Thai Rice Noodle Summer Salad

This crispy and fresh salad is served with a flavor-bursting dressing of herbs, lime, chili and more. A key component of the dressing is fish sauce, a staple ingredient in Thai cuisine that bring umami and depth to sauces and dressings. Ideally, the dressing ingredients are pounded in a mortar, but this recipe features a shortcut version that can be made in just five minutes. The pieces of minced garlic, dehydrated onions and sambal oelek add a nice texture and pop of flavor in each bite of salad, shrimp and noodles. 

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

For the salad

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, thickly shredded
• ½ white onion, thinly sliced
• ½ English cucumber, sliced into half-moons
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 head bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1.5 cups rice noodles
• 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, cooked

For the dressing

• 2 large limes, juiced
• 3 Tbsp. Fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. Thai seasoning paste
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce) can substitute for 1 red chili, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp. dried minced onions

Instructions:

1. Heat water and soften rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and get as dry as possible.
2. In a large bowl, add veggies, cilantro and shrimp. Trim the rice noodles then swirl into the salad.
3. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until well-combined. Leftover dressing can be stored in fridge for about 3 days.
4. To serve, portion salad onto plate. Spoon the dressing over the salad. Enjoy!

Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family. For more recipes and health information, visit ahealthiermichigan.org.