Rice Noodles
Rice noodles are made from rice flour and water, ranging from thin vermicelli to wide flat strands, a staple across Southeast and East Asian cooking and naturally gluten-free.
How to buy
Choose the width and style called for in a recipe: thin vermicelli, flat pad-style noodles, or wide ho fun. Dried noodles should look brittle and unbroken, while fresh refrigerated noodles should look moist and pliable rather than sticky-clumped or dried out at the edges.
How to store
Dried rice noodles keep for a long time in a sealed pantry container. Fresh rice noodles are perishable and should be refrigerated and used within a few days; they stiffen and clump when cold, so bring them to room temperature or steam them briefly before use.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Mild and neutral on their own, acting mainly as a vehicle for sauces, broths, and aromatics. Thicker fresh noodles carry a very faint natural sweetness from the rice.
- Texture
- Silky and slippery when cooked properly, ranging from delicate and slightly chewy in vermicelli to broad and tender-slippery in ho fun. They're easy to overcook into mush, so timing matters, and dried versions typically only need a soak in hot water rather than a full boil.
- Aroma
- A very mild, faintly starchy-sweet rice smell, mostly unnoticeable once sauced or added to broth.
How to prepare
- Soaked in hot water — Softened without boiling to preserve a springy texture.
- Stir-fried — Tossed in a hot wok with sauce and aromatics, taking on char and smokiness.
- Simmered in broth — Added directly to soups, where they absorb the broth's flavor as they cook.
- Served cold — Chilled and tossed with dressing and fresh herbs for noodle salads.
Classic dishes
Chinese
- Chow fun — Wide rice noodles stir-fried with beef and bean sprouts in a smoky wok sauce.
- Singapore-style stir-fried rice noodles — Thin rice noodles stir-fried with curry powder, shrimp, and vegetables, despite the name a Cantonese-American invention.
- Cheung fun — Soft, rolled rice noodle sheets served with soy sauce, often filled with shrimp or beef.
Thai
- Pad thai — Thin rice noodles stir-fried with egg, shrimp or tofu, and a tamarind-based sauce.
- Pad see ew — Wide rice noodles stir-fried with egg and greens in a dark, slightly sweet sauce.
- Pad kee mao — Spicy drunken noodles stir-fried with wide rice noodles, chile, and basil.
- Kuay teow reua — Boat noodles served in a rich, dark broth with thin rice noodles and tender beef or pork.
Vietnamese
- Pho — A fragrant beef or chicken broth served over flat rice noodles.
- Bun cha — Grilled pork served over a bed of cold rice vermicelli with herbs and dipping sauce.
- Bun bo Hue — A spicy, lemongrass-scented beef noodle soup made with thick round rice noodles.
- Bun rieu — A tomato-based crab noodle soup served over rice vermicelli.
- Goi cuon — Fresh spring rolls wrapped around rice vermicelli, shrimp, and herbs.
- Mi quang — A central Vietnamese noodle dish made with turmeric-tinted rice noodles and a light, intensely flavored broth.
Filipino
- Pancit bihon — Thin rice vermicelli stir-fried with vegetables, meat, and soy sauce.
- Pancit palabok — Rice noodles topped with a thick shrimp-based sauce, boiled egg, and crushed pork cracklings.