This easy Thai glass noodle salad with shrimp is a popular Thai salad using glass noodles, fresh herbs, shrimp, and a simple salad dressing made with fish sauce and lime juice. This easy version of Yum Woon Sen is perfect for those wanting healthier Thai food. Quick and easy to put together and ready to serve in 20 minutes!
Yum Woon Sen is one of the most refreshing salads in Thai cuisine. The tasty lime dressing mixed with fish sauce and some sugar makes the perfect balance of flavors for the mung bean noodles. You can make it spicy or mild by adding chili flakes.
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Why this recipe works
- It's healthy and refreshing! It's my staple dish when I want to be on track for healthy eating.
- You can easily substitute other vegetables. Choose crunchy vegetables to add textures to the salad.
- It can be used as a meal prep salad, and it’s still good the next day. You can separate the sauces by making them ahead of time. Separate herbs from meat and sauce, then throw everything together before eating. This is how you’d order your salad with dressing on the side.
- Glass noodles are easy to find at most mainstream grocery stores.
- It's the perfect salad for a potluck because it's easy to make and double or triple the amounts needed for your parties.
- All the ingredients can also be found at local grocery stores. No running to two or more stores. (:
What are glass noodles?
Glass noodles or Woon Sen are clear noodles made from mung bean starch, pea flour, or potato starch or giving which are very light and low in calories noodles. Glass noodles are used in many Thai dishes like Pad Woon Sen (stir fry glass noodles), Yum Woon Sen Talay, (seafood salad) or Thai clear noodles soups. Light yet tasty noodles can take on many flavors, making them popular in many dishes.
Ingredient List for Yum Woon Sen
- Raw shrimp. Fresh shrimp is excellent for the
- Glass noodles. The main ingredient for the recipe. They are also called cellophane noodles, bean thread noodles, mung bean noodles, mung bean threads, or clear glass noodles.
- Mint leaves. Add the refreshing and best flavor to the salad.
- Fish sauce. I used the 3 Crab brand for this recipe. It's light and sweeter than the other Thai brands. Use whatever brand you have, but go light and add more at the end if necessary.
- Fresh lime juice. You can use lemon juice, but lime juice has the extra punch the salad needs.
- Shallot. Use sweet or red onion as a substitute.
- Sugar. White, brown, coconut, monk fruit, or palm sugar works.
- Cherry tomatoes. Chopped in half. Other tomatoes are fine, too. Chop them into small bite-size pieces.
- Parsley. Adds a refreshing and fresh herb flavor
- Celery. Use both the stems and the leafy parts.
- Cilantro. Use the stems and the leafy part for both texture and fragrance.
- Green onion. Also called scallions or use spring onions
Optional ingredients to add to the salad
- Dried shrimp. Soak in warm water for 5 minutes to hydrate the shrimp before adding it to the salad.
- Toasted rice powder Khao Khua. Make your own or find them at your local Asian grocery store. It adds a lot of flavor and texture to the salad.
- Minced pork. Cook until done and add to the salad for the extra protein.
- Minced lemongrass. Adds an aromatic citrus crunch to the salad. Make sure they are sliced into very small pieces before use.
- Lightly crushed peanuts.
- Minced Thai red chili. For extra heat!
- White sugar can ease the salty and sour flavor if you use too much of each.
Great fresh vegetables to use are
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Shredded carrots
- Chinese celery
- Jalapenos
- Bean sprouts
How to make glass noodle salad?
Step 1. Bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot to cook the shrimp. Add the raw shrimp and cook for 2 minutes or until the shrimp turns a light salmon color. Remove with a strainer, rinse in cold water, and set aside on a plate until ready.
Step 2. Next, use the hot shrimp water to soak the glass noodles in a large bowl. Soak for 4-5 minutes or until the noodles soften. The shrimp stock gives this recipe that little extra flavor! Once the noodles are soft, use a strainer to scoop them out, then rinse them in cool water for a minute and set them aside while you prep the other ingredients.
Step 3. Make the dressing by combining the fish sauce, lime juice, and chili flakes in a large mixing bowl and mixing well.
Step 4. Add all the chopped fresh ingredients to the bowl. Stir those ingredients together.
Step 5. Add the shrimp to the salad mixture, and mix well.
Step 6. Lastly, add the glass noodles to the salad. Use your clean fingers to massage the ingredients together.
Step 7. Add chili flakes and any of the suggested ingredients. Adjust with more fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh and ground chilis as needed.
Step 8. Let the salad sit to marinade for 3-5 minutes while you clean up and set the plate for serving. Serve this delicious and easy Thai glass noodle salad cold. Garnish with peanuts, a dash of sugar, and or chilis. ENJOY your Yum Woon Sen. Make sure to share some. It's addicting!
Kitchen Notes and Helpful Tips
- You can substitute protein, too, be sure to cook until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Use minced meat like ground pork, chicken, beef, or turkey.
- Use hot water. Either boil a pot of hot water or microwave a bowl of water for 2-3 minutes until the water is hot.
- Mini stock. Boil/poach the shrimp first, then use the same water to cook the noodles. Turn the heat off and pour water over the glass noodles. There, you have a mini shrimp stock for extra flavor!
- When mixing the salad, lightly massage the ingredients just a bit to help soften the vegetables and let the sauces soak in quickly. Kitchen gloves are handy for this part.
- Shrimp. Use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. Aim for larger pieces of shrimp, if possible, for this dish. They add a very nice meatiness to the salad.
- You can also use pre-cooked cocktail shrimp for an even quicker salad!
- Noodles tip. Loosely cut the noodles into 4-6 inch pieces with kitchen scissors before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients. The shorter pieces are easier to blend with the herbs in a bow. They are also easier to eat when the pieces are not too long.
FAQS
Glass noodles without seasoning are just plain noodles with no flavor or taste. Once cooked and seasoned, the glass noodles absorb the sauces or seasoning, making the noodles very easy to work with.
Glass noodles are made from the starch of potatoes and mung beans, making them extra light and glossy. Thus the name "glass" noodles part. Rice noodles are made from rice flowers and are more starchy than clear glass noodles.
There are about 155 calories/per serving in this glass noodles salad recipe. Please check my nutrition guide below for the exact macro and micronutrients. If omitting sugar, peanuts, and extra meat, this salad has a lower calorie count per serving.
There are about 155 calories/per serving in this glass noodles salad recipe. Please check my nutrition guide below for the exact macro and micronutrients. If omitting sugar, peanuts, and extra meat, this salad has a lower calorie count per serving.
Traditionally, glass noodles salad, or Yum Woon Sen, is made with glass noodles, ground pork, dried and precooked shrimp, and a few herbs like cilantro, shallots, green onion, and peanuts. Mint is a great addition to this salad as it adds a refreshing flavor to the already tangy and salty taste.
Glass noodles are made of mung bean flour or from the root starch of various types of potatoes, making the noodles gluten-free. Glass noodles are lower in calories, making this Thai salad a lighter meal for dinner that won’t feel heavy in your belly.
Absolutely. You can use firm tofu tempeh or hard-boiled eggs-if eating eggs- for this but cut the pieces on the larger side to help prevent it from breaking apart when stirring with the rest of the ingredients. Using a strainer to dry the tofu pieces in hot water, poach it lightly as the shrimp is cooked above. That’s it. Very adaptable!
More Thai Recipes You'll Love
- Pad Woon Sen noodle stir fry recipe
- Bacon-wrapped grilled Enoki mushrooms
- Thai noodle salad with turkey or rotisserie chicken
- toasted rice powder Khoa Khua
- Sweet, hot chili sauce
- Pad Mee rice vermicelli recipes
- Eggplants with Thai basil
- How to make Thai sticky rice
More Recipes to Try
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Thai Glass Noodle Salad with Shrimp (Yum Woon Sen)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy Thai glass noodle salad with shrimp is a popular Thai salad using glass noodles, fresh herbs, shrimp, and a simple salad dressing made with fish sauce and lime juice. This easy version of Yum Woon Sen is perfect for those wanting to eat healthier Thai food. Quick and easy to put together and ready to serve in 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on or off.
- ½ cup Roma tomato, thinly sliced
- 2 oz dry glass noodles, soaked until soft
- ⅓ cup green onion, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
- ½ cup shallot, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup mint leaves, chopped into large pieces
- ⅓ cup cilantro, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup celery stems, sliced thin
- ½ cup celery leaf, sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 3.5 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2.5 tablespoon fish sauce
Optional as garnish and as needed
- Chili flakes
- Fresh chilis, chopped small
- Peanuts, lightly crushed
- Sugar
- Ground white pepper
Instructions
- Bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot to cook the shrimp. Add the raw shrimp and cook for 2 minutes or until the shrimp turn a light salmon color. Remove with a strainer, rinse in cold water and set aside on a plate until ready.
- Next, use the hot shrimp water to soak the glass noodles in a large bowl. Soak for 4-5 minutes or until the noodles soften. The shrimp stock gives this recipe that little extra flavor! Once the noodles are soft, use a strainer to scoop out the noodles, then rinse in cool water for a minute and set aside while you prep the other ingredients.
- Make the dressing by combining the fish sauce, lime juice, and chili flakes in a large mixing bowl and mixing well.
- Add all the chopped fresh ingredients to the bowl. Stir those ingredients together.
- Add the shrimp to the salad mixture, and mix well.
- Lastly, add the glass noodles to the salad. Use your clean fingers to massage the ingredients together.
- Add chili flakes and any of the suggested ingredients. Adjust with more fish sauce, lime juice, and fresh and ground chilis as needed.
- Let the salad sit to marinade for 3-5 minutes while you clean up and set the plate for serving. Serve this delicious and easy Thai glass noodle salad cold. Garnish with peanuts, a dash of sugar, and or chilis. ENJOY!
Notes
- You can substitute protein, too, be sure to cook until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Use minced meat like ground pork, chicken, beef, or turkey.
- Use hot water. Either boil a pot of hot water or microwave a bowl of water for 2-3 minutes until the water is hot.
- Mini stock. Boil/poach the shrimp first, then use the same water for cooking the noodles. Turn the heat off and pour water over the glass noodles. There you have a mini shrimp stock for extra flavor! It just adds that little something extra.
- When mixing the salad, lightly massage the ingredients just a bit to help soften the vegetables and let the sauces soak in quicker. Kitchen gloves are handy for this part.
- Shrimp. Use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. Aim for larger pieces of shrimp, if possible, for this dish. They add a very nice meatiness to the salad.
- You can also use pre-cooked cocktail shrimp for an even quicker salad!
- Noodles tip: Loosely cut the noodles into 4-6 inch pieces with kitchen scissors before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients. The shorter pieces are easier to blend with the herbs in a bow. They are also easier to eat when the pieces are not too long.
** Thank you so much for visiting my blog! This is truly a passion for me. If you have enjoyed these recipes and appreciate the hard work I put into them, I would love it if you would share them with your friends! Your recommendation is the highest review I could hope for, and I’d appreciate it! **
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Healthy recipes
- Method: Salad
- Cuisine: Thai
Suwanee says
Thank you, Violet. I'm always learning. (:
Violet says
Proofreading/Edits:
"Parley. Adds a refreshing and fresh herb flavor
Green onion. Also called spring onion"
Correct to:
Parsley.
Green onion. Also called scallions or use spring onions
C Conrad says
Thank you for your easy-to-follow recipe of this light and tasty salad. Fish sauce is a new ingredient for me to cook with and combining it with fresh lime juice, the dressing made the noodles and ingredients really pop – yum!
Richard Laufman says
I tried the Thai Noodle Salad and it turned out great, both satisfying and refreshing.
Marku says
Such a satisfying salad!
Suwanee says
Thank you so much, Matt! Happy to hear it!
Matt Anderson says
I love how easy this recipe was. I made it for a dinner party and it was gone in a flash! Everyone raved about the flavors and how fresh it tasted. Thank you so much!
The Olsen d says
This is our family favorite summer salad now! Will be making this Yum Woonsen often this summer. The kids loved the long glass noodles, new to them! 😍 Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
John Crow says
Made this for a family gathering and everyone raved! Highly recommend. Love the flavors here.
Suwanee says
Thank you so much!
Waa says
It’s so good taste and wonderful.
Dui says
Good, it’s so good
Suwanee says
Thank you, Lizie! (: So healthy and refreshing to boot!
Lizie says
This Thai glass noodle salad is amazing! Wow! Most delicious Thai noodle salad I have had! Thank you Suwanee!!!
Angie says
This was a perfect salad to make for myself and leftovers for hubby. It came together easily and I used chicken as my protein but I have had the shrimp and that is equally yummy in this salad:). I love the spicy fresh taste of the sauce and will absolutely make again:). Love all these fresh colorful recipes:)