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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.
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Servings 5

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

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Cook rice noodles according to package instructions and place in large bowl. Add about half the reserved dressing and toss to combine.
  • 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