Rice noodles are a common part of many Asian dishes. Dries are a great and convenient pantry staple to keep on hand, and they’re gluten-free so you can use them in a variety of ways. But you’ve probably experienced some disappointment with rice noodles because if they’re not cooked properly, they can turn into a completely inedible mush seemingly in seconds.
It can be so confusing if you’re just starting to cook Asian dishes that call for rice noodles, like pad thai or maybe soup or stir-fry. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to cooking these noodles, as rice noodles, like Italian pasta, come in different sizes that cook at different speeds. And sometimes these packages are confusing because the instructions are in an unfamiliar language, or sometimes there are no cooking instructions on them at all.
So you may have questions. Do you have to soak the noodles before cooking? Do you soak the rice noodles in hot or cold water? We have the answers. Here’s how to make perfect rice noodles. These sure-fire methods work every time for these three different sizes of rice noodles—noodles, flat rice noodles, and the wider, wide flat noodles often found fresh and used in dishes like pad see ew.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 packet of dried vermicelli rice noodles (angel hair)
- 1 packet of dried flat rice noodles (pad thai)
- 1 package of fresh wide flat rice noodles
- Room temperature water, as needed
Steps to do it
Vermicelli
These are the thinnest of all rice noodles. They are popular in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine and can be used in salads, stir-fries, and soups. Vermicelli has a coarse texture and is not as smooth as other noodles, giving them an al dente texture.
Prepare a deep bowl filled with room-temperature water. Add the noodles to the water and soak for 3 minutes until opaque.
Vermicelli noodles soaked in a bowl of water
When they are soaked, you can break the noodles apart with your hands to release them.
Vermicelli soaked in water in a bowl
Drain the noodles. You will notice that they do not stick together.
Vermicelli noodles in a colander
If you want to use them in a noodle bowl, bring the stock to a boil, add the noodles to the bowl and quickly turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
How to use
- You can use them within hours of rehydrating them in stir-fries or salads by simply adding them to a pan or bowl. If you add them to the stir-fry, you can use a spatula or tongs to carefully separate the noodles as you finish the meal. These noodles hold up well in dry dishes that don’t have too much sauce or liquid. They also hold their texture well, even as leftovers.
- If you want to use them in a noodle bowl, bring the stock to a boil, add the noodles to the bowl and quickly turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
Pad Thai Noodles
- Prepare a bowl filled with room-temperature water. Add the pad thai noodles to the bowl. Soak for 10 minutes. If the noodles are longer than the bowl, slowly bend them as they soften in the water so that eventually they are all submerged under the water.
- Flat rice noodles (Pad Thai Noodles) in a bowl of water
- Drain the noodles and run them through your fingers so they don’t stick. You can use a neutral oil like rice bran oil to coat the noodles if you are not going to use them right away.
Pad Thai noodles in a colander and oil in a small bowl
How to use
- Do not boil these noodles if you want to use them in stir-fries as they will be too mushy when added to the wok. While the dish is cooking, you can add a little water to the wok to gently steam the noodles.
- If the noodles seem to be sticking even after being coated in oil, don’t worry. Once you add them to the pan, they will separate again.
- If you’re making noodle soup, blanch the noodles in hot water just enough to soften them, but don’t leave them in the boiling water for more than 2 to 3 minutes. This will allow you to control the texture of the noodles, especially if you won’t be serving them right away.
- If you cook noodle soup at home and plan to serve it straight away, you can cook the soaked noodles directly in the broth.
- Fresh wide flat rice noodles
- Rice noodles can also be found fresh and coated with a thin layer of oil. They are often found in the refrigerated section of Asian specialty foods or supermarkets with a large selection of Asian foods. They are ready to use as needed and can be added to stir-fries or soups.
- Fresh rice noodles are more tender than dried noodles and can be added to any dish in the last seconds of cooking. You can even turn off the heat completely to ensure that the fresh rice noodles don’t overcook. We recommend that you carefully toss the noodles with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
How do you prevent rice noodles from sticking together?
You may find yourself in a situation where the noodles are prepared in advance. If you are worried about the cooked noodles sitting and sticking together, use a little rice bran oil. Drizzle a little over the noodles and toss gently to spread the oil. It should help prevent them from sticking together.
