Asian Glass Noodle Salad Recipe — Quick & Easy

June 8, 2026

My Asian glass noodle salad with peanut dressing and tofu is the perfect meal prep recipe! Whether as a quick lunch, a light dinner, or for your next meal prep weekend—this salad recipe will turn you into a total meal prep pro. I hope you have lots of fun with my glass noodle salad recipe❤️.

Glass Noodles – What Are They?

Glass noodles, often called vermicelli in English, are an indispensable part of Asian cuisine. They’re usually made from mung bean starch and have the wonderful ability to literally soak up sauces and flavors. Unlike traditional wheat noodles, they’re not heavy on the stomach at all and add a wonderful, almost weightless texture to the salad. Combined with crisp raw vegetables and a creamy peanut dressing, they create a balanced flavor that instantly transports your taste buds to a street food market in Asia :-).

Glass Noodle Salad (Asian-Style) — The Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the ingredients. As always, you’ll find the exact quantities at the very bottom of the recipe card.

Glass noodles (vermicelli): The ideal base for this salad, since they’re super light, don’t need to be cooked, and absorb the dressing perfectly. You can find them in any well-stocked supermarket these days.
Tofu: When roasted in the oven, it adds a delicious, protein-rich crunchy element—alternatively, you can also use roasted edamame or other proteins of your choice.
Kale or collard greens: Adds the ultimate crunch and provides valuable vitamins.
Carrot & cucumber: This vegetable duo adds an extra dose of freshness and color. Cut them into small, long strips—or if you’re in a hurry, you can also grate them with a food processor.
Peanuts or cashews: Add a little extra crunch and provide healthy fats.
Fresh herbs: Mint and cilantro are essential for that authentic Asian freshness (if you really don’t like cilantro, just substitute Thai basil!).
Fish sauce: Adds that authentic umami kick! If you don’t like it or want to keep the salad strictly vegan, just leave it out—but for that genuine Asian flavor, I highly recommend it.
Spices: A combination of fresh ginger, garlic, a touch of sweetness (honey or maple syrup), and crushed chili flakes creates the perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and spice in the dressing.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Place the glass noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak for 3 to 4 minutes until soft, then be sure to rinse them under cold water and drain them well.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 200°C top/bottom heat (180°C convection). Place the well-squeezed and diced tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, until it’s a nice golden brown and crispy.
Step 3: In the meantime, cut the cabbage into thin strips and the cucumber and carrot into thin strips (julienne). Finely chop the fresh herbs.
Step 4:Add the prepared vegetables, the baked tofu, the herbs, and half of the nuts to the cooled glass noodles in the large mixing bowl.
Step 5: Mix the tamari, peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, olive oil, and spices vigorously in a screw-top jar or small bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix everything together very well
Step 6: Arrange the salad on plates, sprinkle the remaining nuts on top, and add a fresh squeeze of lime juice just before serving.

FAQs About the Glass Noodle Salad Recipe

How long does this dish keep?
The salad will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Can you make it ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely! It’s perfect for meal prep. Tip: Store the dressing separately and mix it in just before serving so the vegetables stay nice and crisp.
How do you make the vegan version?
The recipe is almost entirely vegan by nature! Just leave out the fish sauce or replace it with a plant-based alternative from an Asian grocery store, and use maple syrup instead of honey to sweeten it.

Why You’ll Love This Asian Glass Noodle Salad

Quick and easy: In just 40 minutes, you’ll have a complete, healthy meal on the table. The oven does most of the work for you!
Perfect for meal prep: This salad is great for preparing ahead of time. When stored in the fridge, the dressing really soaks in, and it tastes almost even better the next day.
Highly customizable: You can adjust the vegetables based on what’s in season and what you have in your fridge.

More Asian Recipes from Me

What do you think of my glass noodle salad recipe?

Praise, Criticism, Opinions

If you’ve tried the recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Just leave a comment below or let me know on Instagram what you think of this recipe. I’m always happy to receive praise, additional tips, and constructive criticism.

Best regards

Asian Glass Noodle Salad Recipe - Quick & Easy

5 from 4 votes

A crisp, fresh salad with authentic Asian flavors, crunchy oven-baked tofu, and an irresistibly creamy dressing

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Other 10

Total Time 30

Servings: 4

Course: Grilled Salad, Main course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Calories: 1188

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

120 g Glass Noodles
280 g Tofu drained, pressed, and diced
160 g Green or white cabbage cut into thin strips
1 Cucumber cut into thin strips
2 medium-sized carrots peeled and cut into thin strips
2 Spring onions cut diagonally into thin rings
approx. 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
2 tsp Mint leaves finely chopped
70 g Peanuts or cashews, toasted and chopped
½ Lime Serve with lime

For the dressing:

2 tsp Soy sauce
2 tsp Peanut butter
2 tsp Rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp Fish sauce optional
1,5 tsp Olive oil
1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated
1 garlic clove grated
1 tsp Honey or maple syrup or to taste
¼ tsp Chili flakes

Method

Place the glass noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak for 3–4 minutes, until they are soft. Rinse under cold water, drain well, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat) or 180°C (convection). Place the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 30–40 minutes. If you like, you can drizzle a little olive oil or toasted sesame oil over it.
Add the cabbage, cucumber, carrots, baked tofu, cilantro, mint, and half of the nuts to the noodles.
Mix the dressing ingredients well in a sealable jar or bowl. Taste it and adjust to your liking if necessary (more sweetness or acidity). Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss everything together well.
Arrange the salad on plates, sprinkle with the remaining nuts, and serve with a splash of lime juice.

Nutrition

Serving: 3gCalories: 1188kcalCarbohydrates: 141gProtein: 49gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gSodium: 1334mgPotassium: 1158mgFiber: 14gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 713IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 549mgIron: 11mg

Notes

Preparation: If you’re preparing the salad for the week, be sure to store the dressing in a separate container and don’t mix it in until right before you eat!
Tofu Preparation: Don’t want to turn on the oven just for this? You can also pan-fry the tofu until crispy or cook it in an air fryer in just a few minutes.
Fish sauce: It adds a great flavor, but it’s completely optional. Just leave it out for the vegan version.

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Hi, I’m Shiba

I’m glad you’re here. My dishes are very much inspired by the cooking skills of my mother, who comes from Pakistan. I also present Palestinian dishes that I learned about from my husband’s family. So you’ll find lots of dishes from 1001 nights here!

I hope you enjoy browsing and cooking.

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