Vietnamese Noodle Salad

This Vietnamese noodle salad is a deliciously light, fresh meal, perfect for lunch or dinner. With vermicelli rice noodles, crunchy salad, fresh herbs and chilli tossed together with a tangy dressing and topped with crispy tofu pieces, you'll want this salad every day this summer!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vietnamese

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 490kcal

Author Sally

Equipment

Ingredients

Crispy Tofu

300 grams firm tofu
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch

Noodle Salad

300 grams vermicelli rice noodles
1 cucumber seeds removed and julienned
1-2 carrots julienned
¼ head iceberg lettuce finely chopped
1 cup fresh herbs mint and/or coriander
¼ cup unsalted peanuts lightly crushed
fresh chilli optional

Dressing (Nước Chấm)

¼ cup fish sauce
½ cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice approx. 2 limes
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar/granulated sugar
1-2 garlic cloves finely diced
1 birdseye chilli finely diced

Instructions

Press the tofu to remove excess moisture. Place it between paper towels on a chopping board, then place a heavy saucepan on top. Leave for 10–30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large baking tray with paper.
Cut the tofu into 2 cm squares and toss with olive oil, soy sauce, and cornflour in a bowl until evenly coated. Arrange on the tray and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden.
While the tofu is cooking, add the vermicelli noodles to a large heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water. Let the noodles sit for 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse the noodles under cold water to remove excess starch and prevent clumping. Keep noodles submerged in cold water until needed.
Add all dressing ingredients to a jar and shake to combine.
Drain the noodles and add to serving bowls. Top with cucumber, carrot, lettuce, fresh herbs, crushed peanuts, and chilli (if using).
Drizzle generously with the dressing and top with the crispy tofu.

Notes

Vegan/Vegetarian Option: Make sure to use vegetarian/vegan fish sauce instead of regular.

Gluten Free Option: Use gluten free tamari sauce in place of soy sauce for the tofu.

Meal Prep: If you want to make this ahead, keep all ingredients separated in the fridge and assemble before serving. For meal prep you can make your bowls keeping the sauce in a separate container, however you noodles will get a bit sticky.

Nutrition