15-Min Chinese Glass Noodles Salad Recipe

Chinese Glass Noodles Salad is a refreshing and nourishing cold dish known as “liángbàn” (涼拌) in Chinese cuisine, meaning “cold mix.” It’s light, packed with flavor, and takes just 15 minutes to make. This dish combines tender glass noodles, vibrant spinach, and a fragrant hot oil pour for that perfect savory-spicy balance. If you’ve ever wondered how Chinese salads work, this one’s a must-try!

Chinese Glass Noodles Salad Recipe

Serving: 2 to 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

For the eggs:
3 large eggs
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons oil, separated

For the salad:
1 cup carrots, shredded
2 cups spinach
6 ounces glass noodles
2 tablespoons scallions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium red finger hot peppers (optional)
1/2 tablespoon chili flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons oil

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sugar

Chinese Glass Noodles Salad Instructions

1. Prepare the eggs:

• Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with salt, and whisk until smooth.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Pour in half the egg mixture and cook both sides until set, about 2 minutes total. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
• Once cooled, slice the cooked eggs into thin strips. Set aside.

2. Blanch the vegetables and noodles:

• In a pot of boiling water, blanch the glass noodles for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside.
• In the same pot, blanch the carrots for 20 seconds. Drain.
• Finally, blanch the spinach for 10 seconds. Drain and gently squeeze out excess water.

3. Make the sauce:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, and sugar until dissolved.

4. Assemble the glass noodle salad:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the glass noodles, spinach, carrots, egg strips, scallions, garlic, hot peppers, and chili flakes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over high heat until it’s smoking hot.
• Carefully pour the hot oil over the garlic, scallions, and chilies to release their fragrance.
• Drizzle the prepared sauce over everything and toss well to coat. Serve immediately or chilled.

Tips & notes

• Adjust the spice: Omit chili flakes and hot peppers for a non-spicy version.
• Use mung bean or sweet potato glass noodles: Both varieties work well—just follow the package instructions for soaking or boiling.
• Chill before serving: You can refrigerate the salad briefly for an even more refreshing bite.
• Why spinach? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, spinach is ideal in spring for nourishing the liver and clearing heat from the body.