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Thai-Style Rice Noodle Salad

This cold rice noodle salad, brimming with crunchy cucumbers, yellow squash, peanuts, chiles and a slew of basil and mint, is light and refreshing—perfect for sultry summer evenings. Serve the salad on its own, or make it into a main course by adding grilled shrimp or chicken. (The dressing calls for 1-2 tablespoons of fish sauce, according to taste, since different brands have varying levels of intensity—I highly recommend Red Boat brand).
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Nicki Sizemore

Ingredients

Dressing:

  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 large garlic clove , grated
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

  • 12 ounces rice noodles (fettuccini style)
  • ½ medium English cucumber , halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium yellow squash , halved and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup lightly packed fresh mint , coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup lightly packed basil , coarsely chopped
  • 1-2 red chiles (such as jalapeños or serranos), to taste, thinly sliced
  • 2 large scallions , thinly sliced, plus more for serving
  • ½ cup roasted , salted peanuts, coarsely chopped, plus more for serving
  • Salt
  • Grilled shrimp or chicken (optional)
  • Sriracha or chile sauce , for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • In a bowl or jar, combine the lime juice, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger. Let sit 5-10 minutes. Add the honey, sesame oil, vegetable oil and 1-2 tablespoons of fish sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk or shake to combine. Do Ahead: The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles and rinse in cold water.
  • Place the noodles in a large bowl and add the cucumber, squash, mint, basil, chiles (to taste, depending on how spicy you like it), scallions and peanuts. Pour the dressing over top, and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt as needed. Garnish with additional peanuts and scallions. If you’d like, top with grilled shrimp or chicken. Serve with sriracha or chile sauce for drizzling, if desired.