Spring Roll Salad with Peanut Dressing

This Spring Roll Salad with Peanut Dressing is a fresh, no-cook noodle bowl packed with crunchy veggies, rice noodles, and a dreamy creamy peanut sauce. Ready in 20 minutes and totally irresistible.

Spring Roll Salad with Peanut Dressing is the kind of recipe that makes you feel like a genius for barely trying. Hey there, I’m Claire Whitmore — a pastry whisperer in Asheville, NC, where butter totally counts as self-care.

This recipe brings together thin rice noodles, crisp rainbow veggies like purple cabbage, cucumber, and red bell pepper, fresh herbs, and a creamy peanut dressing made from pantry staples — all in one gorgeous, colorful bowl.

Little Snapshot: What This Recipe Delivers

This Spring Roll Salad with Peanut Dressing is a no-cook noodle bowl featuring thin rice noodles, colorful crunchy vegetables, fresh mint and cilantro, and a silky homemade peanut dressing made with peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, and hoisin. It serves 4, takes about 20 minutes start to finish, and works as a light main dish or a stunning side for any Asian-inspired spread.

Nutritional Peek

Here’s a rough per-serving breakdown for this spring roll salad (based on 4 servings, with peanuts included):

Nutrient	Amount Per Serving
Calories	~380 kcal
Protein	10g
Carbohydrates	44g
Fat	18g
Fiber	5g
Sugar	7g

Note: Nutrition values are estimates and will vary based on specific brands and any add-ins.

Ingredients

This easy Asian salad recipe uses two simple ingredient groups — the creamy peanut dressing and the colorful salad base — that come together beautifully when tossed right before serving.

For the peanut dressing, you’ll need pantry staples: creamy peanut butter, hoisin sauce, lime juice, and soy sauce — whisked together into something that’s basically liquid gold.

For the salad base, you’ll want cold rice noodles plus a rainbow of fresh vegetables and herbs: cucumber, purple cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, cilantro, and mint — all thinly sliced or chopped for the best texture.

Peanut Dressing:

Amount	Ingredient
1/2 cup	Creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp	Hoisin sauce (can substitute brown sugar)
2 tbsp	Lime juice (freshly squeezed is best)
1 tbsp	Soy sauce
1/4–1/2 cup	Water (start with 1/4 cup, add to desired consistency)

For the Salad:

Amount	Ingredient
4 oz	Thin rice noodles
2 cups	Cucumber, thinly sliced
2 cups	Purple cabbage, thinly sliced (or coleslaw mix — yes, that works great!)
1 cup	Carrot, grated or thinly sliced
1	Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup	Fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup	Fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup	Peanuts, roughly chopped (optional but highly recommended)

Tools You’ll Actually Use

• Large pot (for boiling noodles)
• Colander or fine mesh strainer
• Kitchen scissors (for snipping noodles — game changer!)
• Small mixing bowl + whisk (for the dressing)
• Large serving bowl
• Cutting board + sharp knife
• Measuring cups and spoons

Optional but helpful: a mandoline slicer for paper-thin veggies

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s get this Spring Roll Salad with Peanut Dressing on your table, friends.

Step 1: Cook the rice noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the thin rice noodles according to the package directions. Heads up though — package directions often overcook them, so start checking at the halfway point.

You want tender but still slightly firm noodles, not mushy ones. Once done, drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking and cool them completely.

Step 2: Dry and snip the noodles. Once your rice noodles are fully drained and dry (this part matters!), grab a pair of kitchen scissors and snip through the noodle bundle a few times to create shorter strands. This small move makes the whole salad so much easier to eat and toss. Set the noodles aside in a large serving bowl.

Step 3: Make the peanut dressing. While the noodles are cooling, whisk together the creamy peanut butter, hoisin sauce, lime juice, and soy sauce in a small bowl until very smooth.

Start by adding 1/4 cup of water and whisk until incorporated, then slowly add more water — a tablespoon at a time — until the dressing reaches a thin, pourable consistency. It should coat a spoon but still flow easily.

Step 4: Prep the vegetables. Thinly slice the cucumber and red bell pepper, and either grate or thinly slice the carrot. Slice the purple cabbage as thin as you can — or just use a coleslaw mix if you want to skip that step (zero judgment). Roughly chop the fresh cilantro and mint.

Step 5: Assemble and toss. Add all the sliced vegetables — cucumber, purple cabbage, carrot, and red bell pepper — along with the fresh cilantro and mint to the large bowl with the noodles.

Pour the peanut dressing over everything and toss well until every noodle and veggie is coated. The colors at this stage are genuinely stunning — it looks like a party in a bowl.

Step 6: Garnish and serve. Top your spring roll salad with the roughly chopped peanuts for crunch. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to a day (it actually gets better as the flavors meld).

Claire’s Pro Tips & Gentle Guidance

A few things I’ve learned from making this healthy bowls recipe more times than I can count — trust me, these little details make a real difference.

The biggest mistake people make with rice noodles is overcooking them. Check early, rinse immediately in cold water, and make sure they’re fully dry before tossing with the other ingredients. Wet noodles will water down your gorgeous dressing.

Don’t skip the herbs. Fresh mint and cilantro are what make this taste like an actual spring roll in salad form. If you think you don’t like cilantro, try using just mint — it’s still incredible and adds that signature fresh bite.

Make the dressing ahead. The peanut dressing keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days in a jar. When it chills, it thickens up — just give it a good whisk and add a splash of water to loosen it back up before serving.

Thin your dressing generously. When tossing with noodles and lots of veggies, you need a pourable dressing, not a thick paste. Don’t be shy about adding water — it won’t dilute the flavor, it’ll just distribute it more evenly.

Add protein to make it a full meal. Grilled chicken, shrimp, crispy baked tofu, or even a soft-boiled egg turn this side salad into a seriously satisfying dinner. For more healthy bowl inspiration like this, check out this bang bang chicken bowl — the flavor combos are chef’s kiss.

For even more depth on balancing bold Asian-inspired sauces, The Kitchn has a fantastic deep dive on building peanut sauce from pantry staples that aligns perfectly with everything I do in this recipe.

Quick Fixes for Spring Roll Salad (Troubleshooting Guide)

My peanut dressing is too thick and won’t coat the noodles. Add water one tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until it pours easily. The dressing should be thin enough to flow off a spoon. It’s a simple fix every time.

My noodles are clumping together. This usually means they weren’t rinsed or dried well enough after cooking. Rinse them thoroughly under cold water right after draining, then spread them out or toss gently to separate the strands before adding to the bowl.

The salad tastes a little flat. A squeeze of fresh lime juice fixes this almost every time. You can also add a tiny splash more soy sauce or a pinch of salt — taste as you go and trust your instincts.

The salad got soggy overnight. If you’re making this ahead, store the dressing separately and toss right before serving. The rice noodles absorb liquid over time, so adding the dressing fresh keeps everything at its best texture.

The dressing is too salty. Balance it with a little extra lime juice or a small drizzle of honey. The sweet-acid combo will round everything out without you needing to start over.

Variations & Fun Twists

This Spring Roll Salad is basically a blank canvas — and it loves a remix.

Add a protein. Grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or crispy tofu are all amazing here. For an easy weeknight version, a rotisserie chicken torn into strips is honestly perfection. Or try this with the flavors from this fiesta lime chicken for a fusion bowl moment.

Go full rainbow. Swap in shredded green cabbage, edamame, snap peas, or thinly sliced avocado for extra color and nutrients. The more vegetables, the better this salad looks and tastes.

Make it gluten-free. Use tamari instead of soy sauce in the dressing and double-check your hoisin brand. Most thin rice noodles are naturally gluten-free too.

Spice it up. Whisk in a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or a drizzle of sriracha to the dressing for a gentle kick. It pairs beautifully with the peanut butter and lime.

Switch up the herbs. Thai basil instead of mint is a gorgeous variation. You can also try a combination of all three — mint, cilantro, and Thai basil — for something really special.

Serving, Storage & Reheating

This Asian salad recipe is best served fresh, right after tossing with the dressing. It makes a gorgeous centerpiece for a summer dinner party, a meal prep lunch, or a healthy side alongside whatever’s on the grill. The colors are so vibrant — pile it high and top generously with chopped peanuts for that final crunch.

For storage, keep the salad and dressing in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. The noodles and veggies hold up surprisingly well, but once the dressing is mixed in, things get a bit soft by day two. If you love meal prep, this is a great one to prep in components.

This salad is meant to be served cold or at room temperature — no reheating needed. If your peanut dressing has thickened in the fridge, just whisk in a tablespoon of warm water to loosen it up before tossing with the salad.

No-Waste Kitchen Magic

Use your veggie scraps. Carrot tops make a surprisingly good pesto, and the outer leaves of cabbage work beautifully in a stir fry or quick sauté with garlic and soy sauce.

Day-two noodles? If your leftover noodles have soaked up the dressing overnight, just loosen them with a splash of warm water and a little extra peanut dressing. Toss in a fried egg and you’ve got a whole new meal.

Extra peanut dressing = instant win. It doubles as a dipping sauce for fresh spring rolls, a drizzle over roasted broccoli or these honey glazed carrots and green beans, or even a sauce for grain bowls. Make extra — always.

Wilting herbs? Toss them into a smoothie, blend into a sauce, or steep them in warm water for a quick herbal drink. Nothing goes to waste around here.

FAQs

Cozy Closing

If you make this Spring Roll Salad with Peanut Dressing, please come back and tell me how it went — I genuinely love hearing from you. Drop a comment below with your photos, your favorite add-ins, or the fun swaps you tried. Did you do it with tofu? Throw in some mango? Add a little heat to the dressing? I want to know everything.

This Spring Roll Salad is one of those recipes that becomes yours the second you make it. It’s so flexible, so forgiving, and so delicious that I bet you’ve already got three variations in your head right now. Make it yours — and then share it with someone who needs a bowl of something beautiful today.

I’m Claire Whitmore — a dessert daydreamer and weeknight-dinner realist from Asheville, NC. For me, cooking isn’t about perfection — it’s about making something that feels good to eat and even better to share. Thanks for being here at EdenPlate.