Thai Glass Noodle Salad with Shrimp (Yum Woon Sen)

Name: Thai Glass Noodle Salad with Shrimp (Yum Woon Sen)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 5 oz Glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli), dry; 12 oz Raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (medium/large); 0.33 cup Dressing (fish sauce, fresh lime juice, palm or brown sugar, minced garlic, sliced Thai chiles); 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved; 0.5 cup Red onion, thinly sliced; 1 cup Seeded cucumber, thinly sliced or ribboned; 0.33 cup Scallions (green onions), thinly sliced; 0.5 cup Fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems; 0.33 cup Roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

A bright, cooling Thai glass noodle salad (Yum Woon Sen) layered with tender poached shrimp, crisp vegetables, and a punchy lime-fish sauce dressing. Ideal for summer dinners, this light main-course salad delivers bold Southeast Asian flavors and crunchy roasted peanuts for texture.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 20m · Cook: 10m · Total30 mins

DifficultyMedium

Serves4

AuthorJake

Thai Glass Noodle Salad with Shrimp (Yum Woon Sen)

Yum Woon Sen is a study in contrasts: slippery, glistening mung-bean noodles meet bright, acidic lime and savory fish sauce, while crunchy cucumber and roasted peanuts keep every bite texturally interesting. This version focuses on timing and temperature—poaching the shrimp just until opaque and shocking them in ice water preserves their tenderness, and soaking the glass noodles only until pliable prevents the gummy finish that can undo the whole salad. The dressing is simple but decisive; when the sweet, sour and salty elements are in balance it lifts the whole bowl.

This salad is built for warm evenings and casual entertaining—easy to scale and quick to finish at the last minute. It’s also forgiving: the ratio of veg, herbs and nuts can be shifted to taste, and the dressing can be sharpened or softened depending on your chilies and sugar. Serve it family-style on a platter, scatter herbs and peanuts at the end so they stay crunchy, and let guests add extra chiles and lime. With a little attention to technique, this light main-course salad delivers bold Southeast Asian flavors without fuss.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

6:25 pm–6:31 pm→Soak and drain the glass noodles

6:31 pm–6:37 pm→Poach the shrimp and make the dressing

6:37 pm–6:43 pm→Prepare vegetables and herbs

6:43 pm–6:49 pm→Toss salad to combine

6:49 pm–6:55 pm→Rest, garnish and serve

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Soak and drain the glass noodles

Place the glass noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Let soak for 5–7 minutes until pliable but not mushy, then drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and trim any excessively long strands; toss with a teaspoon of neutral oil to prevent sticking and set aside to cool.

For this step

5 ozGlass noodles (mung bean vermicelli), dry

Poach the shrimp and make the dressing

Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil, add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes until opaque and pink, then transfer to an ice bath to chill and drain. While shrimp cool, whisk the dressing: combine fish sauce, fresh lime juice, palm (or brown) sugar, minced garlic and thinly sliced Thai chiles until sugar dissolves; taste and balance sweet-salty-sour as desired.

For this step

12 ozRaw shrimp, peeled and deveined (medium/large)
0.38 cupDressing (fish sauce, fresh lime juice, palm or brown sugar, minced garlic, sliced Thai chiles)

Prepare vegetables and herbs

Thinly slice the red onion and scallions, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice or ribbon the cucumber, and roughly chop cilantro (including tender stems). If the onion is very sharp, soak slices briefly in cold water for 5 minutes and drain before using to tame the bite.

For this step

1 cupCherry tomatoes, halved
0.5 cupRed onion, thinly sliced
1 cupSeeded cucumber, thinly sliced or ribboned
0.38 cupScallions (green onions), thinly sliced
0.5 cupFresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems

Toss salad to combine

In a large bowl, combine cooled glass noodles, chopped shrimp (roughly halved if large), tomatoes, onion, cucumber, scallions and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly so noodles and shrimp are evenly coated; adjust seasoning with extra fish sauce, lime, or sugar as needed.

For this step

0.38 cupRoasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Rest, garnish and serve

Let the salad rest 5–10 minutes in the fridge to let flavors meld, then transfer to a platter. Scatter chopped roasted peanuts and additional cilantro over the top and serve with lime wedges and extra sliced chiles for heat on the side.

Tips from the kitchen

Soak, don't boil

Use just-boiled water and soak the glass noodles 5–7 minutes until pliable; boiling them will make them mushy quickly.

Ice-bath shrimp finish

Shock the shrimp in an ice bath immediately after poaching to stop carryover cooking and keep them tender and firm.

Tame sharp onions

If your red onion tastes too bitey, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the sulfuric edge without washing away flavor.

Dress just before serving

Because glass noodles soak up liquid, keep the dressing separate and toss the salad 10 minutes before serving to preserve texture.

Use cilantro stems

Chop some tender cilantro stems with the leaves for extra herbaceous backbone—they carry more flavor than you think.

Toast peanuts lightly

Warm the roasted peanuts in a dry skillet for a minute to lift their aroma and add a fresher crunch.

Variations & substitutions

Chicken or pork substitution

Swap the shrimp for poached shredded chicken breast or thinly sliced seared pork shoulder for a heartier salad; keep the poaching idea to maintain moist protein.

Vegetarian/vegan version

Replace shrimp with pan-seared extra-firm tofu cubes and swap fish sauce for a mixture of soy sauce or tamari plus a little mushroom seasoning or kelp powder to mimic umami.

Tropical mango twist

Add ripe mango slices and reduce tomatoes for a sweeter counterpoint that plays nicely with the lime-fish sauce dressing.

Extra-spicy kick

Mince Thai chiles into the dressing and include a spoonful of sliced pickled chiles or sambal oelek for deeper, lingering heat.

No glass noodles option

If you can’t find mung-bean vermicelli, use thin rice vermicelli prepared the same way—soak until just tender and rinse thoroughly under cold water.

Storage & make-ahead

Leftovers keep best if components are stored separately: noodles and vegetables together and dressing and peanuts in small airtight containers. Refrigerate up to 2 days; the noodles will continue to absorb dressing so expect a softer texture on day two. Avoid freezing, and if the salad feels dry when serving again, refresh with a splash of lime juice and a little water before tossing.

What to serve with it

Serve on a large platter garnished with extra cilantro, chopped peanuts and lime wedges so guests can customize heat and acidity. Pair with steamed jasmine rice or simple coconut rice to round things out, and offer cold, crisp beverages like a dry Riesling, light lager, or Thai iced tea to complement the salad’s zesty flavors. For a dinner party, place lettuce leaves on the side for people who want to make handheld wraps.

Frequently asked questions

Can I poach shrimp from frozen?

You can, but thawing first gives more even results; if using frozen, add shrimp to cold water then bring to a gentle simmer and cook until opaque to avoid overcooking the outside while the inside warms through.

How do I know the shrimp are cooked?

They should turn completely opaque and curl into a loose 'C' shape; tight curling or a rubbery texture means they’re overcooked.

My salad turned soggy—how can I prevent that?

Keep the dressing separate until just before serving and make sure the noodles are well-drained and tossed with a teaspoon of oil after rinsing to reduce absorption.

Is there a substitute for fish sauce?

For vegetarian diets use tamari or soy sauce with a pinch of mushroom powder or a few drops of seaweed broth to introduce umami, though the flavor profile will differ slightly.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes—prepare components up to a day ahead and refrigerate separately; combine and dress the salad 10–15 minutes before serving so textures stay bright.

How spicy is the dressing and can I adjust it?

Level of heat depends on the Thai chiles you use; remove seeds for milder heat or add more chiles or a spoonful of chili paste for heat that builds, tasting as you go.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

4 servings

Step 1: Soak and drain the glass noodles

Glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli), dry5 oz

Step 2: Poach the shrimp and make the dressing

Raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (medium/large)12 oz
Dressing (fish sauce, fresh lime juice, palm or brown sugar, minced garlic, sliced Thai chiles)0.38 cup

Step 3: Prepare vegetables and herbs

Cherry tomatoes, halved1 cup
Red onion, thinly sliced0.5 cup
Seeded cucumber, thinly sliced or ribboned1 cup
Scallions (green onions), thinly sliced0.38 cup
Fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems0.5 cup

Step 4: Toss salad to combine

Roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped0.38 cup

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: about 1 cup (250g)

Calories278

Total Fat14.6g

Saturated Fat4.5g

Trans Fat0g

Polyunsaturated Fat2.9g

Monounsaturated Fat5.5g

Total Carbohydrates29.6g

Dietary Fiber3.8g

Total Sugars21.1g

Protein11.1g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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