Heart-Healthy Refreshing Rice Noodle Salad

Brighten up your meal routine with this Heart-Healthy Refreshing Rice Noodle Salad, a vibrant, nutrient-packed dish that's perfect for clean eating and quick preparation. Featuring tender rice noodles tossed with crisp julienned vegetables like red bell pepper, carrots, and cucumber, this salad gets a burst of freshness from fragrant mint and cilantro. The flavorful dressing—a harmonious blend of low-sodium soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, and a touch of honey—adds the perfect balance of tangy, nutty, and sweet. Topped with crunchy unsalted peanuts, this salad is as satisfying as it is healthy, making it ideal for a light lunch or side dish. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s a great make-ahead option that can be chilled for added flavor infusion. This recipe is your go-to for a delicious and heart-friendly meal that celebrates wholesome ingredients.

Nutriscore Rating: 78/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:5 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 200 grams rice noodles
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 large carrot
• 1 medium cucumber
• 0.5 cup fresh mint leaves
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 stalks green onions
• 0.5 cup unsalted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 0.25 teaspoon chili flakes

Directions

Step 1

Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Step 2

While the noodles are cooking, julienne the red bell pepper and carrot. Thinly slice the cucumber. Chop the mint and cilantro leaves. Thinly slice the green onions.

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and chili flakes to make the dressing.

Step 4

In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled rice noodles, sliced vegetables, herbs, and half of the peanuts.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the salad mixture, and gently toss to combine all the ingredients and coat with the dressing.

Step 6

Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary.

Step 7

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or bowl and sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top.

Step 8

Serve immediately for the best texture, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to meld together.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1065.3g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1043.8

Total Fat 56.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 7.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6.0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1610.5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 117.1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 27.0g	0%
Total Sugars 27.6g
Protein 39.8g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 587.2mg	0%
Iron 17.6mg	0%
Potassium 2533.1mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 44.9%

Protein: 14.0%

Carbs: 41.1%