Spring Roll Salad Spicy Ginger (Printable)

Crisp vegetables, shrimp, and rice noodles with zesty ginger dressing

# What You Need:

→ Salad Components

01 - 7 oz cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
02 - 3.5 oz rice vermicelli noodles
03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
04 - 1 small cucumber, julienned
05 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cups mixed salad greens
07 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
08 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
09 - 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
10 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

→ Spicy Ginger Dressing

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
12 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
14 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 1 small red chili, finely chopped, seeds removed for less heat
19 - 2 tablespoons neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)

# How-To:

01 - Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking. Set aside in colander to drain excess moisture.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine salad greens, julienned carrot, cucumber, bell pepper strips, mint, cilantro, and Thai basil. Add cooled noodles and cooked shrimp. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly without crushing delicate herbs.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, chopped chili, and neutral oil. Whisk vigorously until emulsified and fully blended.
04 - Drizzle spicy ginger dressing over salad mixture. Toss gently with salad servers or hands to coat all ingredients evenly with dressing. Ensure noodles and vegetables are thoroughly dressed.
05 - Transfer salad to individual serving bowls or large serving platter. Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts over top for crunch. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired.
06 - Serve salad promptly while vegetables remain crisp and noodles retain texture. Dressing will cause ingredients to wilt if left standing too long.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get all those fresh spring roll flavors without spending thirty minutes folding paper-thin wrappers
  • The dressing keeps for days in the fridge, so you can drizzle it over everything
  • Its that magical combination of hot, sour, salty, and sweet that makes your tastebuds dance
02 -
  • The salad gets soggy if dressed too early, so wait until right before serving to add that ginger magic
  • Thai basil has a distinct anise flavor that regular sweet basil can't replicate, so hunt it down at an Asian market
  • Your dressing tastes better after sitting for 20 minutes, so make it first and let the flavors become friends
03 -
  • Toast your peanuts in a dry pan until fragrant, then immediately remove from heat so they don't burn
  • Freeze your ginger root, then grate it frozen, you'll get way more ginger with less effort

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