16 Rice Noodle Recipes (+ Side Dishes)

The best rice noodle recipes, such as an easy, spicy Thai stir fry recipe with chicken to Chinese healthy noodle soup, Singapore shrimp vermicelli and a quick cold salad bowl, as well as what to eat with rice noodles (the best side dishes. (Including vegetarian + vegan.))

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Asians love noodles, so there is a plethora of varieties of Asian noodles: from ramen noodles (made of wheat) to glass noodles (from mung beans.)

You can also make vermicelli out of rice flour. There are several types of rice noodles: thin rice noodles, thick and round rice noodles, wide and flat rice noodles (rice stick noodles) etc. They can be found in both dried and fresh rice noodles, with dried being more common.

For more information about the different types of noodles, or how they differ from pasta, click here.

Tip: if you prefer chewy rice noodles, choose the wide or thick ones. If you prefer more tender rice noodles, choose the thin ones.

This is a popular Singaporean breakfast.

Stir-fried Rice Noodles is a very versatile dish: by switching up the ingredients and sauces used, you can easily create many different types of noodles. For example, you can choose any of the following delicious options to whip up an easy family dinner:

• vegetables: chinese broccoli, snow peas, red bell peppers, carrots, bean sprouts etc
• seafood: shrimp vs fishcake etc
• meat: chicken vs char siu pork belly, porkballs vs pork patties etc
• sauces: fish sauce vs light soy sauce vs dark soy sauce vs kicap manis vs tamari (if on a gluten-free diet), oyster sauce vs hoisin sauce
• if you like spicy: chili paste vs sambal oelek vs sriracha chili garlic sauce etc

Note: if adding fresh shiitake mushrooms when cooking rice noodles, be careful as they release a lot of water!

Tip: Chicken breast is more popular in the West but Asians prefer chicken thighs as it has more fat and flavor!

This is one of our favorite weeknight dinners- when we don't have rice noodles in the pantry, I use spaghetti instead (click through for the Thai spaghetti with tuna recipe.)

To find out more about spaghetti vs noodles, click here.

Despite the name, this dish was invented by Cantonese chefs in the UK- the name is purely because of the curry powder used which gives the dish its signature yellow color (along with turmeric powder.)

For more Cantonese recipes, click here.

Char Siu is the usual protein in this dish but I've used shrimp because it cooks quickly and its lighter flavor complements the delicate texture of rice noodles.

Moreover, as a seafood, shrimp is also lower in calories and fat compared to meat protein, making it a healthy choice!

This is a beloved Singapore street food. Despite its name, it is common in Singapore and Malaysia, not Thailand! You can make a stir-fried version (more common in Malaysia) or one with gravy (see section below.)

This Thai-inspired recipe is a quick and easy weeknight recipe. My only tip would be to switch out the white vinegar for lime juice or tamarind juice when making the tangy sauce, if you want a more authentic Pad Thai.

Tip: Serve with crushed peanuts, chili flakes, sugar and fish sauce on the side- the way they do in Thailand!

Although Pad Thai is more famous, I actually eat Pad See Ew more often when in Thailand (20 times and counting, since I had family there.) The name is literally "Stir Fry Soy Sauce" so you can tell what's important when making this dish!

Tip: to make a great Pad See Ew, you really need a hot fire to get a smoky charred flavor. This can be difficult to replicate at home as compared to what the street vendors can achieve!

This Singaporean classic dish is made using similar noodles to the Thai noodles above. However, the Thai one uses a chili vinegar sauce, whilst Char Kueh Teow has a sweet and savory flavor.

Mei Fun, sometimes spelt Mai Fun, is a classic Chinese takeaway recipe that is very easy to re-create at home!

Vietnamese Pho

Rice noodles are combined with a light but aromatic broth, fresh herbs (such as mint, cilantro and Thai basil), and protein such as chicken (Pho Ga) or beef (Pho Bo.)

P.S. Vietnamese Pho is a great dish to use up leftover roast meat!

Another option is this comforting Northern Thai curry noodle soup: rice noodles are served with a spicy, coconut milk-infused broth and tender chicken.

Note: There is a very similar dish, Khao Suey, from Burma.

Prawn Mee Soup is a delicious noodle served with prawn stock. (Save the prawn heads in the freezer till you have enough to make the seafood broth!) The Singaporean version is traditionally served with yellow noodles- though increasingly people like to mix it with thin rice vermicelli- but this Penang version comes with rice noodles instead.

Laksa is 1 of my favorite Singapore dishes! Thick rice vermicelli is served in a deliciously aromatic coconut gravy, made fragrant by copious amounts of dried shrimp used.

Note: I know dried shrimp is difficult to find but please do not substitute it with fresh shrimp or the noodle soup will be taste so flat! Instead, here are some good dried shrimp substitutes that you can use.

Also known as bun thit nuong, this Vietnamese dish combines vermicelli noodles, grilled marinated pork, fresh herbs, and a tangy dipping sauce called nuoc cham.

Rice vermicelli is also used as a filling in Vietnamese summer rolls. These Asian rolls are made with soft rice paper wrappers and can be customized with an array of ingredients such as fresh herbs, thinly-sliced vegetables, and protein such as shrimp or tofu, served alongside a dipping sauce for a fun and interactive meal.

Serve With...

Soups

Note: Rice noodles add a pleasant texture to soups. If you're in a rush, instead of cooking a rice noodle dish and a soup dish, simply add the blanched rice noodles to the soups bellow!

ABC Soup

Lemongrass Coconut Soup

Wonton Soup

Cucumber Salad

Chicken

Fish Sauce Wings

Chinese Wings

Teriyaki Chicken

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