I love salad rolls. Sometimes they’re called summer rolls. Or fresh rolls. Or spring rolls. Which is confusing, because sometimes spring rolls are fried. Get it together, restaurants! Salad rolls can sometimes be a bit of a bummer, though, because they don’t have a whole lot of “salad” in them. Maybe some iceberg lettuce, a few bean sprouts, and a wan slab of tofu. If it weren’t for the tasty dipping sauce, they’d be a letdown. Also, they’re usually about $5 for two rolls. Yikes!
One day after enjoying a salad roll, an idea struck me. What if I could make a salad that had all the components of a salad roll, and the dipping sauce as the dressing? No laborious roll assembly required, and I could add as many veggies as my heart desired. After a couple of trials, I’m very pleased to present to you, Salad Roll Salad!
Salad rolls typically have thin rice noodles in the filling, so I started there. All they need is a bath in boiling water for about 20 minutes to get good and tender. While the noodles are relaxing in their spa, you can prep the veggies and the dressing.
And lo, we have purple cabbage, shredded broccoli stalks (leftover from dinner!), shredded zucchini, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, and carrots. In another trial, I added edamame as well. You can go nuts with the veggies, it’s a salad for Pete’s sake! Who is Pete, anyway? Does anyone know? Add your thoughts in the comments. 🙂
Next up, the dressing! This was quite an achievement, if I do say so myself. It’s so good I was drinking it. How can you go wrong with peanut butter and coconut milk? You can’t. You just can’t. Ok, maybe if you’re allergic to peanuts, not so good, but you know what would also be super tasty? Almond butter! Do it.
Also, I heart immersion blenders. I use mine ALL THE TIME. I recently discovered that it fits perfectly in a wide mouth mason jar, so you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be making all my dressings in mason jars from now on. Did I mention that I might have a mason jar addiction?
“Hi, I’m Beth. It’s been 3 weeks since I bought a mason jar.”
Blend that goodness up for just a few seconds, and you have yourself a lip-smacking dressing that can easily double as a stir-fry sauce. I have visions of perfectly cooked tofu and veggies layered over fluffy brown rice, slathered with this sauce. Someone help me get up, I just swooned.
Ok, so you have your veggies ready, your dressing is all blended up, it’s time to get your noodles out of the bath and under some cold water so that they stop “cooking” in the hot water. Drain those bad boys really well, because nobody likes a watery salad. I mean, maybe somebody does, but they’re weird. Then, since the noodles are really long and the veggies are shorter, feel free to cut the noodles into smaller pieces so everything in the salad is around the same size. I used scissors, it was oddly fun!
Chop up some scallions and mint, throw everything together in a nice big bowl, and mix it up until the dressing is coating all the veggies and noodles. If you don’t know what to do next, I’m not sure how I can help you.
DEVOUR.
I hope you try this and get creative with your veggie selections! If you’re on Instagram, tag a photo of your Salad Roll Salad with the hashtag #eatwithinyourmeans so I can see it! Thanks a bazillion!
Salad Roll Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 ounces thin rice noodles (vermicelli style)
- 1/2 head romaine lettuce (shredded)
- 1/2 head purple cabbage (shredded)
- 2 carrots (shredded)
- 2 small zucchini (shredded)
- 1 red bell pepper (shredded)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced on the bias)
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (chopped)
Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo (see notes for additional options)
- pinch of salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Soak the rice noodles in boiling water for 20 minutes. While the noodles are soaking, prep the vegetables and dressing.
Dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a wide container and puree with an immersion blender. Alternatively, puree the ingredients in a standard blender.
Salad
- Test the rice noodles to make sure they are thoroughly cooked, soaking for an additional 5 minutes if they are not cooked through.
- Once cooked, strain under cold running water to stop the cooking process.
- Drain noodles well, patting with a towel to remove as much excess water as possible.
- Cut the noodles into smaller pieces, if desired (scissors work well!).
- Combine noodles, vegetables, and dressing in a large bowl. Toss to combine until the dressing is evenly distributed.
Yum! I’m a huuugggeee fan of rolls, but like you said, they can be awfully expensive and I’m a college student. The two don’t mix all that well ;). Love the creativity you put into this!
I’ve often attempted to track down the identity of Pete, and whereas everyone and their mother has a working theory, what I’ve cobbled together is that around the turn of the century (the “ye olde” one, not the “horde dehydrated food in your closet” one) saying “for christ’s sake” was a.) obscene and b.) to be used only in severe circumstances. St. Peter, apparently, was the obvious next choice when you’re looking for reasonably priced oaths that won’t quite qualify you for blasphemer status. They found he did quite well in a pinch, having a certain ring to it and all, and there was the added benefit of not being cast out of society and (presumably later) into the lake of fire for taking the lord’s name in vain.
This is the end of today’s shoddy history bit.
If anybody was going to respond to this question, it was going to be you. 😉 Love it.
I had the pleasure of enjoying the test batch with edamame. This is a scrumptious salad! Fragrant, colorful, fresh and very satisfying. Thanks Beth!
Thanks for the kind words and for being my taste tester! 🙂
This looks sooooo goooood! Oh my goodness. It needs to get in my belly, like, yesterday. Adding it to my meal plan for next week! 🙂
Yay! Let me know how you like it! I brought it into work today and it’s disappearing. Gives me the warm fuzzies. 🙂
Beth. THIS SALAD. Holy crap. You should call it the Holy Crap Salad. It’s delicious! I’m not a fan of spicy, so instead of chipotle pepper, I used garlic (I put garlic in everything). I was eating it out of the pot. I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!!
If I had been drinking something when I read this, it would have sprayed all over the screen. Holy Crap Salad! Brilliant! (check out the revised title, by the way). So glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for making/sharing it! 🙂
I don’t know how I missed this when you posted it. I *love* the revised title! It made my day. 😀
I’m so glad! Your comment made MY day, hence the title change. 🙂
Oh, my, I *LOVE* those things! Although I must say, their name confused me, as I always heard them referred to as spring rolls, which I thought was a fried food. But the veggies, the rice noodles, the sauce…and you have pulled it all together in a salad that not only looks amazing, but I bet it would feed a crowd a whole lot easier and cheaper than the rolls would!! I’m sorry, but someone else will have to help you up off the floor…just thinking about it is making me faint with delight! 😛 I am SO putting this on the menu!!
I do agree, you cannot go wrong with peanut butter and coconut milk. But, Beth? *sniff, sniff* I mean, almond butter is just not the same. And what if you are allergic to almonds as well?? *flicks tears from eyes* Too cruel… 😉
I know a lot of people who are allergic to peanut and almond butter have used sunflower butter.
Officially on the menu for a big family barbecue this weekend. Can’t wait to try it, looks so delicious, colorful and refreshing!
This looks gorgeous! I actually had to google what a salad roll is 😉 I’m in love with my very-recently-bought mason jars, too and I make all my dressings in them! But I’m too lazy to get out my immersion blender, I just shake the jar 😉
Any ideas for a substitute for soy sauce in the dressing for those of us soy free? It sounds heavenly, but I have been unable to find a good substitute for soy sauce that does not contain soy! 🙂
I didn’t know you were soy free! You could easily substitute liquid aminos. 🙂
Made this the other night and really enjoyed it. I added some lime juice to the dressing and some shrimp with my salad and it definitely tasted like summer rolls! I found I enjoyed it more freshly made than the next day but I would still recommend this recipe to anyone 🙂 Heck, I was even tempted to wrap it up in rice paper and call them Predipped Salad Roll Salad Rolls 😛
This looks super good. I love noodles covered in different dressings with lots of vegetables and protein!
Hey girl! Saw you in the Fizzle newsletter and read your story! Congrats. I’m a fellow planty girl too. Your photos are beautiful and love your writing style. Excited for more.
Okay, love this salad and love this post!! And I love the tip on the mason jar, I’m so using that!
This salad looks soooo good but I haven’t managed to have all the ingredients together at the same time to do the salad part but omg, I’ve been using the peanut sauce on tons of stuff! Made a big double recipe and it lasted through peanut rice noodles with tofu and rice bowls the next day. Used the last bits as a dressing for a very boring (compared to this post) salad of just lettuce and tomatoes. Very versatile sauce. Will check back in once I actually put the whole salad together, yummy!
Friend! It’s so funny you bring this up, because I have been using the sauce on all kinds of things too! Since I’ve been doing the Conscious Cleanse I sub almond butter for peanut butter with great results. I’ve used it as a stir fry sauce and a salad dressing, I love how versatile it is too! So glad you are enjoying it. 🙂
Made this last night with almond butter because of peanut allergies, and loved it! Now, what to do with the leftover half can of coconut milk in the fridge?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! You can freeze the leftover coconut milk or make more dressing and use it a stir-fry sauce! 🙂
Going to try to make in a bowl for a potluck. Any suggestions?
Hi Kerry! I would suggest making sure all of the veggies and rice noodles are as dry as possible before you add the dressing and mix. The best thing to do would be to bring the veggies and noodles in the serving bowl to the potluck, but keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to serve it. Then, you can tip the bowl to make sure there isn’t any excess moisture pooling at the bottom of the bowl before you pour in the dressing and toss it altogether. That will ensure that it’s a fresh and non-watery as possible. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi there- I’m anxious to try this. Do you use canned sprouts or fresh? Do you cook them at all before added to the salad. I’ve read mixed things about eating raw sprouts. Thank you!