Description
Everything you love about Vietnamese spring rolls — the crunch, fresh herbs, bold dipping sauce — lands in one easy no-wrap bowl drizzled with a punchy spicy ginger dressing. Crisp greens, shredded carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, rice noodles, cilantro, and mint come together in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 6 cups mixed salad greens or romaine, roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup English cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 oz rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and cooled
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- ½ cup green onions, sliced on a diagonal
- ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1 cup cooked protein of choice — shrimp, chicken, or tofu (optional)
- SPICY GINGER DRESSING:
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1½ tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1–2 tsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce (adjust to heat preference)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add rice vermicelli and cook 3–4 minutes until just tender. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Toss with a small drizzle of sesame oil and set aside so noodles stay separated and don’t clump.
2. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha in a small bowl. Whisk until fully combined and glossy. Taste and adjust — more sriracha for heat, more honey for sweetness, more vinegar for tang. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Shred carrots on a box grater or slice paper-thin with a mandoline. Slice cucumber into thin half-moons and red bell pepper into long thin strips. Slice green onions on a diagonal. Tear mint leaves by hand to keep edges from browning and release more fragrance.
4. Spread mixed greens across a large salad bowl or wide platter. Layer cooled rice noodles, shredded carrots, cucumber, and red bell pepper across the top. Distribute everything evenly from edge to edge so every serving gets a full mix of colors and textures.
5. Scatter fresh cilantro, torn mint, and sliced green onions over the top. Add your cooked protein of choice if using. Finish with chopped roasted peanuts — these deliver the essential crunch that ties the whole bowl together.
6. Drizzle spicy ginger dressing over the salad right before serving. Toss gently at the table, or serve dressing on the side so greens stay crisp. Serve immediately while everything is fresh and vibrant.
Notes
NOODLE TRICK: Rinse rice noodles in ice-cold water immediately after cooking and toss at once with a drizzle of sesame oil. This stops cooking, prevents sticking, and adds flavor that runs through the whole salad.
FRESH GINGER ONLY: Ground ginger tastes flat and dusty in this dressing. Fresh ginger is what gives the sauce its signature bright, zingy heat. Freeze leftover ginger unpeeled and grate directly from frozen — it keeps for months.
HERB QUANTITY: Cilantro and mint carry as much flavor weight as the dressing itself — don’t reduce the quantity. If cilantro divides your table, swap it for Thai basil or flat-leaf parsley.
DRESSING AHEAD: Make the spicy ginger dressing up to 5 days ahead and store in a sealed jar in the fridge. The flavor deepens as it sits. Shake before using.
MEAL PREP: Store greens, noodles, vegetables, and dressing in four separate containers. Combine fresh each day for crisp restaurant-quality salads all week.
ROTISSERIE SHORTCUT: Pull meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken, toss with a splash of the dressing, and pile directly on the salad. Dinner in 15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Salad, Main Course
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired, Vietnamese-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 2 cups
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg