Cold Pad Thai Noodle Salad with Chilli Prawns
Chilled rice noodles, herbs and quick chilli prawns tossed in a tamarind dressing, perfect for a hot day or a packed lunch.
Made with Pad Thai sauce and Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.29 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Cook the rice vermicelli in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, or to the packet time. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool and drain very well.
3 min 30 s - 2
Mix the prawns with the chilli flakes. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and cook the prawns for 2 minutes on each side until pink and curled. Tip onto a plate and cool slightly.
4 min - 3
Toss the cold noodles with your ready made pad thai sauce (see the base recipe) so each strand is coated.
- 4
Add the cucumber, carrot, beansprouts and half the herbs and toss gently.
- 5
Divide between four bowls and top with the prawns and remaining herbs.
- 6
Spoon over the nuoc cham from your base recipe to taste and serve with lime wedges.
Tips
- Rinse the noodles until completely cold, or the dressing will soak in and turn them gluey.
- Dress the salad just before eating. Vegetables lose crispness quickly in the tamarind sauce.
- For packed lunches, keep the nuoc cham and prawns separate and combine at the table.
Storing and freezing
Keep undressed components separate in the fridge for up to 1 day. Prawns should be chilled within 1 hour of cooking and eaten the same day.
Questions
Can I use cooked prawns?
Yes. Use 250 g cooked and peeled prawns and just toss them with the chilli flakes. This saves the pan and about 5 minutes.
Is it dairy and gluten free?
Yes, as long as your fish sauce and rice vermicelli are gluten free. Check labels, as some noodle brands add wheat.
Can I make it vegan?
Not with the fish sauce based dressings. Use gluten free tamari based versions of the sauces and swap the prawns for pan fried tofu.
More made with pad thai sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
