Tom Jued Woon Sen (Thai Clear Soup with Glass Noodles and Chicken)
A light, peppery Thai soup of glass noodles, soft tofu and chicken meatballs in clear stock with garlic and coriander.
Made with Homemade chicken stock. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.84 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Soak the glass noodles in hot water for 8 minutes until soft, then drain.
8 min - 2
Mix the chicken mince with the crushed garlic, half the white pepper, half the coriander and 1 teaspoon of the fish sauce. Roll into small balls the size of a grape.
- 3
Heat the oil in a small pan and fry the chopped garlic for 1 minute until pale gold. Set aside as a topping.
1 min - 4
Bring your ready made homemade chicken stock (see the base recipe) to a simmer. Drop in the meatballs and cook for 5 minutes.
5 min - 5
Add the Chinese leaf, tofu and noodles and cook for 3 minutes. Season with the remaining fish sauce, white pepper and salt.
3 min - 6
Ladle into bowls and top with the fried garlic, spring onion and remaining coriander.
Tips
- Pounding garlic and coriander roots into a paste is the traditional base. Crushed garlic and chopped stalks give a close result.
- Do not boil hard once the meatballs are in, or they turn rubbery and the broth clouds.
- Add the glass noodles just before serving, as they keep absorbing broth.
- Use ground white pepper rather than black. It gives the authentic gentle heat.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten at once. Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days but the noodles swell and soften; reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What are glass noodles?
Glass noodles, also called cellophane or woon sen noodles, are made from mung bean starch. They turn clear and slippery when cooked and are naturally gluten free.
Can I use minced pork?
Yes. Thai versions of this soup are usually made with pork mince, and it works in exactly the same way.
Is this soup gluten free?
Yes, when you use gluten free fish sauce. The noodles, tofu and chicken contain no gluten. Check that the fish sauce label has no wheat.
More made with homemade chicken stock
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.