Yum Woon Sen- Thai Glass Noodle Salad | Thai Recipes

This dish is known as Thai Glass Noodle Salad, yum Woon Sen, because of the sweet flavor of the dressing (made from palm sugar, tamarind, garlic, chili, and chili paste), and the glass noodles. Woon Sen is a dish of glass noodles with vegetables stir fried with a sweet soy sauce dressing. It’s a popular dish in Thailand and Malaysia and has been adapted to many countries in the world. My mom used to make this dish. I remember it was always delicious.  On this particular day, I was craving for a dish of glass noodles and vegetables.  So I thought how could I make a dish of the same type in the same taste at home.

Yum Woon Sen- Thai Glass Noodle Salad | Thai Recipes: A Thai salad that tastes like a noodle bowl. It’s made by mixing the sauce with the noodles and garnishing it with grilled chicken, fish cake, shrimp, bean sprouts, cilantro, and chopped peanuts.

An easy and fun way to get your day started in the morning is with a bowl of Yum Woon Sen (Thai Glass Noodles in Salad). Yum Woon Sen is served just like a salad- the noodles are tossed in a mix of chopped vegetables, bean sprouts, herbs, and fresh basil. This is such an easy dish to make, and an excellent way to start the morning.

Yum Woon Sen is a Thai glass noodle salad tossed in a spicy Thai vinaigrette with fresh herbs, ground pork, and shrimp.

Overhead view of noodle dish on a round plate.

Yum Woon Sen and Pad Woon Sen (Stir Fry Noodles) are two of my favorite Thai meals that I’ve prepared using bean thread noodles, also known as glass noodles.

This meal has tastes that are similar to Laab, however there is a dish called Laap Woon Sen that is a mix of yum woon sen and laap.

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Substitutes and Ingredients

The majority of the components for Yum Woon Sen, including the bean thread noodles, may be purchased at a local grocery shop. If you live near an Asian Market, you can get anything there. Otherwise, you may order certain ingredients from the comfort of your own home.

Ingredients for yum woon sen on a wood cutting board.

  • Bean Thread Noodles or Vermicelli Noodles- These are referred to as “glass noodles” in Thai because they become transparent when cooked. Shirataki noodles are a low-carb alternative to these.
  • Use ground turkey, chicken, or omit for a vegetarian alternative instead of ground pork. To make the ground beef more flavorful, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
  • Shrimp- This is mostly for the purpose of providing additional source of protein. More seafood, such as calamari, tiny scallops, or muscles, may be added. Yum Woon Sen Talay is the name of the dish (seafood).
  • Celery, Shallots, and Green Onions Shallots may be replaced with thinly sliced red or white onion. Chinese celery is traditionally used, but I’m using ordinary celery. Green onion may be replaced with chives.

Fork holding clear noodles over plate.

The Garnish

Yum Woon Sen’s dressing is a typical mix of Fish Sauce, Lime Juice, Sugar, and Thai Peppers. Use the measurements as a guide, but be sure to adapt to your own tastes.

  • Thai Bird’s Eye Chilis are another name for Thai Peppers. Fresh ones may be found in an Asian market. Use ground dry Thai chilis or red pepper flakes if you don’t have any on hand.
  • Fish Sauce- There isn’t a suitable substitute for fish sauce, although light soy sauce, tamari, or liquid aminos come close.
  • Coconut Sugar- This is similar to the palm sugar found in Thailand, although it may also be substituted with white or light brown sugar.
  • Lime Juice—Never use lime juice concentrate; always use fresh lime juice. I used approximately 2 limes, but have some extra on hand in case you need more.

Spicy dressing in a small glass bowl.

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and add a splash of water to thin it down a bit. Set aside and get started on the proteins.

Proteins: How to Prepare Them

While there are many stages, the noodles, shrimp, and pork are all cooked in the same pot.

Cook the softened noodles for 30 seconds in boiling water. Remove the noodles from the pot and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for about a minute, or until the shrimp are pink. Make sure the shrimp aren’t overcooked!

Then drain the water (no need to wash the pot) and replace it with fresh water just enough to cover the bottom of the pot.

Increase the heat to medium and add the ground pork and soy sauce mixture. It should be broken up and stirred until the meat is completely cooked.

Putting the Salad Together

Add the cooked ground pork and part of the cooking liquid to the dish with the noodles and fried shrimp. This will keep the salad moist and prevent it from drying out.

Noodle salad in a glass bowl with tongs.

Then drizzle in the dressing and toss in all of the chopped herbs. Toss to combine everything, and then take a bite. You may modify the flavor to your liking by adding additional lime juice, fish sauce, or sugar if necessary.

Serve with lettuce leaves or jasmine rice and roasted peanuts on top of the salad.

Overhead view of glass noodle salad with a gold fork and glass of water.

Yum Woon Sen is best eaten immediately away since the noodles will absorb the sauce and expand as they absorb it. As a result, I don’t advise keeping leftovers.

To learn how I make this dish step by step, watch the YouTube video below:

YouTube thumbnail with 2 images of glass noodle salad and text saying, 'yum woon sen'.

Feature image of glass noodle salad topped with shrimp.

Recipe for Yum Woon Sen

Renee Fuentes is a model and actress.

Ground pork, peanuts, and fresh herbs are combined in this spicy glass noodle salad.

Time to Prepare: 20 minutes

15 minutes to prepare

35 minutes total

2 servings

calorie count: 491 kcal

Instructions 

  • For 10 minutes, soak dry bean thread noodles in room temperature water.

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce + 1 pound ground pork + 1 pound soy sauce + 1 pound soy sauce + 1 pound soy sauce + 1 pound soy sauce + 1

  • In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, fresh lime juice, sugar, and minced chili pepper or red pepper flakes. You may also dilute it with a dash of water.

  • Drain the water once the noodles have softened and cut them using kitchen scissors to make them shorter. A small saucepan of water should be brought to a boil. Cook for 30 seconds in boiling water with softened noodles. At this stage, they should be soft and transparent. Drain the water and put it in a mixing dish.

  • Reduce the heat to a low simmer and add the shrimp to the same boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute, or until the shrimp are pink. Remove the noodles and put them in the same bowl.

  • Remove the water from the pot and replace it with new water until a thin layer of water covers the bottom. Set the heat to medium and add the ground pork and water to the saucepan. Break up the pork and continue to stir until it is fully cooked.

  • Add the cooked pork and part of the cooking liquid to the mixing bowl with the noodles and shrimp. This keeps the salad from drying out too much. Toss in the cut tomatoes, shallots, celery, and green onions with the dressing. Toss to combine, then taste to determine if more lime, fish sauce, or sugar is required. Serve on a platter with toasted peanuts on top. Serve right away.

Notes

Yum Woon Sen is best eaten immediately away since the noodles will absorb the dressing, therefore I don’t suggest keeping leftovers. Salads from Thailand: Salad Som Tum (Papaya Salad) Salad with Ground Chicken (Laap Gai) Beef Waterfall Salad (Nue Nam Tok)

Nutrition

1 gram = 1 serving calorie count: 491 kcal 35 g carbohydrate 23 g protein 29 g fat 10g Saturated Fat 4 g polyunsaturated fat 13 g monounsaturated fat 82 milligrams of cholesterol 829mg sodium 622mg potassium 2 g fiber 4 g sugar 434 IU Vitamin A 19 milligrams of vitamin C 58 milligrams of calcium 2 mg iron

The best way to describe yum woon sen is to say that it is an “Asian style” noodle salad. It is made up of many different ingredients that complement each other. As this dish is made with glass noodles, you should be sure that they are of good quality. The beancurd sheets and the chicken should be firm and not too soft. This is an important step as it is easy for the noodles to get mushy.. Read more about resepi thai glass noodle salad and let us know what you think.

Una is a food website blogger motivated by her love of cooking and her passion for exploring the connection between food and culture. With an enthusiasm for creating recipes that are simple, seasonal, and international, she has been able to connect with people around the world through her website. Una's recipes are inspired by her travels across Mexico, Portugal, India, Thailand, Australia and China. In each of these countries she has experienced local dishes while learning about the culture as well as gaining insight into how food can be used as a bridge between different cultures. Her recipes are often creative combinations of traditional ingredients from various different cuisines blended together to create something new.