This Spring Roll Salad is one of my favourite things to make (and eat) in the summertime. It’s light, fresh, and packed with crunchy veggies, tender shrimp, and chewy vermicelli noodles, all tossed in a peanut ginger dressing that’s so good you’ll want to drink it. This vermicelli noodle salad tastes like a shrimp spring roll met a noodle bowl and decided to become your new go-to warm-weather meal.

If you’re after a refreshing summer salad that doesn’t feel like a chore to put together, this one checks all the boxes. It delivers all the classic flavours and textures of a traditional spring roll: bright herbs, crisp vegetables, and that salty-sweet peanut sauce. But it skips the most time-consuming part: the rolling. Let’s be real, the filling is the fun part anyway. This spring roll salad is perfect for a backyard BBQ, casual lunch, or light dinner that still feels satisfying — same as my Raw Carrot Salad with Calabrian Chili & Tahini Dressing or my Crispy Rice Salad With Peanut Lime Dressing. Whether you call it a shrimp salad, a vermicelli noodle salad, or just “that salad I keep making,” it’s one of those dishes you’ll come back to all season long.

😍 Why You’ll Love This Spring Roll Salad

All flavour, no fuss: get the classic taste of a spring roll without any of the rolling, wrapping, or tearing rice paper.
Texture, texture, texture: cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, herbs, and peanuts give this salad a serious crunch factor.
Perfect for summer: no oven required, minimal cooking, and cool, refreshing flavours you’ll crave when it’s hot out.

🥗 Ingredients To Make This Spring Roll Salad

Olive oil: adds richness and helps blend the dressing into a smooth, pourable consistency.
Soy sauce: brings salty, umami depth that balances the sweetness of the peanut butter.
Rice wine vinegar: adds acidity and tang to cut through the creaminess.
Garlic: minced fresh for a sharp, savoury bite that mellows in the dressing.
Ginger: freshly grated for zing and warmth, brightening the overall flavour.
Peanut butter: the creamy base of the dressing. Smooth, nutty, and naturally thick.
Sriracha: adds a gentle heat. You can adjust to taste depending on your spice tolerance.
Honey: provides a touch of sweetness to balance the salt and spice.
Lime juice: freshly squeezed for acidity, zing, and that signature Thai-style balance.

Shrimp: peeled and patted dry for quick, even searing.
Olive oil: used to pan-fry the shrimp, giving them a golden, slightly crisp edge.
Salt and pepper: the simplest seasoning, added just before cooking to enhance flavour.

Vermicelli noodles: the noodle base of this salad. Light, chewy, and quick to cook, they soak up the dressing beautifully.
Purple cabbage: thinly shredded for a vibrant crunch and gorgeous colour.
Mini cucumbers: sliced for crisp freshness and a juicy bite.
Carrots: shredded for colour, crunch, and a hint of sweetness.
Jalapeño: chopped for a pop of heat; remove the seeds for a milder salad.
Avocado: diced for creaminess that contrasts great with the crunchy veg.
Green onions: chopped for a mild oniony bite that brightens the whole bowl.
Cilantro: chopped for a herbal freshness that adds brightness and depth.
Mint: cooling and aromatic, mint adds a classic spring roll touch.
Peanuts: crushed on top for added crunch and nutty contrast.

✔️ How To Make This Spring Roll Salad

To begin, pat your shrimp dry with a paper towel and season them with a bit of salt and pepeer. This quick step helps them sear evenly and ensures you’re building flavour from the start. Set them aside while you get everything else going.

Next, cook the vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions. Typically, that means soaking them in boiling water for a few minutes until soft, then draining and rinsing under cold water. Rinsing helps stop the cooking process and keeps them from sticking together. Once drained, set them aside in a large bowl.

While the noodles cool, make the peanut dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, olive oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, sriracha, honey, and lime juice. If it’s too thick, slowly add water or more lime juice until it’s pourable but still creamy. The dressing should be punchy, tangy, and just a little spicy.

🤝 Sammy’s Tip for Spring Roll Salad

• Thin your dressing slowly with lime juice or water until you reach your desired consistency. It should be pourable but still rich.

Now it’s time to cook the shrimp. Grab a medium skillet and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until they’re pink and lightly golden. They cook quickly, so don’t walk away. Once done, transfer the shrimp to a plate to cool slightly while you prep the rest of the salad.

Meanwhile, prepare your veggies and herbs. Thinly shred the purple cabbage, slice the cucumbers, grate the carrots, chop the jalapeño, cube the avocado, and finely chop the green onions, cilantro, and mint. You want everything bite-sized and fresh; this is what gives the salad that spring roll crunch and flavour.

To assemble the salad, start with your cooled vermicelli noodles in a large serving bowl. Pile on the cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, jalapeño, avocado, green onions, cilantro, and mint. Add the shrimp over top, then drizzle with the creamy peanut lime dressing.

Finally, toss everything gently until evenly coated. If you’d like, sprinkle chopped peanuts over the top for extra crunch. Serve immediately and enjoy the best parts of a shrimp spring roll — no rolling required.

Want to see it in action? Watch the recipe video on Instagram.

🗒️ Variations

Noodle swap: use glass noodles or rice noodles if you don’t have vermicelli on hand.
Try a different protein: like grilled chicken or seared salmon if shrimp salad isn’t your thing.

🗒️ Substitutions

Nut butter: swap the peanut butter with almond butter or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version.
Make it vegetarian: by swapping shrimp for crispy tofu or edamame.

🤔 FAQ’S

🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.

This shrimp salad is best fresh, especially once dressed, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For best results, store the dressing separately and toss right before serving to maintain the crunch of the veggies.

👩🏻‍🍳 Hungry For More? 

If you loved this spring roll salad recipe, check out a few of my othehatr favourite side dishes you may also love:

• Raw Carrot Salad with Calabrian Chili & Tahini Dressing
• Crispy Rice Salad With Peanut Lime Dressing
• Caesar Pasta Salad
• Lemon Herb Pasta Salad
• Honey Roasted Carrots with Whipped Feta & Crispy Garlic

💌 Let’s Stay Connected

Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest! If you do make this spring roll salad recipe (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.