Indulge in the vibrant flavors of Thailand with this incredible Pad woon sen recipe! This Thai glass noodle stir fry is packed with crisp vegetables, succulent shrimp, and savory seasonings, creating an easy to make delicious meal.
Who doesn't love a stir fried noodle dish that can be made in under 30 minutes (like our favorite Chinese shrimp lo mein or pork belly yakisoba!)? It's perfect for simple weeknight dinners and is super yummy leftover as well.
This Thai noodles dish has an incredible sweet and savory flavor that soaks into the cellophane noodles and goes perfect with the fresh stir fried vegetables. I really think you'll fall in love with this dish like we did!
What is pad woon sen?
Traditional Thai pad woon sen is a Thai glass noodle stir fry dish that it the ultimate in simple comfort food. It's what I like to call "leftover noodles" because you can use the leftovers in your fridge to make it (like this Chinese sausage fried rice). It's one of my favorite Thai noodles recipes!
It's made with stir-fried glass noodles (bean threads), quick stir fried vegetables and an incredible umami packed sauce made from oyster sauce and other ingredients. Then you can add chicken, shrimp, pork, beef...whatever your heart desires (we use chicken here, but you can use anything).
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Why this pad woon sen recipe works
- This Thai stir fry ultra easy and only only takes 30 minutes to make, making it perfect for weeknight meals.
- It's very versatile and you can adjust the vegetables and protein in it.
- The chewy glass noodles absorb the flavors really easily so you can adjust the flavors to your preference.
- You can make it totally gluten free by replacing the soy sauce and fish sauce with tamari or coconut aminos when making the stir-fry sauce.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts to make this Thai restaurant inspired glass noodle stir-fry recipe is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Glass noodles, also known as cellophane or called mung bean noodles (or bean thread noodles), are translucent, thin noodles made from starch and water, providing a light and delicate texture that absorbs flavors really well. They should be easy to find at your local Asian market, and some mainstream grocery chains are starting to carry them as well.
And another added benefit is that glass noodles are gluten free so you can adjust this recipe to be gluten free pretty easily by swapping a couple of the sauce ingredients for tamari or other gluten free aminos.
Use avocado oil, coconut oil, canola oil or grapeseed oil (or any other high smoke point oil) whenever you are stir frying over high heat to ensure the oil doesn't burn.
Substitutions and variations
- If you'd like a little tang with your noodles, add 2-3 teaspoons of rice vinegar to the sauce.
- Substitute black pepper for the white pepper if needed.
- Use whatever vegetables you prefer when making this. We love bell pepper, bean sprouts, cabbage and onions, but anything you like works great.
- Substitute chicken breast for chicken thighs. You can also substitute pork, beef, tofu, seafood or your choice of protein.
- Add 1-2 diced chilies or your favorite Thai (or any) chili sauce if you'd like to add spice to this dish.
- Substitute palm sugar, honey or brown sugar for the coconut sugar.
- If you can't glass noodles, you can use sweet potato noodles as well and they will give you very similar results.
Step by step instructions to make Thai glass noodle stir fry
- Prepare the bean thread/glass noodles according to the package instructions and set aside. Typically it will be placing noodles in a large bowl pouring boiling water over the top and letting them sit for 3-5 minutes, until they are soft and pliable.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and brown on the outside, cooking for about 4-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and add the carrots. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, red pepper, green onion and onions and stir fry 1 minute.
- Add the soy sauce, cabbage and tomato and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove all vegetables and set aside.
- Add the egg and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the cabbage and other vegetables and chicken back in and toss to combine.
- Add the noodles in and then the sauce. Toss to combine. Remove from heat and serve noodles in a bowl with diced green onions to garnish.
Expert tips
- Prepare all of the veggies and chicken first (chop, mince, etc.) as once you're ready to cook it goes very quickly.
- A non stick large skillet or a wok work best for this recipe (I prefer a wok)
- When cooking the eggs, start adding the veggies and noodles back in before they are fully cooked (still be liquidy). They will continue to cook in the heat of the other ingredients.
- If the noodles are sticking together, add a touch of oil to the dish.
Frequently asked questions
Pad woon sen is a Thai stir-fried dish featuring glass noodles and an assortment of vegetables, while Pad Thai is a popular Thai stir-fried noodle dish made with rice noodles, shrimp or chicken, eggs, and a tangy sauce, typically garnished with peanuts and lime.
Pad woon sen noodles are typically made from mung bean starch, which gives them their translucent appearance and delicate texture. You can also look for noodles made from sweet potato starch for very similar results.
Yes, they are made from mung bean starch and typically have a moderate amount of carbohydrates. It's important to note that the exact carb content may vary depending on the brand and specific preparation.
You can store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 days. reheat in the microwave or a skillet/wok. I don't recommend freezing leftovers as the noodles can become mushy.
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Recipe
Pad Woon Sen
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dried glass noodle bean threads
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 8 ounces chicken thighs sliced in pieces
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red pepper sliced
- ¼ onion chopped
- 1 tomato cut in chunks
- ¼ cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup grated cabbage
- 3 green onions 1 reserved for garnish
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 3 eggs whisked
Sauce:
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar substitute brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Prepare the bean thread/glass noodles according to the package instructions and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat.
- Add the chicken and brown on the outside, cooking for about 4-6 minutes until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and add the carrots. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the red pepper, garlic, green onion and onion and cook 1 minute.
- Add the soy sauce, cabbage and tomato and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove all vegetables and set aside.
- Add the egg and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the vegetables and chicken back in and toss to combine.
- Add the noodles in and then the sauce. Toss to combine.
- Remove from heat and serve with diced green onions as garnish.
Expert Tips:
- Prepare all of the veggies and chicken first (chop, mince, etc.) as once you're ready to cook it goes very quickly.
- A non stick large skillet or a wok work best for this recipe (I prefer a wok)
- When cooking the eggs, start adding the veggies and noodles back in before they are fully cooked (still be liquidy). They will continue to cook in the heat of the other ingredients.
- If the noodles are sticking together, add a touch of oil to the dish.
Nutrition
Dana says
This was so good! Super easy too. Thank you for the great recipe!
Danielle says
You're welcome!