Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Sesame Dressing (Paleo, Vegan)

DAIRY FREE II GLUTEN FREE II VEGAN II PALEO II EGG FREE II GUT FRIENDLY

This Vermicelli Noodle Salad is fresh, crunchy, vibrant and packed with flavour. It’s loaded with colourful vegetables, silky vermicelli noodles and a bold sesame ginger dressing that ties everything together beautifully.

If you’re looking for a quick, nourishing meal that feels light but still satisfying, this Asian noodle salad is the perfect option. It works brilliantly as a lunch, side dish or make-ahead meal for busy days.

The combination of crisp vegetables and aromatic dressing makes this healthy noodle salad incredibly moreish, while still being naturally adaptable to vegan and gluten free diets.

Ingredient lists and recipes may change on the brands I recommend. Always check product labels to ensure they are suitable for your diet. If uncertain, contact the manufacturer directly.

Ingredient notes for Vermicelli Noodle Salad

Vegetables

Red cabbage, carrot, red onion, mixed peppers (red, yellow & orange), courgette, celery (optional), cucumber, and coriander all come together to create a crunchy, colourful base for this Vermicelli Noodle Salad, adding freshness, texture, and natural sweetness.

Vermicelli noodles

Light and silky, these form the base of this cold noodle salad recipe, soaking up all the flavour from the dressing.

Oils

Olive oil and sesame oil create a rich, nutty foundation for this sesame ginger dressing.

Soy sauce / tamari / coconut aminos

Adds deep umami flavour and savoury balance to this Asian noodle salad dressing.

Honey / agave

Brings gentle sweetness to balance the acidity and spice.

Ginger, chili and garlic

I recommend fresh versus powdered.

Lime juice

Brightens and lifts the entire dressing. You can also use fresh lemon juice if you prefer.

Ingredients

Why you will love this Vermicelli Noodle Salad

• This vermicelli noodle salad is fresh, crunchy and full of flavour

• Packed with colourful vegetables for a nutrient-rich meal

• The Asian noodle salad dressing is bold, nutty and slightly sweet

• A light but satisfying healthy noodle salad

• Perfect for meal prep or quick lunches

• Can be served warm or cold

• A great way to eat more raw vegetables

• Quick to assemble and highly customisable

FAQs

Is this vermicelli noodle salad healthy?

Yes, it’s packed with fresh vegetables, making it a nutrient-dense healthy noodle salad.

Can I make this vegan?

Yes, use agave or maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing.

Can I make this gluten free?

Yes, use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten free noodle salad.

Can I meal prep vermicelli noodle salad?

Yes, store components separately and combine when ready to eat.

What can I serve with it?

This Asian noodle salad works well as a side or with grilled protein.

Top tips

• I used a mandoline, a julienne cutter, and a sharp knife to chop the vegetables for the slaw. If you have a fancy food processor and haven’t lost all the cutting blades, like I have, then use your processor to chop up the veggies instead.

• Here is a quick video on how to cut vegetables into julienne ( thin strips.) It took me around 15 minutes to chop up everything I needed. If you use a mandoline and are a newbie, please use the guard with the kit. I have sliced off the tops of my fingers many times, so please be careful.

• The dressing will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks. However, the salad needs to be eaten in 2/3 days.

30 minutes prep time - feeds 4

Step by step

Cook vermicelli noodles according to packet instructions, then drain and cool. Slice all vegetables thinly and combine in a large bowl with the noodles.

Remove the seeds from the cucumber.

Blend all dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well. Finish with coriander and a squeeze of lime.

Recipe

Slaw

• 250 g red cabbage - sliced using a sharp knife or a mandoline

• 1 carrot - cut using a mandoline or julienne cutter ( see notes)

• 1 red onion sliced thinly

• 1/2 each red, yellow & orange pepper, cut in julienne ( thin slices)

• 1 courgette

• 2 sticks celery sliced thinly ( optional )

• 1/4 cucumber deseeded and thinly sliced

• 30 g coriander chopped

• 125 g cooked vermicelli noodles ( optional)

Dressing

• 70 ml olive oil

• 80 ml sesame oil

• 50ml soy sauce/ tamari/ coconut aminos

• 50ml honey/agave

• 35 g ginger

• 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 chillies ( less if you like it mild)

• 1/4 juiced lime

Method

1. Start by cooking the noodles; the vermicelli variety takes 2/3 minutes at the most to cook.

2. Wash and cut up your vegetables toss them together in a bowl and add the noodles.

3. To make the dressing, pop everything into a Nutri Bullet or similar and whizz up ( this can be left in the fridge for two weeks)

4. Add the dressing just before you serve as it makes everything soggy if you add the dressing too early.

5. Finish off with a garnish of chopped coriander and a wedge of lime.

Food shopping tips

Are you looking to save money on your FREE FROM ingredients without shopping in several places just to save a buck? Take a look at well easy they have made it well easy to shop for healthy free from allergy-specific ingredients. Find everything you need all in 1 place with over 50 filters. You will be sure to find food for your dietary restrictions that are healthy too!

And it’s cheaper than the health stores or supermarkets, don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself here. Check out my curated shopping list of all my recommended healthier ingredients that I love to cook with. Here’s the link. Use my code KAM15 for £15 off your first order ( £50 minimum order for the first shop).

• I have also mentioned in the recipe that the tamari and sesame oil can be bought from your local supermarket.

• Buy brown rice vermicelli noodles from your local Asian or Indian store.

This blog contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using the links. I have personally vetted and used all the products that I recommend.

Looking for anything?

No results found

Browse all Articles

All Categories

• Allergies & Intolerances
• Food and Ingredients
• Health & Wellbeing
• Recipe collections

Latest articles

Latest Recipes

Follow along on Instagram

You might also like these recipes: