Easy Rice Noodle Recipe with Shrimp and Cabbage (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to cooking rice noodles? ›

Unlike wheat pasta, you don't need to boil rice noodles; the warm water is enough to cook them through. Once they are soft, you can drain them and add them to your stir-fry, soup, or another dish. Be sure to cook them thoroughly before eating, as uncooked rice noodles can be a bit chewy.

Asian Noodles for Stir-Frying: For stir-fry dishes like lo mein or pad Thai, rinse Asian noodles like rice noodles or egg noodles under cold water after boiling. This removes excess starch and prevents them from becoming too gummy.

Tips for Preventing Rice Noodles from Sticking Together

Rinse with Cold Water: Rinsing immediately after soaking or cooking will remove excess starch that increases stickiness. This will also stop the cooking process and keep them from getting overcooked and soft.

It's a matter of preference, but I always do. Rinsing rice noodles briefly after they are soaked removes starch and makes the noodles less likely to have a sticky, starchy texture. It also cools the noodles and stops the cooking process, so they don't continue to soften once taken out of hot water.

If I'm in a hurry, I'll just give them a quick rinse in hot water before cooking. Most of the rice noodles I make call for soaking in boiling water, but not necessarily cooking. Just pour the water over them and leave them alone for a set number of minutes, then drain (and rinse if they need to be cold).

To fully cook the noodles, allow them to soak for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring them gently every 1 to 2 minutes to help loosen them. The noodles are done when they are completely limp. Thin, thread-like noodles may cook in less than 7 minutes, while flat rice noodles may take more than 10 minutes if they are thick.

If we look at factors such as calories, carbs and protein, rice noodles and pasta are pretty much tied. However, while pasta can contain as much as 2 grams of sugar per serving, rice noodles are virtually sugar-free.

Soak the dried rice noodles in cool or lukewarm water for 30 minutes, or until they're limp but still firm to the touch; later cooking in the wok will soften them more. Drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.

Crowding the pan is all sorts of bad news, but when it comes to noodles, this is likely the most common reason people end up with soggy and mushy noodles. Crowding traps moisture, and this moisture steams the noodles and you're basically boiling them, which causes the noodles to overcook.

Notably, they're suitable for people with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Rice noodles are low in fat and moderate in calories, making them a healthy option. Try pairing them with high fiber veggies and tasty sauces — though you may want to limit your use of high sodium add-ins like soy sauce.

How to fry rice noodles? ›

Heat the oil over medium-high heat for a minimum of 1 minute. Take a few longer noodle pieces in your hand and dunk just the ends into the hot oil. If the oil is hot enough, the submerged parts will bloom within seconds into puffy, crispy noodles. If this doesn't happen, remove the submerged parts and cut them off.

The best rice noodles are made with long-grained rice that contains high levels of amylose since the added starchiness helps to bind the dough to form a chewy, toothsome noodle.

Rice noodles don't need to be boiled, just soaked

Did you know that rice noodles don't need to be boiled in water, but rather soaked in hot water until rehydrated? If boiled, the noodles will overcook, turn mushy, and are likely to break apart, according to Kitchen Skip.

Why Are My Rice Noodles Hard? Rice noodles are too hard when they are not soaked or boiled for long enough before adding them to a recipe. You can soak them in hot or warm water for longer to make them more pliable.

Put the soaked rice noodles in and let them stew uncovered. Check out my pot of water—it's boiling but calm and contained—like vegans at the supermarket meat section. For a 10mm thick noodle, it takes about 5 minutes on the stove to be done. For a thin 3mm noodle, it will probably only take 2-3 minutes.

Adding the pasta to water that isn't boiling will actually increase your overall cook time and cause your pasta to sit in the water longer. You will end up with pasta that has absorbed too much water with a mushy texture. Be patient and wait for a rapid boil; it'll pay off.

Pre-soak the rice noodles in cold water for as long as you can, but at least 10 minutes. Then add them directly to hot broth and serve or into boiling water for about 2 minutes then drain to use. The trick is that they're never in the hot water for very long because they'll get mushy remarkably quickly.

Here is an easy guide on how to cook dry Pho noodles for a chewy texture. How long to cook dry Pho noodles: Soak the dry Pho noodles in warm water for 30-45 minutes or in cold water for 1 hour. Boil a pot of water, add a pinch of salt, and cook the soaked Pho noodles for 5-7 minutes.