Thai Instant Noodle Salad Recipe (Yum Mama)
Thai Instant Noodle Salad is a sweet, spicy, tangy, and refreshing Thai noodle salad made with Mama noodles, shrimp, ground pork, fresh vegetables, herbs, and a bold lime-fish sauce dressing.
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 finger hot pepper, or bird’s eye chili, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
For the instant noodle salad
- 2 packs Mama instant noodles, or replace with glass noodles
- ½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ pound ground pork, or chicken
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 stalks Chinese celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- To make the dressing: In a bowl, mix together the fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar. Whisk until dissolved. Add the finger hot pepper and garlic. Mix well and set aside.
- To cook the instant noodles: In a pot over high heat, bring water to a boil. Add the Mama instant noodles and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain.
- To cook the shrimp: In the same pot, add the shrimp and boil until they turn pink, about 30 seconds. Remove and drain.
- To cook the ground pork: In the same pot, add the ground pork and boil until completely cooked through. Remove and drain.
- To toss the instant noodle salad: In a mixing bowl, add the onion, grape tomatoes, Mama instant noodles, shrimp, ground pork, and the dressing. Mix together. Lastly, add the Chinese celery and cilantro. Mix again.
- To serve: Place it on a serving plate and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Mama noodles: Use Mama brand noodles for that signature Thai flavor, especially the Tom Yum flavor if you want extra zing.
Don’t overcook the noodles: About 2 minutes is enough to keep them springy and prevent sogginess.
Palm sugar: Palm sugar adds authentic, mellow sweetness, but you can substitute brown sugar if needed.
Chinese celery: If you can’t find Chinese celery, regular celery leaves or chopped cilantro stems work well for that fresh bite.
Make it spicier: Use bird’s eye chili, or crush a dried Thai chili into the dressing for extra heat.
Best served fresh: This salad tastes best right after tossing, but you can prep the dressing and protein ahead of time for quick assembly.
Protein swap: Replace the ground pork with ground chicken, or use extra shrimp for a lighter seafood version.