Skip to main content
LoginSign Up
Vietnamese Shrimp Salad (Gỏi Tôm)

Vietnamese Shrimp Salad (Gỏi Tôm)

By Hisham Ali HassanJuly 8, 2025

  • Makes
    4-6 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes

Vietnamese gỏi tôm lands somewhere between a salad and slaw studded with shrimp. You can either purchase cooked shrimp at the supermarket seafood counter or poach your own. For the latter, in a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to a boil. Add 1 pound extra-large or large shrimp (peeled and deveined), cover, remove from the heat and let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, transfer to ice water to halt the cooking, then drain again and pat dry. Fried shallots, though an optional garnish, lend a lot of character to the salad. You can fry your own using our recipe for Fried Shallots or look for them in Asian markets.

Tip

Don’t add salt to the dressing, as the fish sauce alone may provide enough salinity. Taste the salad after tossing the ingredients, then add salt if needed, keeping in mind that the peanut garnish will add saltiness, too.

Ingredients
  • 3

    tablespoons fish sauce

  • 3

    tablespoons lime juice

  • 2

    tablespoons white sugar

  • 1

    medium garlic clove, finely grated

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    pound cooked extra-large (21/25 per pound) or large (26/30 per pound) shrimp (tails removed), cut into bite-size pieces

  • 1

    medium head napa cabbage (about 1½ pounds), trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise about ¼ inch thick (about 8 cups)

  • 4

    medium carrots, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups)

  • 1

    bunch scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

  • 1

    cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, fresh mint or a combination, roughly chopped

  • ½

    cup roasted, salted peanuts, roughly chopped

  • 1

    Fresno chili, stemmed, seeded and sliced into thin rings

  • Fried shallots, to serve (optional)

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 2 tablespoons water. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Step 2

To the bowl, add the the shrimp, cabbage, carrots, scallions and cilantro; toss well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with the peanuts, Fresno chili and fried shallots (if using). Serve right away.

Related Recipes

Featured in