Thai Glass Noodle Salad with Tuna Recipe
A light, quick and very aromatic salad with glass noodles and canned tuna. It’s the Thai answer to pasta salad – lots of herbs, lime, chili and fish sauce instead of mayonnaise. Ideal for a work lunch or a warm-evening dinner.
Yam woon sen is a popular Thai salad made with glass noodles, usually combined with minced meat or seafood. The canned tuna version is a practical, home‑style adaptation inspired by this classic, adjusted to what’s commonly found in a Western pantry.
This salad is a Thai take on a noodle bowl: light, packed with herbs and lime, with a pronounced hit of fish sauce instead of heavy mayonnaise. Glass noodles soak up all the flavors like a sponge, so every bite is at once sour, salty, spicy, and very fresh.
Why this version works
- Canned tuna cuts down on prep time and means you don’t have to cook any protein.
- Glass noodles soak up the dressing like a sponge, so every bite delivers full Thai flavor.
- The combination of cilantro and mint adds freshness without relying on more exotic, hard‑to‑find herbs.
Chef's tips
It’s best to toss the still‑warm noodles with part of the dressing before adding the remaining ingredients – the strands won’t stick together and they absorb the flavor better. Be careful not to mash the tuna while mixing, or the salad will turn into a fishy paste; gently lifting the ingredients from the bottom with a spoon keeps everything light and fluffy. If you prefer a milder version, remove the chili seeds or swap it for a sweeter pepper, but don’t skip a touch of heat altogether.
How to serve
This makes an excellent packed lunch – put the salad in a container and bring an extra wedge of lime in a small box to brighten the flavors right before eating. For a party, serve it in lettuce leaves as light “tacos,” alongside grilled skewers or a Thai coconut soup.
Watch out for
- Don’t soak the noodles for longer than 10 minutes – if they get too soft, they’ll tear and turn the salad into a sticky mass.
- Don’t add any extra salt – fish sauce is very salty and it’s easy to over‑season.
Substitutions
- You can replace the tuna with canned salmon or well‑drained chickpeas for a fish‑free version.
- Instead of glass noodles, thin rice noodles will also work and need slightly less soaking time.
- If you don’t like cilantro, use flat‑leaf parsley, keeping in mind the salad will taste less distinctly Thai.
Ingredients
- glass noodles - 80 g
- tuna in brine - 1 can
- carrot - 1 piece
- cucumber - 0.5 piece
- shallot or red onion - 1 piece
- cherry tomatoes - 8 piece
- fish sauce rybny - 2 tablespoons
- lime juice - 3 tablespoons
- sugar trzcinowy - 1.5 teaspoons
- chili pepper - 1 piece
- fresh coriander - 3 tablespoons
- fresh mint - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Pour boiling water over the glass noodles in a large bowl and leave for 8–10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside to drain well.
- In a small bowl, mix fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the chopped chili pepper.
- Drain the tuna and gently break it into larger flakes with a fork.
- In a large bowl, combine the glass noodles, carrot, cucumber, shallot and cherry tomatoes.
- Add the tuna, pour over the prepared dressing and gently toss so the noodles are well coated but the tuna doesn’t break up completely.
- Finally, add the chopped coriander and mint and toss lightly again.
- Taste the salad and, if needed, adjust with extra lime juice (for more acidity) or a little more fish sauce (if it needs salt).
- Serve immediately or after a short chill in the fridge (10–15 minutes) to let the flavors meld.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I usually make this salad in the evening before a busy day – in the morning I just grab the container from the fridge and add fresh cilantro and a few mint leaves.
