Spring Roll Noodles

Video

Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This one’s inspired by my mum’s famous Thai spring rolls—but with no rolling, no frying. Just the same savoury pork, the sweet-tangy dipping sauce (transformed into a dressing), and all those fresh, crunchy bits tossed into a salad. It’s fast, satisfying, and packed with flavour.

What are Spring Roll Noodles?

Think of this as a deconstructed Thai spring roll in salad form. It’s got the noodles, the pork, the cabbage crunch, the zingy dressing… all the components of something that tastes like it took hours to make, but is ready in under 30 minutes. It’s how I bring my mum’s favourite street food flavours to the weeknight dinner table.

What are Glass Noodles?

Glass noodles, also called bean thread noodles or cellophane noodles, are made from mung bean starch. Once soaked, they turn clear and silky with the perfect chewy bounce. They’re brilliant at soaking up

sauces

, making them ideal for

salads

stir-fries

or hot pots.

What You Need

bean thread (cellophane/glass) noodles

white sugar

white vinegar

fish sauce

carrot

garlic

black peppercorns

coriander

oil

pork mince

red cabbage

Steps

Soak the noodles in just-boiled water for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain and run under cold tap water to cool. Drain again, then use scissors or

a knife

to cut the noodles into short lengths. Set aside.

Place the sugar, vinegar,

fish sauce

and two tablespoons of water in

a small saucepan

over high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and stir through the grated carrot. Set aside until ready to serve.

Use

a mortar and pestle

to pound the garlic, peppercorns and coriander root into a fine paste. Heat the vegetable oil in

a pan

over medium heat. Add the garlic paste and cook for about a minute or until fragrant. Add the pork and cook until just cooked through. Add the fish sauce and stir-fry for another 2 minutes or until the pork has absorbed most of the sauce.

a large bowl

, combine the noodles, carrot, cabbage and pork. Pour over the dressing and toss well until everything is evenly coated. Top with fresh coriander and serve immediately.

Storage Tips

Dressing:

Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cooked Pork:

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Assembled Salad:

Best eaten fresh once dressed, as the noodles will continue to absorb the dressing.

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Spring Roll Noodles

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PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

10 minutes

SERVES

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Ingredients

100g glass (bean thread/cellophane) noodles

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 coriander roots, chopped

1 tbsp vegetable oil

200g pork mince

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 cup coarsely grated or finely julienned carrot

2 cups finely sliced cabbage (red or white or a mixture of both)

coriander, to serve

Dressing

½ cup white sugar

⅓ cup white vinegar

1 tbsp fish sauce

¼ cup coarsely grated or finely julienned carrot

Instructions

Prepare the Noodles

Soak the noodles in just-boiled water for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain and run under cold tap water to cool. Drain again, then use scissors or

a knife

to cut the noodles into short lengths. Set aside.

Make the Dressing

Place the sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and two tablespoons of water in