Thai glass noodles (Pad Woon Sen)

March 19, 2026

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These Thai Glass Noodles Pad Woon Sen are a flavour packed homestyle recipe to make weeknight dinners thrilling once more!! Fast 8 minute cook dinner, chewy glass noodles are tossed with seasoned hen and greens in a punchy Thai sauce.

Whenever you purchase the incorrect noodles

This Thai noodle stir fry is what I made final week after I was searching for one thing tasty and fast to make with glass noodles (bean thread noodles) which I unintentionally purchased as a substitute of rice vermicelli. Actually, it looks like a mistake that’s designed to occur. They appear precisely the identical – white, very skinny noodles – and the tiny phrases bean thread will not be precisely screaming at you from the packet!! See??

However really, they’re totally different. Related impartial flavour however glass noodles are clear (therefore the title), slippery, chewy and manufactured from mung bean starch. Rice vermicelli are white, not slippery, break extra simply and manufactured from (you guessed it) rice!

Having mentioned that although, you may often use them interchangeably – together with in right this moment’s recipe. Phew!

How to prepare glass noodles (aka dry bean thread noodles) — Glass noodles simply should be soaked to organize.

Glass noodles cellophane dry bean thread noodles — Glass noodles simply should be soaked to organize.

At present’s recipe – Thai Glass Noodles

Ranting achieved – right this moment’s recipe. It’s a homestyle Thai dish I discovered on the Scorching Thai Kitchen web site, so not prone to be on the menu of your native Thai takeout. Pad means stir fried and Woon Sen are the glass noodles, therefore the title.

There’s no definitive recipe – each one I’ve seen makes use of a distinct sauce and add -ins – however the widespread issue is using glass noodles, scrambled egg, a sauce that leans in direction of savoury with a touch of candy, and that it’s a fast recipe.

You’ll even be actually blissful to know you should utilize both glass noodles or rice vermicelli. So it doesn’t matter when you unintentionally purchase the incorrect one!!! 🎉

Substances in Thai Glass Noodles

Right here’s what it is advisable to make these Thai Glass Noodles. I feel you’ll be fortunately shock how few elements you want! 🙂

1. the glass noodles

The correct title is “bean thread noodles” which is the title on the label, however I don’t know anybody who calls it that! I at all times hear it known as glass noodles, and generally cellophane noodles, as a result of they’re clear as soon as hydrated.

Discover it with the dried noodles within the Asian part of grocery shops. A 200g packet right here in Australia prices $1.85.

And PS, in case you missed it above, you may completely use rice vermicelli noodles as a substitute.

2. the add ins

Pad Woon Sen is meant to be a fast recipe, so I’ve actually leaned into that. Only one vegetable that’s straightforward to cut (any lengthy leafy Asian greens), slicing slightly than dicing onions.

Chinese language broccoli (gai lan) or different Asian greens like choi sum or bok boy. Lengthy leafy Asian greens are my go-to for including loads of veg right into a dish with minimal preparation. Simply minimize stems and leaves into 5cm/2″ items,halving thicker stems so all of them cook dinner evenly. A lot much less mess than chopping broccoli with tiny floret bits flying in all places!
Onion – Simply half, sliced. Provides fragrant flavour into the stir fry.
Garlic – Normally for stir fries I insist on finely mincing with a knife however for this one you should utilize a garlic crusher when you favor. There’s sufficient “stuff” within the pan to keep away from the garlic from burning.
Hen thighs – My first alternative minimize of hen for stir fries as a result of the items keep juicy. If utilizing breast, I just about at all times velvet it to maintain it tender as a result of breast is soooo lean – instructions right here (scale hen weight as much as 350g/12oz by clicking on Servings and sliding the size).
Maggi seasoning – See Sauce ingredient beneath for chatter about this. You’d be arduous pressed to discover a Thai family with out Maggi seasoning!!

3. SAUCE FOR THAI GLASS NOODLES

The sauce makes use of Thai cooking heavyweights for max flavour with minimal elements – Maggi seasoning! Oyster sauce! Fish sauce!

Maggi Seasoning (photograph beneath) – A quiet little secret weapon in Thai kitchens that appears and tastes like soy sauce however with extra savoury flavour because of the inclusion MSG. I do know MSG has had a nasty rap through the years however today even the US Meals and Drug Administration considers it protected consumed at regular ranges. Actually, do you know it exists naturally in meals akin to tomato, cheese and miso?

Discover Maggi Seasoning within the Asian sauces aisle at massive grocery shops or Asian shops. It prices $5 at Coles and lasts for years. Different makes use of: the sauce for basic pork and Hen Banh Mi and Garlic Noodles. Or for a cheeky flavour increase, substitute as much as 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce for Maggi seasoning in any Thai noodle or stir fry dish (don’t go too loopy with it else it’s all you may style).

Substitute with mild soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce, or tamari (for gluten free).
Oyster sauce – This packs a ton of umami, provides some sweetness and acts as a thickener. You need to use vegetarian oyster sauce, it’s fairly broadly out there today at grocery shops.
Fish sauce – Utilized in Thai cooking like soy sauce is utilized in Chinese language cooking, as the first supply of salt. Whereas it smells a bit (okay, very!) funky straight out of the bottle, as soon as it’s cooked it’s utterly reworked, including depth of flavour and complexity into any dish with out a fishy flavour.
Oil – Any impartial flavoured oil like canola, vegetable or peanut oil. This provides a little bit of a lot wanted oil into the springy glass noodles which might in any other case be a bit dry.
Sugar – Only one teaspoon, so these noodles have the fitting steadiness of savoury-to-sweet.
White pepper – The extra widespread pepper utilized in Asian cooking, however you may simply use black pepper if you’d like, not an enormous deal.

Maggi Seasoning – a quiet little secret weapon in Thai kitchens!

LABEL NOTE: The outline on the label underneath the title “Maggi Unique Seasoning” adjustments. The present bottle I’ve says “for an genuine Asian flavour”. The one above has nothing. A reader discovered two – one says “Provides umami” and the opposite says “Improves the style”. These are all the identical sauce!

The right way to make Thai Glass Noodles

As with most stir fries, this strikes quick when you begin cooking (8 minutes!), so have every part chopped and able to toss into the pan.

Put together glass noodles per the packet course. It ought to say to only soak in boiling water for two to three minutes then drained. Give them a fast rinse underneath faucet water to clean of extra starch – this may cease them sticking collectively.
Sauce – Combine the sauce elements in a small bowl and put aside. Notice: It mightn’t seem to be sufficient sauce for the quantity of noodles, however please belief the method! That sauce is easy however mighty. 🙂

Season hen – Slice the hen then toss within the MAGGI seasoning (or soy sauce).
Cook dinner – Use a big non-stick skillet 30cm / 12″ huge*. Warmth the oil on excessive warmth till sizzling. Cook dinner the onion for 20 seconds first, then cook dinner the hen for two minutes till nearly cooked by means of.

* We’d like an enormous pan to keep away from the greens and hen grow to be watery, as a substitute of scorching. If you happen to don’t have a pan this huge, you’ll have to cook dinner the greens and hen individually from the noodles and sauce, then deliver all of it collectively on the finish. I’ve included instructions within the recipe notes.

Garlic and stems – Then add the garlic and Chinese language broccoli stems, and stir for 30 seconds. By this stage the hen might be achieved.
Scramble eggs on facet (basic Thai) – Push every part to 1 facet and add a small drizzle of oil into the cleared house. Pour the eggs in and gently stir to scramble. When the egg is usually however not utterly cooked, combine it into the hen.

💡This system of scrambling egg on one facet of the pan is a typical Thai cooking method that’s utilized in most Thai stir fries that embrace egg, slightly than cooking it individually, taking it out then including it again in later. Who has the time!? 😅

Leaves, noodles and sauce – Add the Chinese language broccoli leaves, prime with the noodles then pour the sauce throughout.
Toss – Use two spatulas to loosen and toss the noodles till the sauce stains the noodles, and the greens and hen is considerably combined by means of (it’s kinda arduous because the noodles get all tangled and that’s okay, an important factor is to get the sauce flavour all by means of the noodles). Then serve!

It is a huge family-size noodle stir fry which is why I take advantage of a big 30cm/12″ pan so every part can cook dinner in a single go. Woks get too crowded for greater than 2 or 3 servings, which is why many recipes use the dreaded “cook dinner meat, take out, cook dinner veg, take out, cook dinner eggs, take out” methodology.

I take advantage of the Pyrolux Ignite 30cm Cooks Pan which is non-stick, induction suitable, oven-proof and comes with a lid. It’s deep sufficient to deal with family-size stir fries and fried rice with out every part turning watery, and can be utilized for cooking all kinds of issues, from stove-to-oven stews to pan fried fritters, searing rissoles to flipping fluffy pancakes.

And no, I’m not getting paid to endorse that pan! I’ve been utilizing it for years. 🙂 Actually, I used to be slightly amused to see references to RecipeTin Eats within the Amazon evaluations for that pan!! – Nagi x

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Thai glass noodles (Pad Woon Sen)

Whenever you purchase the incorrect noodles

At present’s recipe – Thai Glass Noodles