This Crispy Rice Salad is Fresh, Crunchy, and Full of Flavor
This viral Thai crispy rice salad is a fun riff on Nam Khao, a traditional Laotian appetizer-style salad made with crispy rice and bold, fresh flavors. It starts with seasoned rice that gets baked until golden and crunchy, then tossed with crisp veggies, herbs, and a creamy tahini dressing that pulls everything together.
It’s bright, crunchy, and totally crave-worthy—plus naturally dairy-free and gluten-free (if you use coconut aminos). This is the kind of salad that feels light but still satisfies, making it perfect for lunch or a colorful dinner (especially if you add protein like rotisserie chicken or blackened salmon).
Molly Yeh shared a version on her Instagram, and I knew I had to make my own! It’s the perfect way to use leftover rice.
How to Make Crispy Rice Salad
Ingredients You Need
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Bake the rice until crispy.
- Make the dressing.
- Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
- Mix with the dressing.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Use leftover rice. Day-old rice works best here because it’s dry and crisps up nicely in the oven.
- Adjust the heat. Add more or less chili crunch based on your spice preference. You can also use sriracha or leave it out for a mild version.
- Swap the veggies. This salad is flexible—try shredded carrots, bell peppers, or snap peas in place of cabbage or cucumber.
- Make it a meal. Add grilled chicken, crispy tofu, or shrimp for a protein boost and turn it into a full dinner.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Crispy Rice Salad
This crispy rice salad recipe is packed with fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, and tossed in a bold maple-tahini ginger dressing. Baked crunchy rice adds texture and flavor to every bite, making it the perfect gluten-free, feel-good dish for lunch or dinner.
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Servings: 5
Ingredients
Crispy Rice Salad
- 2 cups cooked white rice leftover or cooked and cooled
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoons chili crunch (I use Momofuku), or sriracha
- 2-3 cups shredded red cabbage
- 3 mini cucumber sliced
- 1 cup edamame (10oz frozen) steamed and shelled
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions thinly sliced (about 4-5)
- 1/3 cup cashews chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh mint chopped
Maple Tahini Ginger Dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili crunch (I use Momofuku), or sriracha
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice 1 lime
- 1 Tablespoon mirin or rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the rice to a medium mixing bowl with soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili crunch. Stir to combine, making sure the rice is coated well. Spread it out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Start checking it frequently the last 10 minutes of baking because it can burn quickly2 cups cooked white rice, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 1-2 teaspoons chili crunch
- While the rice is cooking, make the dressing. Combine everything in a bowl or jar and whisk together until combined. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness as needed.1/4 cup tahini, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon chili crunch, 2 Tablespoons maple syrup, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, 1 Tablespoon mirin, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- Add the shredded cabbage, cucumbers, edamame, green onions, cashews, cilantro, and mint, to a large bowl. Top the salad with crispy rice pour the dressing on top. Toss to coat and serve right away.2-3 cups shredded red cabbage, 3 mini cucumber, 1 cup edamame, 1/4 cup chopped green onions, 1/3 cup cashews, 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, 1 Tablespoon fresh mint
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!
Notes
More Toppings. Add sliced avocados, crushed peanuts,
Rice. I used cooked leftover jasmine rice. You could also use basmati rice, long grain white rice, or brown rice.
Protein. Add shredded rotisserie chicken, blackened salmon, spicy tuna, shrimp, or tofu.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 489mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 549IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This salad is delicious and such a perfect way to use up veggies. I love the crispy rice! It adds great texture and the dressing is so flavorful! I added some grilled salmon and it made for a healthy, filling and super tasty meal!
#WhatWEMade
Thanks Adrienne!
I loved the flavors, colors, and versatility of this salad. It was a great way to use up some of my frozen edamame, and easy to swap veggies in and out (I used green cabbage and added a carrot). But, the crunchy rice was a little too crunchy for me. I found that it was easier to eat after a day in the fridge. #WhatWEMade
Delicious! I customized this based on the suggestions and what was in my fridge – adding green cabbage, peanuts, chicken and red peppers. Will definitely make again.
#WhatWEMade
Thanks Sarah!!
I meal prepped these for the week. Delicious! I’ve never made rice like this but it was really good. I added chicken as well so it was a little more filling. #WhatWEMade
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Love this salad. So easy to mix in new ingredients if you don’t eat ones listed. I love to add thinly sliced bok choy and sliverd toasted almonds. Have even recommended this to others who have loved it too. Thanks.
Wow, thank you Suzy! So glad you enjoyed!
Must make recipe! The flavors are amazing!!
Thank you Sarah 🙂
The recipes look delicious however I do wish the measurements could also be in grams as cannot work out cup measurements. I am in the U.K.
Hi Lynda! Thank you for bringing this up. I added that feature to this recipe so you should be able to see it in grams now!
I don’t like mint or cilantro. Are there any other fresh herbs you would recommend?
Hey! You could do any herbs you like! Thai basil would be good.
Where’s the ginger in the dressing?
Oops that’s a typo! Fixed it!