Chinese Glass Noodle Salad

Cool, light, and refreshing, this Chinese glass noodle salad is all about clean textures and bright flavour. Slippery bean thread noodles, crisp cucumber, and savoury ham are tossed in a tangy soy-rice vinegar dressing with mustard, sugar, and toasted sesame seeds for balance. Served chilled, it is an easy side dish that brings crunch, freshness, and a gentle savoury kick to dumplings, stir-fries, or any Asian-inspired spread.

Serves: 2–3
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 80 g glass noodles (bean thread noodles/vermicelli)
• 100 g ham, finely sliced
• 1 cucumber, finely julienned

For dressing you will need:

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Cook the glass noodles according to the package instructions.
2. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well and cut into shorter lengths if desired.
3. Place the noodles in a large bowl with the ham and cucumber.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mustard, and sugar until dissolved.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
6. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and mix again.
7. Chill for 10–15 minutes before serving for the best flavor.

Tips

• Add shredded carrot for extra color and crunch.
• A drizzle of sesame oil gives the salad a richer, nuttier flavor.
• For a vegetarian version, replace the ham with shredded omelette or tofu