Spicy Glass Noodle Salad Recipe

Soak noodles

Place the glass noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the 500 ml of boiling water over them, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover and let soak for 6–8 minutes until tender but slightly chewy. Stir once halfway through to prevent clumping. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Shake off excess water and set aside to cool.

Prepare vegetables

While noodles soak, thinly slice the cucumber into matchsticks or half-moons and place in a bowl. Peel the carrot and julienne it into matchsticks. Core and thinly slice the red bell pepper into thin strips. Trim and thinly slice the scallions on the diagonal. Roughly chop the cilantro and mint leaves and set all vegetables and herbs aside separately so they stay crisp.

Prep proteins and toppings

If using shrimp or poached chicken, shred or cut into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the roasted peanuts (reserve a few whole for garnish). If you have store-bought fried shallots, set them aside; if making at home, fry thinly sliced shallots in hot oil until golden brown and crisp, then drain on paper towels.

Make dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, light soy sauce, brown/palm sugar, sesame oil, chili garlic paste, minced garlic and finely chopped fresh red chili. Taste and adjust: add more sugar if too sour, more fish sauce if it needs saltiness, or more chili for heat. Stir until sugar dissolves completely.

Assemble salad

In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained glass noodles, cucumber, carrot, red bell pepper, and scallions. Add the prepared shrimp or chicken if using. Pour the dressing evenly over the salad. Drizzle the neutral oil over the mixture to add shine and help distribute the dressing. Toss gently but thoroughly with tongs or two forks so the dressing coats everything evenly, taking care not to break the noodles.

Adjust seasoning

Taste the salad and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. If the salad tastes too intense, add a splash of water or a little more lime juice to balance. Let the salad sit for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to meld, but serve within 30 minutes so vegetables remain crisp.

Serve

Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts, chopped cilantro and mint, and fried shallots over the top. Garnish with whole peanuts or extra herbs if desired. Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled.