not find a bird’s eye pepper so I used a jalapeno instead. I followed the author’s suggestion and used 1 T soy sauce and 1 T fish sauce as well as 2 T lime juice for the vingear. It made a pretty big bowl maybe 6 servings.
That’s terrific to hear Sarah! Thanks for letting me know! N xx
I’m confused. Here in the United States, the noodles you used in this recipe look like Asian cellophane noodles, not vermicelli noodles. Are they clear in color?
Hi Norma! To be honest, I use them interchangeably 🙂 There are some vermicelli noodles that are clearer than others. This recipe works just as well with any super thin noodles rice noodles, clear or not clear! N xx
Do you use the regular vermicelli pasta noodles or are these totally different? I am confused.
Love your recipes.
Hi Kathi! I use vermicelli dried noodles – my favourite brand is the one shown in the photos in this recipe -> https://promotown.info/singapore-noodles/%3C/a%3E I hope that helps!
This reminds me of a Vietnamese salad I love. Is there something I can substitute for the soy sauce?
Hi Chelsey! Fish sauce is a fab sub!
You want “go to” Asian salads Thai cuisine has them in abundance. Try the ubiquitous Som Tam (papaya salad) for example – adjusted for spice tolerance – or one of my favourites – shredded green mango. Vermicelli salads dominate Thai cuisine of course and yours here is very nice. I tend to omit the sugar and add a dash of sesame oil instead.
Papaya Salad is one of my FAVES!! It is so unfortunate that I can’t find papaya very often 🙁
I would love to try this recipe but I have two questions-can i substitute olive oil for the grapeseed oil and what is bird’s eye chili and is there any substitutions for it? Thank you for any information you can provide.
Hi Gabrielle! I would use vegetable or canola oil rather than olive oil because olive oil tends to have more flavour. But failing that, olive oil will work just fine 🙂 Birds eye chilli is a small red chili – you can substitute with any fresh red chilli you want. And put in the quantity to taste!
What an interesting and simple salad.. Added to my new “Nagi’s 15 minute meals” folder.. I have had fun this morning going through the 15 Minute Meal pages…
I don’t use light soy sauce so I will do as you suggest and use fish sauce with my regular soy sauce..
Thank you… :O)
Thanks Ross!! I do love this salad – pretty much my “go to” as a side for any Asian spread!!! 🙂