Shrimp Vermicelli Salad is basically a shrimp summer roll, minus the rice paper, that has been deconstructed.
This Vietnamese noodle salad, loaded with fresh herbs and vegetables, can be served warm or cold and the recipe includes a homemade peanut sauce vinaigrette. Grab a fork or chop sticks to dig in!
Shrimp Vermicelli Salad satisfies all my cravings. You've got your shrimp for protein, veggies for vitamins, and the rice noodles for carbs. You know I love my carbs!
Not a ton of thought went into this recipe. I had just made shrimp summer rolls and happened to have extra ingredients. Because my summer roll craving wouldn't subside, I decided to play around and make this salad instead. I wasn't sorry.
Why this recipe works so well:
- You can serve it warm or cold.
- My recipe serves two. If you're really hungry, it'll serve one. Just scale it up if you're cooking for the family.
- This vermicelli salad is loaded with vegetables and herbs. They'll make you feel good. You can easily substitute based on preference or availability - just slice them thin and they'll all blend in.
- Tender shrimp add the best flavor, but you can easily swap it out for a different protein.
How to cook Vermicelli noodles:
Vermicelli noodles are very different from traditional Italian pasta. Rice noodles cook up much faster and will stick together once cooked.
In this recipe, I recommend boiling in salted water for 2-3 minutes. After you drain and rinse, you'll want to allow the cooked noodles to soak in cold water until you're ready to use them. This will allow you to avoid having them stick together. You can always toss the cooked noodles with a bit of oil to prevent sticking.
I've also poured boiling water over vermicelli noodles, instead of cooking on the stove, and that works equally as well and there's less risk of over cooking them.
Shrimp Vermicelli Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 3 ounces Vermicelli rice noodles
- ¼ pound wild caught shrimp
- 1 lemon (if shrimp is raw)
- 1 carrot (peeled and shredded)
- ¼ cucumber (julienne sliced)
- 2 green onions (sliced thin)
- ¼ cup bean sprouts
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon fresh Thai basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon peanut sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon oil (avocado, olive, vegetable, etc)
Optional:
- ¼ cup crushed peanuts
- lime wedges
Instructions
- To make the salad, you will need to prepare the noodles and the shrimp ahead of time.
- To cook the noodles, boil in salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse. Allow noodles to soak in cold water until ready to use to avoid having them stick together.
- If you're using pre-cooked shrimp, you're good to go. If your shrimp is raw, slice the lemon in half, squeeze it into a pot of salted water, and drop the lemon halves in. Boil lemon water. Cook shrimp for about three minutes in boiling water, then immediately place in ice water. Remove shells and devein. Slice shrimp lengthwise for salad.
- To make the dressing, add peanut sauce, fish sauce, and rice vinegar to a small bowl and whisk together. While whisking vigorously, add oil in small stream to fully emulsify.
- To assemble salad, drain vermicelli and add to large bowl. Add all other salad ingredients and toss. Cover with dressing and toss to combine. Top with crushed peanuts and serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Cathleen
I have never had rice noodles, but this looks so good so I need to give it a go!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Tawnie Kroll
This was so light and refreshing, thank you! The weather is getting warmer here in Fresno so this was the perfect meal!
Rebecca
Vermicelli salads are my favorite! now I can make them at home!
Biana
I love vermicelli noodles, and you are making it even better with the dressing! I am going to make this very soon.
Jeannette
This is one of my favourite things to eat when it's hot outside! Thanks for sharing this and reminding me of such a classic Summer noodle dish! I'll definitely be making it for the family!