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Vietnamese Vinaigrette Salad Dressing is a wonderful way to make a very special salad out of simple ingredients — and an added protein, for a main course. Garnish Asian salad, made with lettuce or noodles, with fruits and fresh herbs for a truly beautiful meal.
This dressing is great for real food and Ancestral diets, including Paleo, Gluten-free, Keto, Whole30, and see the AIP version, too.
Jump to RecipeIngredients in Vietnamese Vinaigrette
This unique blend of ingredients creates the authentic Vietnamese flavor that goes so well with fresh vegetables, meat and even fruits:
- sesame oil — toasted. For AIP, use olive oil.
- fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar
- fish sauce — Red Boat brand
- coconut aminos
- fresh garlic
- coconut sugar
You’ll love how these flavors come together to make something so distinctly Vietnamese.
How to make Vietnamese Vinaigrette
To make Vietnamese Vinaigrette:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to dissolve the sweetener.
Or use a mason jar with screw top lid, and shake to combine and dissolve the coconut sugar.
What recipes to use with Vietnamese Vinaigrette
This salad dressing recipe is uniquely suited to go well with lettuce, meats, seasonal veggies and fruits. As you’ll often see in Vietnamese cooking, it’s hard to resist all the garnishing you can do with fruits and herbs.
So whatever salad you fuse with this dressing, feel free to embellish it for beauty’s sake with herbs, fanned or chopped vegetables and fruits.
Here are some specific recipes and ideas:
- Vietnamese Fried Chicken Salad (Paleo, GF) is the recipe I first created for this dressing (pictured above). It’s a beautiful and delicious composed salad, great for single servings, picnics or buffets. It features easy Paleo fried chicken thighs, fanned fruits and veggies.
- Chop salad — Chop into small bite-size pieces the lettuce you use, and add in other chopped favorites, including chicken or favorite protein.
- Daikon Noodles — Make an amazing noodle salad with these, add shredded chicken, bean sprouts, fresh cilantro and seeds or nuts.
- Cucumber Noodles — Like the ones shown in this recipe.
- On any green salad.
- Toss with shrimp or other pre-cooked meat, as a marinade, before plating with butter lettuce or other salad greens.
- For an Asian Fusion twist on Salade Niçoise, sub this dressing.
- Gluten-free, Ancestral or Grain-free noodles with Vietnamese Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, plus fresh herbs like mint, matchstick carrots, seasonal veggies (like asparagus, see photo below) and bean sprouts.
Vietnamese Vinaigrette (Paleo, Whole30, Gluten-free, AIP)
Equipment
- bowl and whisk
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sesame oil toasted; for AIP, use olive oil.
- 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce Red Boat brand
- ½ to 1 clove garlic , depending on size, minced or crushed
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar* , maple syrup or raw honey (*omit for Whole30 if desired, or replace with 1 date, soaked in hot water, then minced and mashed in)
- optional: 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger root finely grated
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk to dissolve the sweetener. Or use a mason jar with screw top lid and shake to combine and dissolve the coconut sugar.
- Toss or pour over a variety of salad combinations.
Marie-Pierre Breton says
This salad dressing is filled with lovely umami! Love the Vietnamese fish sauce! I often use it instead of salt to give this extra umami to recipes.
Megan says
Thank you, Marie-Pierre! Me too; fish sauce is so good and versatile in recipes. It definitely adds that je ne sais quoi! 🙂 I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
Ana says
A flavorful and healthy addition to any salad. This dressing has become a staple in my kitchen!
Megan says
Yay, Ana! Great to hear! Thanks so much for sharing!! 🙂
Catalina says
This Vietnamese Salad Dressing was absolutely delightful! It added a refreshing, tangy kick to my salad. I love how the flavors are so vibrant and well-balanced. This dressing is a new favorite! 🙂
Megan says
Hi Catalina, I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
Veronika says
I loved this dressing! Fish sauce is something that always just sits in my fridge and I really should use it more often than I do, it gave this dressing a really nice deep flavor. Loved it!
Megan says
Awesome, Veronika! Thanks for taking the time to review it; that’s so helpful! 🙂
Robin Oestreich says
Loved this dressing! I was low on sesame oil so I had to use half sesame oil and half olive oil but still great. Looking forward to making it with all sesame oil and also the grated ginger root.
Megan says
Nice, Robin! Thanks so much for sharing, and I’m so glad you enjoyed!!
Tabitha says
A delicious blend of refreshing flavors.
Megan says
Great, Tabitha! So glad you like it!