Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Mint

This fresh and vibrant vermicelli noodle salad is a gorgeous combination of crunchy vegetables, fresh mint and vermicelli noodles, tossed together with a deliciously punchy dressing. Served cold, this easy Asian-style salad is perfect for meal-prep and makes a terrific addition to a weeknight meal or summer BBQ.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• So easy to make – quick, simple and perfect for a crowd! If you prepare the pickled veggies in advance, you can throw everything together in under 30 minutes, no cooking required!
• Meal prep – everything can be prepared ahead of time, ready to assemble when you want to eat it.
• Perfect for any occasion – serve it during a summer picnic, BBQ or dinner parties. Or as an addition to a regular weeknight meal alongside your choice of protein. It also makes a fabulously tasty light lunch!
• So delicious – it’s such a light and refreshing salad. Loaded with fresh mint, crispy textures, warmth from the chilli and a gloriously punchy dressing.
• Pairs with just about anything – bright, zingy and loaded with flavour. This refreshing cold noodle salad pairs perfectly with grilled or roasted chicken, slow cooked pork belly, vegetable spring rolls, BBQ meats, prawns and fish. Or just about anything you want to serve with it!

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Vermicelli rice noodles – a thin noodle made from rice flour and water. Part of several Asian cuisines, vermicelli noodles are commonly used in soups, stir fries, spring rolls and salads. Prepare them per the packet instructions. Usually they can be cooked through simply by soaking them in a bowl of boiling water for a couple of minutes. You will find them packaged in dried bundles at supermarkets and Asian grocers. They may be labelled as ‘rice noodles’ or ‘rice stick’. Alternatively, use glass noodles (bean thread).
• Fresh herbs – a generous amount of fresh mint and dill are added to the salad for incredible fresh flavour and aroma. Vietnamese mint or regular mint can be used.
• Vegetables – carrot and cabbage are soaked in an aromatic ‘quick pickle’ liquid to add crunch, depth and vibrance to the salad. And fresh cucumber adds freshness. You can also add any other crunchy veggies you have in the fridge. Anything that can be sliced into thin strands are best.
• Rice wine vinegar – also called rice vinegar, rice wine vinegar is made by fermenting sugars in rice into alcohol and then into acid. It is commonly used in Asian cuisines, in salad dressings and marinades. And for this recipe, it is used for pickling vegetables. Compared to regular white vinegar, rice vinegar is less acidic and has a more mild and sweet flavour. Bottled rice wine vinegar can be found in supermarkets and Asian grocers. Substitute for apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Aromatics – whole star anise, ginger and chilli are used to add flavour to the pickled veggies and add depth to the salad. Keep the chilli out if preferred.
• Salt – the first step in making pickled vegetables is to cover them in salt, which helps to draw the moisture from the vegetables. This process helps the vegetables stay crisp for longer. It is important to add a full tablespoon of salt as per the recipe, because the proportion of fresh vegetables to salt and the other ingredients will affect the final flavour.
• Peanuts – crushed or chopped peanuts add crunch and flavour. Use unsalted peanuts, or even cashews or slivered almonds. Keep them out if you require the salad to be nut-free.
• Fish sauce – the salty element that balances the sweet and sour flavours. I highly recommend keeping it in, but it can be swapped for light soy sauce or vegetarian fish sauce if required.

Step by step instructions

Full recipe quantities and instructions can be found in the detailed recipe card below.

Step 1 – Make the pickled vegetables;

* It is recommended to prepare this step the day before, where possible.

Place the rice wine vinegar and sugar in a jug and stir until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Add the star anise, chilli (optional) and ginger and set aside.

Add the carrot and cabbage to a bowl and cover with the salt. Mix and set aside for 30-60 minutes. Salting helps to pull the moisture from the vegetables, which helps them to stay crisp for longer.

After 30-60 minutes, you will notice that liquid has released from the vegetables into the bowl.

Squeeze and discard as much liquid from the vegetables as possible and place them into a dry bowl or jar.

Top the vegetables with the vinegar mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until needed.

Tip: If you have time to make the pickled veggies 1-2 days in advance, your taste buds will thank you! Making them ahead gives the flavours time to mingle and develop and also helps to save time when it comes to preparing the rest of the salad.

Step 2 – Prepare the noodles;

Prepare the rice vermicelli noodles according to their packet instructions. This usually involves placing them in a bowl and covering them with boiling water and soaking until soft.

Once the noodles are cooked, place them into a sieve and run them under cold water to prevent them from cooking further.

Drain the noodles and place them into a salad bowl.

Step 3 – Make the salad;

Reserve ⅓ cup of the pickling liquid and set aside. Drain the pickled vegetables (once you have reserved ⅓ cup of liquid to use later). Some of the chilli slices from the pickling liquid can also be used in the salad, if desired.

Place the pickled vegetables, ⅓ cup reserved pickling liquid, cucumber, mint, dill and the remaining salad ingredients into the bowl with the noodles and mix until completely combined. This salad is best served cold, so chill until ready to eat.

When ready to serve, give the salad another stir (the liquid will settle in the bottom) and top with the crispy fried shallots.

Expert tips

• Make the pickles ahead of time, for maximum flavour. At a minimum, they can sit for as little as 30-60 minutes in the fridge. But the longer you leave them, the more flavour they will have. They can be made 1-2 days in advance, or kept in the fridge for as long as 2-3 weeks. Making them in advance also makes the rest of the salad prep much easier, as this is the most time-consuming step.
• Meal prep – the elements of the salad (pickled veggies, chopped fresh ingredients and garnishes) can all be made ahead and stored in airtight containers in the fridge, ready to assemble and eat in no time at all. I do recommend preparing the noodles fresh when you are ready to eat to keep them fresh.
• Cool the noodles by running them under a cold tap, to prevent them from continuing to heat and become too soft.
• This salad is best served cold. So chill it in the fridge until you are ready to serve! Keep the fried shallots out until you are ready to serve, to prevent them from going soggy.
• Serving suggestions – turn this salad into a complete meal by adding some poached/grilled/roast chicken, BBQ/char siu pork, grilled salmon, prawns or your favourite protein.
• To make it vegetarian, swap the fish sauce for light soy sauce or vegetarian fish sauce.
• For extra crunch, add some bean sprouts or thinly sliced celery.
• For convenience, you can swap slicing the carrot and cabbage for a bag of pre-cut coleslaw.
• To make it easier to eat, the softened noodles can be cut into smaller strands before adding them to the salad.
• Storage; keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
• Salt the vegetables and let them sit for at least 30 minutes, to allow the salt to draw the moisture from the vegetables. This step helps to keep them fresh and crisp and preserve their texture in the pickling liquid.

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in January 2019, but was re-published with new information, helpful tips and photos in November 2022.