Grilled Shrimp Spring Rolls Salad
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A fresh, tangy salad combining fire-kissed shrimp with crisp veggies and chewy rice noodles tossed in a zesty, balanced dressing. Uses ginger-lime and sambal for heat; swaps cassonade with honey; and adds crunchy roasted peanuts for texture. Perfect grilled shrimp texture is key—watch for curl and slight char. Lettuce, mint, and cucumber layer cooling notes. Vermicelli soft but no mush. Dressing emulsifies quickly, clings just right. BBQ wok makes shrimp sing smoky notes. Timing is flexible when cues mastered; don’t overcook noodles or shrimp. Add crushed peanuts for contrast. Fresh lime wedges finish.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
27 min
Servings:
4 servings
#grilling
#Asian fusion
#seafood salad
#quick meals
#healthy eating
Shrimp. Juicy, smoky, slathered in tangy dressing. Tried tons of marinades but this combo sticks—ginger heat with honey sweetness and sharp lime. Fire up grill wok—best tool for char, that pop of flavor. Vermicelli slippery but forgiving if rinsed cold right at end. Crunchy lettuce, cool cucumbers, mint to lift all that fat and spice. Peanuts for bite; unexpected twist learned after many a bland salad disaster. Sometimes things get soggy, not here. Timing shrimp just right crucial—curls, color, that fragrance. Toss fast, eat fresh. A salad not to sit on. Each bite finessed balance. Tried mixing all beforehand—nah, lost texture. Grilled onions sweet at edges, sharp where raw. Complexity is simple.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 50 ml low sodium soy sauce
- 40 ml honey
- 35 ml toasted sesame oil
- 6 ml sambal oelek
- 6 ml freshly grated ginger
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
Shrimp and Salad
- 400 g medium shrimp, peeled, tails on
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 180 g rice vermicelli
- 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced thin half-moons
- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
- 60 ml roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges for serving
About the ingredients
Soy sauce low sodium avoids cloying saltiness; if unavailable, dilute regular soy with water. Honey replaces the original brown sugar—more complex sugars, less grainy mouthfeel. Sesame oil toasted—buy fresh or make your own by briefly heating raw seeds and pressing; a game changer. Sambal oelek spicy, earthy, different from sriracha’s garlicky tones; bought it? Great. No? Use chili paste sparingly, watch heat creep. Shrimp sized medium provides tender meat with good chew; remove shells carefully, tails on keep presentation but optional. Red onion for sweetness when grilled but slice uniformly—too thick and it chars; too thin and it burns bitter. Vermicelli, make sure to use rice type—bean threads cook differently. Iceberg lettuce for crunch, crisp but water content needs draining elsewhere. Mint fresh—not dried—because aroma is key. Peanuts add crunch; unsalted preferred, roast yourself if possible. Lime zest adds bright acidity, don’t skip or dressing falls flat.
Method
Dressing
- Whisk all dressing ingredients in a large bowl until honey is fully dissolved; set aside. The oil should emulsify and form a thin shiny coat on the surface. Honey helps mellow sambal’s fire gently.
Salad and Shrimp
- Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil; dunk in vermicelli and stir gently. Cook about 2 1/2 minutes until tender but slightly chewy—don’t overdo or vermicelli collapses to mush. Drain, rinse briefly with cold water to halt cooking, drain again thoroughly; toss with a splash of dressing to prevent sticking.
- Heat BBQ wok or cast iron on grill over high heat, wait until wisps of smoke start rising. While heating, toss shrimp and red onion in 3 tablespoons of dressing to coat well.
- Slap shrimp and onion into the wok, hear instant sizzle and aroma kick in. Turn shrimp often, cook for 4-5 minutes until shrimp curl into loose 'C's and just turn opaque—look for pink with hints of darker char where in contact with pan. Avoid overcooking or rubbery bites.
- Spread vermicelli in a large serving bowl; add lettuce, cucumbers, half the mint leaves, and nuts; drizzle remaining dressing; toss gently but fully.
- Arrange shrimp and onions on top, scatter rest of mint leaves and roasted peanuts over salad for crunch contrast.
- Serve with lime wedges; squeezing fresh lime just before eating amps brightness and balances richness.
Notes
- If no BBQ wok, use a grill pan inside; high direct heat is non-negotiable for that smoky char that cuts the luscious dressing. If missing sambal, use a splash of sriracha but reduce honey slightly or heat will dominate. Roasted peanuts optional but add crunch dimension and nutty aroma; break them before adding so textures come through.
- Onions turn sweeter when grilled; slices too thin cause burning and bitterness. Toss with shrimp just before cooking to prevent mushy onion bits. Vermicelli can be substituted with thin rice noodles or even glass noodles if preferred, adjust cooking time accordingly.
Cooking tips
Dressing: whisk until harmonious; honey must dissolve fully or separate later. Keep separate from shrimp except for quick marinate pre-grill so onion doesn’t soften in dressing for hours. Grill wok must be screaming hot before shrimp go in—you want immediate sizzle, almost dancing sizzling sounds; delayed means too cool, shrimp steam not sear; lose flavor. Turning shrimp frequently—every minute or so—ensures even cooking without drying out. Watch closely, shrimp curl shape signals done: curl into a tight ring—overcooked; loose ‘C’ shape—just right. Vermicelli timing is forgiving if rinsed cold quickly, stops gelatinization. Toss vermicelli immediately in some dressing to prevent clumping and flavor boost. Assembly last step; tossing all veggies and noodles with dressing lets flavors marry but don’t overdress or salad sogs fast. Top shrimp last keeps them visually distinct and texturally brilliant. Rest mint and peanuts on top just before serving to keep fresh notes and crunch alive. Squeeze lime fresh at table; acid brightens fats in dressing and offsets sweetness.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Shrimp cook fast; watch for loose 'C' curl not tight ring—that's overdone. Char spots show contact with wok heat, means flavor developed. Toss shrimp with onion last minute in dressing so onion won’t soften or turn mushy during marinade.
- 💡 Vermicelli timing is tricky; boil 2½ minutes max then rinse cold immediately to stop cooking. Keeps texture chewy, not mush. Toss with some dressing right after draining to prevent clumping and add subtle flavor that settles fast.
- 💡 If no BBQ wok, high heat is still non-negotiable. Cast iron pan works on grill or stovetop. Wait for wisps of smoke before shrimp go in; too cool means shrimp steam instead of sear, lose that smoky aroma and char crunch.
- 💡 Peanuts add both texture and aroma; roast yourself if possible. Roughly chop so big pieces still crackle but don’t bite down hard. Add some to dressing for aroma, some on top to maintain crunch contrast alive at serving.
- 💡 Dressing emulsifies fast but can separate if honey isn’t fully dissolved. Whisk vigorously until shiny, thin coat forms on surface. Use low sodium soy to keep sharpness balanced. Substitute honey with brown sugar but expect grainier mouthfeel.
Common questions
How to avoid mushy vermicelli?
Boil short time max 2½ minutes. Rinse cold, drain well. Toss with dressing after draining. Stops gelatinization. Clumping gone. Texture stays firm with bite. Skip extra soak or longer boil.
Can I swap sambal oelek?
Use sriracha but cut honey slightly or will be too sweet. Sambal gives earthier spice, sriracha has garlic note—different profile entirely. Chili paste works too, but start small without overpowering.
What if shrimp overcook?
Shrimp get rubbery fast if left too long. Watch curl shape, texture change. Use smaller shrimp or adjust time by shrimp size. If overcooked, slice thin and toss with salad still okay but no bounce left.
Leftovers storage tips?
Keep shrimp separate from vermicelli salad. Store dressing on side if possible. Refrigerate in airtight containers max 1 day. Reheat shrimp quick or eat cold. Noodles soften over time—best eaten fresh.
