Pad Woon Sen 

By Ham El-Waylly

Published May 6, 2024

  • Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(535)
Comments
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As textural as it is colorful, Thai pad woon sen (stir-fried glass noodles) builds deep, nuanced flavor, one component at a time, but comes together quickly enough for a weeknight. Delicate, springy glass noodles get stir-fried with garlic, eggs and vegetables, and readily absorb the punchy flavors of this simple sauce (oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar). Though you’ll often find meat or seafood variations, this recipe omits the meat and focuses on the vegetables. (If you want to add meat, cube whatever you use into small chunks, stir fry them until golden brown and cooked through, then incorporate into the noodles with the vegetables.) The convenience of this dish is that it can be eaten at any temperature: hot, room temperature or cold, straight out of the fridge. For authenticity, be sure to source a glass noodle where the main ingredient is mung bean; check the ingredient list on the package to be sure. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 (6.3-ounce) package dried mung bean glass noodles 

  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 

  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce 

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce 

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 

  • Grapeseed or another neutral-tasting oil, as needed

  • 3 eggs, whisked 

  • Salt

  • ¼ napa cabbage, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices 

  • 1 bell pepper, halved, deseeded and cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely grated 

  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick 

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

  • 1 Thai bird chile, sliced 

  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

32 grams carbs; 80 milligrams cholesterol; 194 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 4 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 1195 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover them with hot (but not boiling) water. Let soak for 10 minutes to soften, then drain well.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar until well combined.

  3. Step 3

    In a large cast-iron skillet or wok, add a splash of oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add the eggs and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove to a plate and roughly chop.

  4. Step 4

    Add a splash of oil to coat the pan again, add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has charred in spots and softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the egg.

  5. Step 5

    Add another splash of oil to the pan and add the bell pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the same plate.

  6. Step 6

    Add another splash of oil to the pan and add the carrot, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the drained noodles and stir well. Add the vegetables and egg and stir again to combine. Add the sauce along the perimeter of the pan and stir to combine. Keep cooking and tossing until the sauce evenly coats the noodles, 3 to 5 minutes.

  7. Step 7

    Off heat, add the chile and scallions, toss to combine and serve hot, at room temperature or even cold.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
535 user ratings
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Comments

Jill Turner

Look for bean sprouts to add if you can find them, as they add so much crunch to this comfort food dish. My favorite local restaurant always adds snap peas and quartered pieces of mushroom. You can’t go wrong cleaning out the crisper and adding all the veggies you have in nice bite sized pieces. It’s great with tofu or with sliced chicken. And top with a bit of cilantro. I like to drizzle sweet chili sauce or sweet orange sauce on top so it’s sweet as well as savory and hot.

iowavlaprof

This recipe was absolutely delicious. I used sweet potato noodles and I’d do it again. I used extra vegetables. It seems so versatile—you can add so many things, like mushrooms, meats, tofu. It’s a keeper.

Tabby

A little too salty, but other than that, delicious! Maybe a little less soy sauce next time to reduce the salt?

froggs

I’ve made many NYT noodle recipes and most were a hit. This was not. It’s a lot of work to put together, so I was hopeful. But we found it dry, bland, and one-dimensional. Used the suggested amount of cellophane noodles and eliminated the egg and cabbage (personal preference), and there still wasn’t nearly enough sauce. We added more condiments at the table, but ultimately I won’t make this again.

Robin

I found the mass of noodles to be difficult to integrate with the veggies. Any tips? Definitely would add more veggies next time. And more sauce… found it quite dry after keeping it warm while I cooked tofu to go with.

DarcieD

Followed recipe exactly. Did taste test: awfully bland, cloying, off. Tried to fix by adding different sauces/spices to small bowls of it. Husband tried his fixes. Nothing worked: into the garbage it went. Glass noodle bowls with varying sauces and additions are a staple in this house. This one won't be. What it turned into was bland to the nth degree, cloying taste, not enough veggies by far, just not worth eating. Glad it didn't use any expensive ingredients.

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