Yum Woon Sen Recipe (Thai Glass Noodle Salad)
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This yum woon sen recipe comes together in about 20 minutes and makes a light but seriously flavorful Thai glass noodle salad. It’s made with slightly chewy glass noodles, tender minced pork, fresh herbs and vegetables, and a sharp chili-lime dressing that ties everything together.
What is yum woon sen?
Yum woon sen (ยำวุ้นเส้น) is a Thai glass noodle salad made with soft, slightly chewy glass noodles, a spicy and sour dressing, fresh vegetables and herbs, and usually some kind of protein. Ground pork, sausage, shrimp, seafood, or any combination of them is common.
Like papaya salad, the dressing is a mix of fish sauce, fresh lime juice, sugar, and chilies, so you get salty, sour, sweet, and spicy flavors all in one bite. I usually make it fairly spicy, but that’s easy to adjust by adding more or fewer Thai chilies.
Then you toss everything with onion, cherry tomatoes, coriander, Chinese celery, and green onion. The fresh vegetables give the salad some bite and keep the soft noodles from feeling too heavy.
What are glass noodles?
Glass noodles are thin, translucent noodles usually made from mung bean starch and water. They look almost clear after cooking and have a soft, slightly chewy texture, which is why they work so well in dishes like yum woon sen and pad woon sen.
You may also see them called mung bean noodles, bean thread noodles, or cellophane noodles. Just don’t confuse them with rice vermicelli. They look similar, but they’re made from different ingredients and have a different texture.
For this salad, I soak the noodles first, then briefly cook them in boiling water. Don’t overcook them! You want them soft enough to eat but still slightly chewy so they don’t turn mushy when you toss them with the dressing.
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. Head to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- Glass noodles: Look for mung bean or cellophane noodles.
- Ground pork: This is my go-to protein because it gives the salad a little richness without making it heavy. Ground chicken works just as well.
- Shrimp: Shrimp is very common in yum woon sen. You can use it instead of the pork, or add both for a mixed seafood and pork version.
- Fish sauce: This provides the salty, umami flavor of the dressing. I use Megachef.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice is essential here. This is not a recipe where I’d reach for bottled lime juice.
- White sugar: You only need a little to balance the lime and fish sauce. The dressing should taste balanced, not sweet.
- Pickled garlic water: I like adding a little of the liquid from pickled garlic because it gives the dressing an extra tang. Leave it out if you don’t have any.
- Chilies: I usually use Thai Jinda or bird’s-eye chilies. Start with less if you’re not used to spicy food; you can always add more to the dressing.
- Onion: I use onion, but shallots are also really good here.
- Chinese celery: It’s more fragrant than regular celery, so I really recommend using it if you can find it.
- Coriander: Add plenty. The fresh herbs help keep the salad bright.
- Green onion: Adds freshness and a mild onion flavor.
- Cherry tomatoes: Their little bit of sweetness works nicely with the sour dressing.
- Roasted peanuts: Optional, but I like the nutty crunch they add. You can also leave them out if you prefer a lighter salad.
How to make Thai glass noodle salad
1: Soak the glass noodles. Soak the glass noodles in warm water according to the package directions until they soften and become pliable.
Don’t leave them sitting in the water longer than necessary. You want them soft enough to cook quickly without becoming overly soft.
2: Cook the noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the softened glass noodles and cook until just tender.
Remove them with tongs or a slotted spoon and let the excess water drain off.
3: Cook the pork. Use the same pot of simmering water to cook the ground pork. Break it apart as it cooks and continue until fully cooked through.
Drain the pork well and add it to a large mixing bowl with the noodles.
4: Add the dressing and fresh ingredients. Add the fish sauce, sugar, pickled garlic water, lime juice, and chilies. Then add the onion, coriander, Chinese celery, green onion, and cherry tomatoes.
Gently toss everything together so the dressing coats the noodles and the vegetables are evenly distributed.
5: Taste and finish. Add the roasted peanuts and toss once more.
Now taste it. This is the point where I usually make the final adjustment. Add a little more lime if it needs brightness, fish sauce if it needs salt, sugar if the dressing is too sharp, or chili if you want more heat.
Serve immediately when it tastes right to your palate.
How it’s served in Thailand
In Thailand, yum woon sen is often served as part of a larger meal alongside other Thai dishes, but it also makes a great light meal on its own.
Because this salad already has glass noodles and protein, you don’t need rice with it. Serve it with other Thai salads (like larb moo), grilled meats, or a few small dishes for a more complete Thai meal.
How to store
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers of this pork noodle salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Note: This salad is best freshly mixed. The noodles continue absorbing the dressing as they sit, so leftovers will usually be softer and more intensely seasoned.
- Reheat: I don’t recommend reheating the finished salad. Serve it cold or let it come back toward room temperature before eating.
Yum Woon Sen Recipe (Thai Glass Noodle Salad)
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Large mixing bowls
- Cooking pot or wok
- Tongs
- Fine mesh strainer or colander
Ingredients
- 2½ oz dried glass noodles
- 1 cup ground pork
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- ¼ cup pickled garlic water, can omit if unavailable
- 1 handful of coriander, chopped
- 1 handful of green onions, chopped
- 1 handful of Chinese celery, chopped
- 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
- 5 chilies, sliced, adjust to taste
- 1 whole onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup roasted peanuts, optional
Instructions
- Soak the noodles: Soak the glass noodles in warm water according to the package directions until softened.
- Cook the noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the softened noodles and cook until just tender. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain well.
- Cook the pork: Cook the ground pork in the same pot of water until fully cooked. Drain and add it to a large mixing bowl with the noodles.
- Add the dressing and vegetables: Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, pickled garlic water, chilies, onion, coriander, Chinese celery, green onion, and cherry tomatoes. Gently toss until everything is well combined.
- Finish and serve: Add the roasted peanuts and toss again. Let the salad sit for a few minutes, then taste and adjust the lime, fish sauce, sugar, or chilies to your liking. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- Avoid overcooking the glass noodles. Follow the package instructions for soaking and cooking time.
- Pork can be swapped for chicken or shrimp.
Amazing seaf00d salad. I usually use it as my go to receipe but I use Mae Ploy’s asian salad sauce. everyone loves the dish. 🙂
Thank you Kim!