Go Back

Minted Watermelon and Rice Noodle Salad

This vibrant summer salad works equally great as a side dish or light lunch. It also travels well. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a few days.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 5
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon liquid honey
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or 1 finely chopped bird's eye chili
  • 1 tablespoon + ⅓ cup loosely packed mint leaves divided
  • 1 cup snow peas ends trimmed
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 5 ½ oz rice vermicelli noodles
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 14 oz watermelon cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ¼ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves or regular basil leaves
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped toasted peanuts (optional)
  • 1 lime cut into wedges for serving

Method
 

  1. In small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, fish sauce, honey, water, and sambal oelek or chopped chili until well combined. Finely chop 1 Tbsp mint leaves and stir into dressing. Set aside while preparing salad, or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  2. Bring large saucepan of water to boil over high heat. While water is coming to a boil, prepare ice bath by placing a couple of handfuls of ice into large bowl and covering with cold water. Set aside.
  3. Blanch snow peas in boiling water for 10 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath for 1 minute before placing on clean kitchen towel to drain. Repeat blanching and ice water bath treatment with bean sprouts, taking care to blanch bean sprouts in boiling water for only 5 seconds. Place bean sprouts to drain on clean kitchen towel alongside snow peas.
  4. Cook rice noodles according to package instructions and place in large bowl. Add about half the reserved dressing and toss to combine.
  5. Cut snow peas into bite-sized pieces and add to bowl with noodles along with bean sprouts, cherry tomato halves, watermelon pieces, torn basil leaves, green onion, and remaining 1/3 cup torn mint leaves. Drizzle with remaining dressing before gently tossing all together. Pile onto serving plates and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts, if using, and lime wedges.

Notes

Each serving contains: 215 calories; 6 g protein; 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 45 g total carbohydrates (11 g sugars, 4 g fiber); 590 mg sodium