This Vietnamese Noodle-free Salad is a grain-free version of the traditional Vietnamese Bun—filled with delicious vegetables, fresh herbs and the bold “nuoc cham” dressing featuring tangy, sweet, and salty flavors.
Vietnamese Noodle-free Salad (Bun):
Vietnamese cuisine is a treasure trove of flavors and textures, and one dish that truly encapsulates the essence of this vibrant culinary tradition is the humble yet incredibly delicious Vietnamese bun. Known for its fresh ingredients, bold flavors, and versatility, bun is a dish that appeals to both the adventurous foodie and those seeking a wholesome and satisfying meal.
Traditional Vietnamese bun features the delicate yet resilient rice vermicelli noodles, the very ingredient that gives this dish its name. Vermicelli noodles are translucent noodles made from rice flour and water, resulting in a wonderfully light and slightly chewy texture.
How to create a healthy version of a delicious traditional dish?
In a healthy lifestyle needing to limit foods which raise blood sugar levels, rice and grains are best in limited amounts. The traditional rice noodles in Bun need an adjustment, as well as the refined sugar in the dressing. In this recipe for Vietnamese Noodle-free Salad, I have omitted the noodles altogether, but added some flavorful fresh herbs in its place. Don’t skimp on the variety of herbs! Pure maple syrup replaces the refined sugar and lowers the glycemic index.
Ingredients in this Vietnamese Noodle-free Salad:
A Colorful Array Fresh Herbs and Vegetables:
- Green or savoy cabbage: Shred this vegetable into the mixed greens. I like the light texture of savoy cabbage, but green cabbage works great too.
- Romaine lettuce: This vegetable adds a light crunch to the mixed greens and is good addition to the traditional Vietnamese Bun.
- Fresh cilantro: Feel free to chop the leaves and a few of the stems to add to the mixed greens. If you do not like the taste of cilantro, you can leave it out.
- Fresh mint leaves: This is an essential fresh herb for the Vietnamese flavor profile.
- Thai basil leaves: This is an essential fresh herb for the Vietnamese flavor profile as well. It will taste authentic with the addition of Thai basil. However, it may be hard to find this fresh herb at the grocery store. Asian groceries will be your best bet. If you can’t find it, use regular fresh basil. In fact, you can add both Thai basil and regular basil to your mixed greens.
- English cucumber: The texture of this ingredient is why I like it. The peel is fine to eat and the seeds are small. Slice it very thin for this salad.
- Carrots: Peel and shred the carrots for the best results in the salad.
- Red onion: This ingredient can over power the salad, but if you slice the red onion thin, it will add the perfect amount of onion flavor to the salad.
- Serrano or jalapeno peppers: You can choose 1 or 2 peppers for this salad. I recommend not leaving it out altogether. If you are worried about the spice, just slice the top off, then slice the pepper in half longways. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and membranes.
Fish Sauce Dressing:
The ubiquitous Vietnamese dipping sauce, nuoc cham, is the magical elixir that ties all these elements together. It’s sweet, sour, salty, and spicy all at once.
- Fresh-squeezed lime juice: Absolutely use fresh-squeezed! The dressing is the star of the show for this salad.
- Pure maple syrup: With a lower glycemic index, pure maple syrup is the answer to not using fake sugar. You could substitute honey.
- Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar has a slightly sweeter taste than white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, which would be good substitutes.
- Fish sauce: This is a must have ingredient for this dressing and most Asian foods. Keep it in your pantry as a staple you use sparingly!!
Crushed Nuts: An optional sprinkle of crushed cashews or peanuts provides a lovely textural contrast and a subtle nutty flavor that ties everything together.
How to Make the Vietnamese Noodle-free Salad:
The Art of Assembly
Creating your own bowl of Vietnamese Noodle-free salad (bun) is an art form. Start with a base of mixed greens, then layer on your choice of vegetable toppings. There’s no wrong way to do it, so feel free to get creative. The secret to a great bun lies in the balance of flavors and textures, so make sure to drizzle that delectable fish sauce dressing generously. For a more hearty option, add some grilled chicken to your salad.
Vietnamese bun is a true masterpiece of Vietnamese cuisine. Its harmonious blend of flavors, textures, and freshness is a testament to the rich culinary heritage of Vietnam. So, why not enjoy the scrumptious flavors of bun in your own grain-free, low-glycemic option of this delicious dish. Dive into a bowl of Vietnamese Noodle-free Salad today!
–Kim
Vietnamese Noodle-free Salad
Ingredients
- ½ small green or savoy cabbage shredded
- 1 head romaine lettuce shredded
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves and a few stems chopped
- 2 small bunches fresh mint leaves chopped
- 1 bunch basil leaves chopped
- 1 bunch Thai basil leaves chopped
- 1 English cucumber sliced thin
- 2 carrots shredded
- ½ small red onion sliced thin
- 1-2 serrano or jalapeno peppers seeded and sliced
- Crushed cashews or peanuts optional garnish
Fish Sauce Dressing:
- 4 Tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
Instructions
- Prepare mixed greens and fresh herbs. Toss together in a large bowl. Prepare other vegetables and either toss on the mixed greens or place in separate bowls for individual choices.
- In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients. Either drizzle dressing over the vegetables and fresh herbs and toss to mix together. Or serve the dressing separately for each individual salad bowl.
- Serve cold.
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