Spring Roll Salad with Shrimp and Peanut Dressing

Meet your new weeknight favorite: spring roll salad—everything you love about fresh rolls, tossed in a big crunchy bowl. Juicy cucumber, crisp veggies, tender noodles, tons of herbs, and a zippy dressing bring all the Vietnamese-inspired flavors without any rolling required. It’s fast, flexible, and the kind of dinner that disappears the second it hits the table.

Spring Roll Salad with Shrimp and Peanut Dressing

My love for salad rolls runs deep, and it all started with my love for peanut sauce. You can put peanut sauce on basically anything and I am happy!

If you can relate, this Vietnamese spring roll salad is for you!

Loads of whole foods in a bowl with minimal prep time! And no rolling and wrapping with rice paper sheets, making this MUCH easier than traditional Vietnamese spring rolls.

Even better, you can totally prep this in advance for the easiest lunch or dinner. I’ve even taken it on the go and it travels really well!

Why you’ll love this healthy spring roll salad recipe

All the fresh, herby spring-roll vibes—no wrapping – You get the classic combo of mint, cilantro, basil, crunchy veg, and a bright dressing in a fraction of the time. It’s the easiest way to satisfy that fresh roll craving on a busy night.

Totally customizable to your crew and dietary needs – Swap in shrimp, chicken, tofu, or keep it veggie; use tamari for gluten-free and sunflower butter for nut-free. Build-your-own bowls mean everyone gets exactly what they like (and nothing they don’t).

Meal-prep friendly and stays crisp – Prep the greens, herbs, noodles, and protein ahead, then store the dressing separately so everything stays perky. When you’re ready to eat, toss and go—hello effortless lunches and quick dinners.

What you need for this spring roll bowl recipe

Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition values, and step-by-step instructions.

• Rice noodles – Use thin rice vermicelli noodles for that spring-roll vibe. Cook just until tender, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
• Cooked shrimp – Tail-off, deveined, and chilled. Pat dry so the salad stays crisp. Swap with shredded chicken, baked tofu, or edamame for another protein.
• Mini cucumbers – Persian/mini cukes = extra crunchy and nearly seedless. Slice into thin half-moons so they stay snappy for days.
• Cabbage – Green, napa, or a mix with purple for color. Shred finely for the best texture and to help it soak up dressing.
• Red bell pepper – Thinly slice for sweetness and crunch. Yellow/orange works too.
• Bean sprouts – Rinse well and pat dry. If you can’t find them, add extra shredded cabbage or snap peas.
• Carrots – Julienne or ribbon with a peeler. Pre-shredded carrots are totally fine on busy nights.
• Fresh mint – The classic spring-roll flavor! Add cilantro and/or Thai basil if you have them.

Dressing ingredients

• Natural peanut butter – Stir well so it’s creamy. Almond or cashew butter works if needed; for nut-free, try sunflower seed butter.
• lime juice – Fresh is best for bright acidity. Add more to taste if you want extra zing.
• Coconut aminos – Adds salty-sweet umami without soy; sub low-sodium tamari or soy sauce (reduce added sweetener slightly).
• Maple syrup – Balances the heat and tang. Honey or date syrup also works; start with less and adjust.
• Sriracha – For gentle heat and depth. Use chili-garlic sauce for spicier, or omit for kid-friendly bowls.
• Garlic granules – Easy and mellow. Sub 1 small fresh clove (minced) if you prefer a bigger punch.
• Ground ginger – Warm and aromatic. Swap with 1–2 tsp freshly grated ginger for a brighter kick.

How to make this deconstructed spring roll salad

Step 1: If the large shrimp you are using is frozen, begin by defrosting the shrimp by running it under cold water until no longer frozen.

Step 2: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Once the noodles are cooked, drain, rinse in water to remove any excess starch (this will prevent sticking), and toss in 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil if not used right away.

Step 3: Make the peanut lime dressing by whisking together the dressing ingredients. If you prefer a thinner dressing, simply add 1-2 tablespoons of water and whisk.

Step 4: To a large bowl, add your cooked noodles, cucumber, cabbage, bell pepper, bean sprouts, carrots, shrimp, and fresh herbs. Mint and Thai basil are great here! Drizzle your delicious peanut dressing on, toss, and enjoy! Extra peanut dressing is always welcome.

Tip: If the dressing is too thick, whisk in warm water 1 teaspoon at a time until it’s pourable.

Can you make this in advance?

You can absolutely make this in advance! Here’s what you’ll want to do for some healthy meal prep. Once you have all your prepped ingredients, building a quick shrimp spring roll salad is easy!

Prep all your vegetables. Shred your cabbage, thinly cut the mini cucumbers into strings, cut or buy matchstick carrots, and slice your red bell pepper. Once all the vegetables are ready to go, simply store them in the fridge until you are ready to use them.

Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions, drain and rinse them, and then toss with 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking.

Make the peanut dressing and store it in the fridge in a sealed container. If you love a spicy peanut sauce, feel free to add a little sriracha or red pepper flakes into your dressing.

Have the shrimp ready to go. Since we’re using already-cooked frozen shrimp here, have what you need defrosted and drained in the fridge. For shrimp, I tend not to keep it longer than 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

Substitutions, optional variations & dietary adjustments

Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this fresh spring rolls salad recipe. 

If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!

Rice noodles – Thin rice noodles were used here, but the thicker pad Thai rice noodles will work as well. Want to omit the noodles? No problem. Up the veggies even more, or opt for rice instead.

Shrimp – Try chicken breast, salmon, stir-fry beef, tofu, and crispy chickpeas as different protein options for this dish.

Fresh veggies – Your fresh vegetable choices are endless! Choose from the ones listed in the recipe, or try red cabbage, mini bell peppers, green onions, red onion, butter lettuce, fresh spinach, snap peas, or any fresh veggies you have on hand!

Fresh mint – Herbs are a great way to up the fresh flavors. Mint works well, as does Thai basil, fresh basil, and fresh cilantro.

Peanut lime dressing – Need this homemade peanut sauce recipe to be peanut-free? Try this almond butter dressing or this sunflower seed satay sauce.

More healthy recipes you’ll love

• Salad roll shrimp bowls with coconut rice
• Thai peanut chicken pasta
• Cucumber shrimp peanut salad
• Asian chicken chop salad with almond butter dressing
• Beef pad thai recipe
• Tuna sushi bowl recipe
• Spicy shrimp bowl
• Spicy thai chicken salad

If you try this spring roll salad recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!

XO

Heather

Originally published August 2022. Updated September 2025.