Thai vermicelli noodle salad with mushrooms is a very flavorful and refreshing salad that's full of textures. It's loaded with a lot of delicious ingredients which make it filling enough for a light summer lunch too. It's vegan and with a few minor changes can be made gluten-free too.
Thai cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines and the thing that I like the most about Thai dishes is the way ingredients with different textures and flavors are used in them.
Like in this Thai cold vermicelli noodle salad recipe that I am sharing today.
This is one of the most frequently made salads in my kitchen during summer.
It's also filling enough to be served as a light summer meal.
What goes in Thai vermicelli noodle salad?
To make this Thai vermicelli salad, you will need the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes
- Rice vermicelli: Though this salad tastes the best with rice vermicelli if you don't have that or don't like rice vermicelli, use any other variety of Thai rice noodles. You can also use glass noodles but the method of cooking it will be different.
- Mushrooms: I have used white button mushrooms, feel free to use any mushroom of choice. Instead of mushrooms, sauteed vegetables or tofu can be used too.
- Sticky rice: Don't skip this ingredient. Your salad will never taste the same without it. It adds a nice nutty flavor to the dish and also thickens the dressing. You can easily find it in an Asian grocery store.
- Garlic powder: You can also add minced garlic instead of garlic powder.
- Palm sugar: If you don't have palm sugar, use brown sugar, jaggery powder, or regular white sugar.
How to make (step-by-step instructions)?
Step 1: Heat oil in a pan and add sliced mushrooms.
Step 2: Cook until the mushrooms start releasing water.
Step 3: Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Steps 4 and 5: Saute until the released water dries up. Switch off the stove and keep the mushrooms aside.
Step 6: Heat a pan and add uncooked sticky rice.
Step 7: Dry roast the sticky rice until the grains turn golden brown. Allow the rice to reach room temperature.
Steps 8 and 9: Grind the rice to make a slightly coarse powder, something like fine semolina.
Step 10: Prepare the salad dressing in a bowl by mixing ground rice, palm sugar, soy sauce, chili flakes, chopped Thai red chili peppers, and lime juice.
Step 11: Boil water in a pot. When the water starts boiling switch off the stove and add vermicelli.
Step 12: Make sure the vermicelli is submerged in the boiling water. Leave it in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.
Steps 13 and 14: When the vermicelli is cooked and the strands get separated transfer it to a bowl filled with cold water to stop further cooking.
Step 15: Keep it in cold water for 1-2 minutes and then strain.
Step 16: Cut the vermicelli into slightly smaller pieces with scissors. This will make eating the salad more convenient.
Step 17: Once the water of vermicelli gets completely drained transfer it to a large salad bowl.
Step 18: Add sauteed mushrooms.
Step 19: Add roasted peanuts.
Step 20: Add bean sprouts.
Step 21: Add chopped herbs.
Step 22: Pour dressing on top.
Steps 23 and 24: Toss until everything gets mixed well.
Your delicious Thai cold vermicelli noodle salad with mushrooms is ready to be enjoyed!
How to serve?
This vegan Thai noodle salad can be served as a side dish as well as a light main course meal.
You can serve it with any Asian side dish like Brocolli in garlic sauce, chili baby corn, lemongrass tofu, or just some grilled vegetables.
How to store?
Store it in an airtight container for around 2-3 days but add the crunchy ingredients like bean sprouts and peanuts only when you are planning to serve otherwise they will lose crunchiness.
Herbs also taste fresh and flavorful if added before serving.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Don't overcook the noodles otherwise, they will turn mushy.
- Cutting the noodle strands is optional but that makes eating the salad convenient.
- Allow the water to get drained completely before adding vermicelli to the salad.
- Instead of rice vermicelli, other varieties of rice noodles can be used too. However, their cooking method will be different so follow the instructions given on their packet to cook the noodles you are using.
- Adding chopped red chili is optional and you can skip it if your heat tolerance is low.
- You can make this salad in advance it tastes even better after a few hours of making it.
Gluten-free notes
All the ingredients used in this dish except soy sauce are gluten-free. So, if you want to make a gluten-free version of Thai noodle salad, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
Frequently asked questions
No, they both are different. Rice vermicelli is made with rice whereas glass noodles are made with mung bean starch or potato starch. Their method of cooking is also different.
No, regular vermicelli is not suitable for this dish. You need to use rice vermicelli in it.
Cooked rice vermicelli can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Other vegan and vegetarian Thai recipes
If you also love Thai food and looking for some quick and easy vegan or vegetarian Thai recipes to try at home then don't miss checking the following links:
- Thai peanut sauce
- Thai curry noodles
- Vegan Thai red curry
- Thai green curry with tofu and vegetables
- Thai cabbage salad
- Stir-fried mushrooms-Thai style
- Mango sticky rice
If you try any of my recipes, please rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it on the recipe card and also leave your feedback in the comments section below. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and subscribe to my youtube channel.
Recipe
Thai vermicelli noodle salad with mushrooms
Equipment
- Cooking pot
- Grinder/ mortar and pestle
Ingredients
- 80 grams Asian rice vermicelli
- 10-12 button mushrooms sliced
- 10-12 mint leaves
- A handful of fresh coriander leaves
- 2-3 stalks chives
- ½ cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- ¼ teasoon garlic powder
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil/ canola oil
Ingredients for dressing
- 1 tablespoon sticky rice
- 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes adjust to taste
- 1 Thai red chili finely chopped
- Juice of ½ a lime
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan and add sliced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms start releasing water. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Saute until the released water dries up. Switch off the stove and keep the mushrooms aside.
- Dry roast the sticky rice in a pan until the grains turn golden brown. Allow the rice to reach room temperature and then grind in a grinder to make a slightly coarse powder.
- Prepare the salad dressing in a bowl by mixing ground rice, palm sugar, soy sauce, chili flakes, chopped Thai red chili peppers, and lime juice.
- Boil water in a pot. When the water starts boiling switch off the stove and add vermicelli. Make sure the vermicelli is submerged in the boiling water. Leave the vermicelli in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.
- When the vermicelli is cooked and the strands get separated transfer it to a bowl filled with cold water to stop further cooking. Keep it in cold water for 1-2 minutes and then strain.
- Once the water gets completely drained, put the vermicelli in a large bowl. Add cooked mushrooms, peanuts, sprouts, roughly chopped cilantro, mint leaves, and chives.
- Pour salad dressing on top and toss everything.
- Garnish with more peanuts, sprouts, and herbs.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don't overcook the noodles otherwise, they will turn mushy.
- You can make this salad in advance it tastes even better after a few hours of making it.
- Adding chopped red chili is optional and you can skip it if your heat tolerance is low.
- Instead of mushrooms, sauteed vegetables or tofu can be added too.
- More recipe tips and tricks are given within the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
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