Glass Noodle Salad (Yum Woon Sen) Recipe

I’m sharing a 15-minute Yum Woon Sen recipe that’s protein-rich, ideal for meal prep, and can be reheated or served straight from the refrigerator with a nut-free option.

I keep glass noodles and cooked shrimp in my fridge for emergency meals. This 15-minute Glass Noodle Salad is bright, fast and strangely addictive.

As a Yum Woon Sen Recipe it manages to feel like a real lunch not just leftovers. I love that you can chill it, reheat it, pack it for tomorrow and it still tastes lively.

Fresh cilantro adds that green punch, and there’s a tiny trick I use so the noodles never clump. If you like clever Lunch Noodles that dont feel boring, this one will surprise you, and probably make you rethink weekday dinners.

Ingredients

• Glass noodles: light carbs and slippery texture, they soak up dressing real nice
• Shrimp: lean protein, briny sweet, makes salad feel fresh and seafoody
• Lime juice: bright sour, wakes flavors up, low cal and very zesty
• Fish sauce: salty umami punch, tiny amount adds deep savory complexity
• Roasted peanuts: crunchy fat and protein, give sweet nutty finish, optional
• Birds eye chilies: fiery heat, little goes far, lifts the whole dish
• Cilantro and mint: fresh herbal notes, add fragrance and lightness, herbaceous
• Shallots and garlic: sharp aromatics, add mild sweetness when lightly cooked

Ingredient Quantities

• 100 g glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli) about 3.5 oz
• 200 g shrimp, cooked and peeled or 200 g ground pork (or firm tofu for veg)
• 3 small shallots or 1 small red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 green onions
• 1 small carrot
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup mint leaves optional
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 to 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 to 2 bird’s eye chilies or 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or sunflower)
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed, optional (nut free option: omit or use toasted sunflower seeds)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

How to Make this

1. Put the glass noodles in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let soak 5 to 7 minutes until pliable but not mushy, drain, rinse under cold water, then cut with scissors into shorter strands so they are easy to eat.

2. While the noodles soak, slice the shallots thin, mince 2 garlic cloves, chop the green onion (separate whites and greens), julienne the carrot, halve the cherry tomatoes, and roughly chop the cilantro and mint. Crush the peanuts or toast and chop sunflower seeds for nut free option.

3. Make the dressing: whisk 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp lime juice, 1 to 2 tbsp palm or brown sugar (start with 1), the minced garlic, and 1 to 2 chopped bird’s eye chilies or 1 tsp chili flakes until the sugar dissolves. Taste and tweak it — more lime if you want brighter, more sugar if too sharp.

4. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a skillet over medium high. If using ground pork, add half the sliced shallots and the white part of the green onion, sauté until fragrant, then add pork and cook until browned and a little caramelized, seasoning with salt and pepper. If using cooked shrimp, just warm them quickly in the pan 1 minute so they reheat and pick up flavor. For tofu, pan fry until golden and slightly crispy.

5. Put the drained noodles into a large bowl, add the hot cooked protein so the noodles soak up some heat and flavor. Toss gently to combine.

6. Add carrot, cherry tomatoes, the remaining raw shallots, green onion greens, cilantro and mint to the bowl.

7. Pour the dressing over everything and toss well but gently so the noodles don’t clump. Taste and adjust with extra fish sauce, lime, sugar or chilies as needed.

8. Sprinkle crushed roasted peanuts or toasted sunflower seeds on top for crunch. Season with extra salt and black pepper if needed.

9. Serve right away, or cover and refrigerate — it actually gets better after 15 to 30 minutes when the flavors meld. Keeps well for meal prep up to 3 days; reheat gently or enjoy straight from the fridge.

Equipment Needed

1. Heatproof bowl for soaking the glass noodles (they need hot water and a safe bowl, trust me).

2. Kettle or small saucepan to boil water.

3. Fine mesh strainer or colander to drain and rinse the noodles.

4. Kitchen scissors to cut the soaked noodles into shorter strands.

5. Chef’s knife for shallots, garlic, carrot, herbs and tomatoes.

6. Cutting board.

7. Large skillet or frying pan plus a spatula or tongs to cook pork/shrimp or fry tofu.

8. Large mixing bowl to toss noodles, veggies and dressing together.

9. Measuring spoons, a whisk or fork for the dressing, and a small mortar and pestle or a zip bag plus rolling pin to crush the peanuts.

FAQ

Glass Noodle Salad (Yum Woon Sen) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Glass noodles (100 g): swap with thin rice vermicelli (bún) or very thin rice sticks, or use soba for a nuttier chew; just cut soak/cook time so they dont go mushy.
• Shrimp or ground pork (200 g): use shredded cooked chicken, flaked canned tuna or salmon for a quick pantry swap, or extra-firm tofu or tempeh if you want vegetarian protein.
• Fish sauce (3 tbsp): replace with soy sauce plus a generous squeeze of lime and a pinch of seaweed flakes for umami, or use coconut aminos for a milder, gluten free option.
• Roasted peanuts (1/4 cup): swap for toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a nut free crunch, or chopped roasted cashews for similar richness, or just omit if needed.

Pro Tips

– Don’t over soak the glass noodles. Watch them at 5 minutes, they should be pliable not mushy. Rinse in cold water right away to stop the cooking, then cut or fluff them so they dont clump together.

– Make the dressing ahead and taste as you go. Start with less sugar and chilies than you think you need, then tweak for bright lime, salty fishiness or sweet. If you need a veg swap use soy sauce plus a little miso or extra lime to replace fish sauce.

– Get some browning on the protein for extra flavor. For pork or tofu, let it sit in the hot pan until it sticks a little then scrape it loose, that caramelization adds depth. For shrimp heat them only briefly so they stay juicy.

– Keep crunchy toppings separate until serving. Toss peanuts or toasted seeds on top at the last minute so they stay crisp. If you’re packing for lunch keep the dressing or extra lime in a small container and mix just before eating.