This Asian noodle salad recipe is so light and refreshing, making it the perfect summer dish! Packed full of punchy and fresh Asian flavours, it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser! Try it with these Char Siu pork spring rolls or twice cooked pork belly.
The best ever Asian noodle salad!
This irresistible Asian noodle salad is one of my favourite dishes to make for a crowd. Perfect for a special dinner or lunch, it has the most incredibly refreshing flavour and can be used to accompany a range of dishes. The fresh herbs and quick-pickled veggies are complemented by flavours of ginger, star anise and chilli. Add some fried shallots and crunchy peanuts and you have the perfect combination of flavours and textures!
Ingredients you will need for this salad;
This Asian noodle salad recipe uses pickled vegetables made using a simple quick-pickle recipe. These veggies can be made ahead- in fact, the longer they sit in the pickling juice, the better! This allows all of the flavours to infuse into the vegetables.
Ingredients for the quick pickled veggies;
- Carrots
- Chopped cabbage
- Salt
- Ginger
- Star Anise
- Chilli is optional, but a little heat works great with the fresh herbs and cooling cucumber.
- Rice wine vinegar
- Sugar
Ingredients for the Asian noodle salad;
- Vermicelli noodles. Thin rice noodles. Prepare the noodles according to their packet instructions- add the noodles to a bowl and cover with either warm or boiling water until soft.
- Shallots
- Spring onion
- Cucumber
- Fresh herbs. Dill and mint make this salad incredibly light and fresh. You could also add some coriander or Thai basil.
- Fish sauce. For balance and a little saltiness. For a vegan option, use light soy sauce.
- Chilli
- Fried shallots and peanuts. To garnish.
How to make this Asian noodle salad recipe;
This salad takes a little time to prepare, but the end result is SO worth it! Once the pickled veggies are made, all of the ingredients are simply thrown into a bowl and mixed together!
To save time, chop all of the salad ingredients and prepare the pickled vegetables ahead of time. The vermicelli noodles can also be prepared and stored in the fridge to be added to the salad when ready.
Here’s how I make this easy Asian noodle salad;
- Mix the rice wine vinegar, sugar, star anise, chilli and ginger (pickling liquid) together in a jug and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Mix the carrot and cabbage together in a bowl and sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of salt. The salt will draw the excess moisture from the vegetables. Allow to sit for 15-30 minutes, if possible.
- Squeeze the excess water from the vegetables and then pour the pickling liquid over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
- Prepare the vermicelli noodles according to packet instructions, until soft.
- Reserve ⅓ cup of the pickling liquid and then drain the vegetables.
- Add all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until required. The pickling mixture will settle at the bottom of the bowl, so stir when ready to serve.
This vermicelli noodle salad makes a lovely dish on its own, or add some chopped meats like chicken or prawn for extra protein.
Try this delicious Asian noodle salad recipe with these dishes;
If you try this vermicelli noodle salad recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to leave a comment or review below, or send me a message. For more food inspiration, tips and to share your own recipes and creations, head over to my Facebook Recipe Group. Or follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest recipes!
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Asian Noodle Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the pickled vegetables
- ⅔ cup rice wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 star anise
- ½ red chilli sliced
- ½ tsp ginger finely grated/paste
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into small matchsticks
- 2 cups cabbage shredded (approx 300g)
- 1 tbsp salt
For the salad
- 200 grams vermicelli noodles dry
- 2 shallots finely diced
- 3 spring onions chopped
- 2 cucumbers small, thinly sliced/julienne
- ½ cup dill fresh, chopped
- 1 cup mint fresh, chopped
- 5 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ red chilli remaining chilli from pickles
- ⅓ cup fried shallots
- ⅓ cup unsalted peanuts roughly chopped
Instructions
For the quick pickled vegetables
- Place the rice wine vinegar and sugar into a jug and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the star anise, chilli and ginger. Stir and set aside.
- Place the carrot and cabbage into a bowl and cover with the salt. Mix and set aside for at least 15-30 minutes. During this time, the salt will draw the excess moisture out of the vegetables.
- Squeeze the excess water from the vegetables and return them to the bowl. Pour the pickling liquid over the top and cover. Place into the refrigerator while you prepare the salad.
For the salad
- Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions. This should involve covering them in boiling or hot water until they are soft and tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Reserve ⅓ cup of the pickling liquid from the vegetables and discard the rest by draining the vegetables. Add the vegetables, reserved pickling liquid and all of the other salad ingredients, except the shallots, into a bowl and mix until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The pickling liquid will settle at the bottom, so stir when ready to serve.
- To serve, place the noodle salad into bowls and sprinkle with the fried shallots. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Kirsty says
Hi!
Do you use standard cabbage in the pickled vege mix or asian wombok cabbage?
Thanks!
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Kirsty! I use regular, green or purple cabbage when I make this salad, but you could swap for wombok if you prefer! Let me know how it goes! Andrea x