Spring roll salad is inspired by fresh Vietnamese spring rolls dipped in peanut dressing. It's deconstructed in a bowl with crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, rice noodles, and a delicious peanut dressing. Top it all with sliced avocado and my favorite crispy quinoa. Light yet satisfying, this salad is naturally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free!
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If you love Vietnamese spring rolls but don't feel like rolling everything in rice paper, this salad is for you. It tastes so incredibly fresh and is perfect for meal prep (it makes enough for two people to enjoy for several days).
What is spring roll salad?
Spring roll salad is a deconstructed version of Vietnamese spring rolls. Instead of wrapping everything in rice paper, it's tossed together in a bowl.
It includes everything you love in a spring roll minus the rice paper. We've got rice noodles, butter lettuce, fresh cut veggies, and fresh herbs. I've really been looking for a way to use fresh mint in a savory recipe, and this was the perfect excuse!
I also topped my salad with crispy quinoa for extra texture and protein. It gives the salad a little crunch, kind of like a crouton!
Ingredients
- Rice noodles
- Toasted sesame oil
- Red cabbage
- Carrots
- Mini cucumbers
- Butter lettuce
- Green onion
- Cilantro
- Mint
- Avocados
- Crispy quinoa
- Peanut dressing
How to make spring roll salad
- Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. When done, rinse with cold water, strain, and toss with the toasted sesame oil to keep them from sticking together.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
- Toss the cooked noodles with the cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, green onion, cilantro, and mint in a large bowl.
- Add the peanut dressing and toss until fully coated.
- Divide the salad between plates and top with sliced avocado, crispy quinoa, and additional herbs and dressing if desired.
Top tips
Cut everything to a similar size
I used this julienne peeler to cut my carrots and cucumbers to the same size. Then I cut my lettuce and cabbage in a similar way. This helps create the best texture for the salad, making sure the vegetables aren't too hard to chew and you get a little taste of everything at once.
Meal prep tips
If using this to meal prep for the week, store the dressing separately in small, single serving containers. Divide the salad between your meal prep containers (I like to use a big mason jar, but you could also use regular meal prep containers).
How to store spring roll salad
If using it for meal prep, store the dressing and salad separately until ready to serve. The salad will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing spring roll salad.
Tips for customizing spring roll salad
- Cut back on the noodles and veggies or double the peanut dressing if you prefer more sauce
- Use my best tofu marinade to top this with tofu for extra protein
- Swap the crispy quinoa for chopped peanuts
- Add a minced jalapeno (ribs and seeds removed) or drizzle with chili crisp, sambal oelek, or sriracha to make it spicy
- Add mango or pineapple
FAQ
I suggest using rice vermicelli noodles for spring roll salad. They're thin noodles that cook quickly and have just the right texture you'd find in a fresh spring roll.
Yes, this recipe is entirely plant based.
Yes, as long as you use tamari instead of soy sauce, this recipe is gluten-free. You should also make sure you're using rice noodles instead of noodles made with wheat flour.
Yes, absolutely! This is a great way to save time. Just be aware that it will have a different flavor than the homemade version, so you may need more or less depending on your taste.
More salad recipes
- Air Fryer Gnocchi Salad
- Vegan Potluck Barley Salad
- Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
- Roast Pumpkin Salad
- Quinoa Taco Salad
- Cajun Salad
- Pesto Tortellini Salad
- The Best Easy Vegan Salad
- Pizza Salad
- High Protein Vegan Salad with Hummus
- Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
- Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Salad Bar Salad
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Spring Roll Salad
Ingredients
- 6 ounces rice noodles
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 ½ cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups carrots, julienned
- 1 ½ cups mini cucumbers, julienned
- 1 cup thinly sliced butter lettuce
- 1 green onion, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 1-2 avocados, sliced
- Crispy quinoa, to taste, see notes
- Peanut dressing, full recipe, see notes
Instructions
- Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. When done, rinse with cold water, strain, and toss with the toasted sesame oil to keep them from sticking together.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
- Toss the cooked noodles with the cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, green onion, cilantro, and mint in a large bowl.
- Add the peanut dressing and toss until fully coated.
- Divide the salad between plates and top with sliced avocado, crispy quinoa, and additional herbs and dressing if desired.
Notes
Notes
- Read my blog posts about how to make crispy quinoa and peanut dressing.
- Nutrition facts do not include dressing or crispy quinoa topping.
How to customize spring roll salad
- Cut back on the noodles and veggies or double the peanut dressing if you prefer more sauce
- Use my best tofu marinade to top this with tofu for extra protein
- Swap the crispy quinoa for chopped peanuts
- Add a minced jalapeno (ribs and seeds removed) or drizzle with chili crisp, sambal oelek, or sriracha to make it spicy
- Add mango or pineapple
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