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Home » Recipes » Salads

Glass Noodle Salad

Published: Mar 27, 2024 · Modified: May 4, 2024 by Sarah Baumeister · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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Thai Glass Noodle Salad features glass noodles (also called mung bean noodles) with veggies and chicken tossed in a light and tangy peanut sauce. Perfect for a light lunch or side dish.

finished glass noodle pasta salad with limes in a bowl on the side.

What makes this cold thai noodle salad, sometimes called harusame salad, so great is its simplicity and freshness. Nothing actually needs to be cooked for the dish! The silky noodles are soaked for a few minutes in hot water and quickly shocked with cold to avoid getting mushy.

The light dressing is prepared in minutes. Once you chop up all your veggies, you are good to go tossing everything into a big bowl to serve.

Glass noodles can go by many different names, cellophane noodles, bean thread noodles, mung bean noodles, harusame, or fensi. 

They are a critical ingredient in one of my favorite comforting soups, Mien Ga, or Glass Noodle Soup, as well.

finished glass noodle pasta salad with limes, peanuts, and herbs in bowls on the side.

You should be able to find glass noodles in your local supermarket's asian food aisle. If you can't find them, rice vermicelli noodles can be used as a substitute. 

For more tasty thai inspired noodle dishes try Beef Pad thai and Mason Jar Healthy Noodle Cups. If you are looking for something low carb, try this Inside Out Egg Roll in a Bowl.

Ingredients

ingredients for glass noodle salad on a white table.

Glass Noodle Salad

  • Glass Noodles: Prepare noodles according the the packaging instructions. Do Not Overcook. Place dry noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 2-3 minutes to soften and then drain and run under cold water to immediately stop the cooking process.
  • Cucumber: Use a cucumber with little to no seeds, such as english cucumbers or persian cucumbers.
  • Carrot: Peel and slice into matchsticks so they incororpate easily in the noodles. 
  • Napa Cabbage: Also called chinese cabbage, is slightly more delicate than regular green or red cabbage. Shred or chop finely.
  • Green Onion: Use both the whites and the greens for flavor and color. 
  • Cilantro: Mint is sometimes used, but I prefer cilantro in this dish.
  • Cooked Chicken: I like to buy rotisserie chicken to shred and keep in the freezer for salads like this and . You can also bake chicken or make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot. 
  • Peanuts: Chop plain roasted peanuts for a crunchy topping. 

Lime Peanut Dressing

  • Peanut Butter: I use creamy peanut butter, but chunky would work as well. 
  • Lime Juice and Zest: Pick a nice, juicy lime. Don't skip the lime zest, it adds loads of flavor. 
  • Rice Wine Vinegar: If you don't have rice vinegar, double the lime juice.
  • Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce or liquid aminos both work well here. If you want this recipe to be gluten free, use coconut aminos. 
  • Garlic: Two cloves of fresh garlic add flavor to the simple dressing. Make sure to mince well so there are no large pieces, as it remains uncooked.
  • Ginger: My favorite tip for fresh grated ginger is to prepare a lot at once and freeze it in portions for later use. I explain how in this post.

Variations

A variety of different vegetables can be used in this cellophane salad, such as bean sprouts, bell pepper, and edamame. 

Tahini sauce can be used in place of peanut butter. 

Add a teaspoon of sesame oil for a rich sesame taste. 

Step by Step Instructions 

dry glass noodles covered in hot water.

Step 1. Cook noodles according to the packaging instructions. Place in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes until softened. 

glass noodles after they have soaked and drained.

Step 2. Make sure as soon as they are done soaking to rinse them with cold water so that they stop cooking.

minced garlic soaking in lime juice in a bowl.

Step 3. In a small bowl, combine add lime juice and minced garlic. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes to mellow garlic bitterness.

all ingredients for dressing added to a glass bowl being mixed with a spatula.

Step 4. Add remaining dressing ingredients including peanut butter, grated ginger, lime zest, and rice wine vinegar.

ingredients for thai pasta salad all added to a glass bowl.

Step 5. Thinly slice cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and green onions. Add to a large bowl, along with noodles and diced chicken.

stirred pasta salad in glass bowl.

Step 6. Pour sauce over top and toss until everything is well coated. Top with chopped peanuts and serve.

finished glass noodle pasta salad with limes in a bowl on the side.

Recipe Tips 

  • One very crucial step in preparing this is making sure not to overcook your noodles. These are notoriously fast cookers, and it can quickly turn mushy and gummy if not attended to. For best results, I run the noodles under cold water as soon as they are ready to stop the cooking process.
  • Because the garlic in this recipe stays raw, add it to the lime juice and allow it to sit for a few minutes before adding the rest of the dressing ingredients. The acid helps mellow out the strong garlic flavor and remove any bitterness. 

Storage

This harusame salad is best served fresh.

Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy within 1-2 days.

Recipe FAQs

What are glass noodles made from?

Glass noodles can be made from different starches. Most commonly sweet potato starch and mung bean starch. Some varieties are made from tapioca or arrowroot. 

Enjoy this Glass Noodle Salad? I would love for you to let me know by leaving a comment and star rating. I can't wait to hear from you!

finished glass noodle pasta salad on a platter with chopsticks.

Glass Noodle Salad

Sarah Baumeister
Cold thai glass noodle salad combines glass noodles and fresh veggies in a peanut sauce for a perfect asian inspired salad.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Lunch, Salad
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 servings
Calories 406 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 150 grams glass noodles
  • 1 carrot julienned
  • 1 cup napa cabbage thinly sliced
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro lightly packed
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • ½ english cucumber halved and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 ½ cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
  • ½ cup chopped peanuts

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp. peanut butter
  • 4 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 1 lime juice and zest
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp. fresh ginger peeled and grated

Instructions
 

  • Cook noodles according to the packaging instructions. Place in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes until softened. Make sure as soon as they are done soaking to rinse them with cold water so that they stop cooking.
  • In a small bowl, combine add lime juice and minced garlic. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes to mellow garlic bitterness. Add remaining dressing ingredients including peanut butter, grated ginger, lime zest, and rice wine vinegar.
  • Thinly slice cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and green onions. Roughly Chop cilantro. Add to a large bowl, along with noodles and diced chicken.
  • Pour sauce over top and toss until everything is well coated.
  • Top with chopped peanuts and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 406kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 22gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 921mgPotassium: 548mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2872IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. joanne

    May 30, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    we all need to get in veggies. just watch gas making and we are. at home this is so colorful wonder if kids will be likely to try too

    Reply
  2. trinity f gorz

    May 31, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    Looks yummy! Great for upcoming warm days!

    Reply
5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Hi, I'm Sarah!

I am a wife, mother, and believer. I have been cooking since I can remember and love sharing recipes with all of you. You will find a variety of recipes here from healthy family dinners, to ways to prepare venison, to soups, to baked goods, anything and everything delicious.

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