Rice noodles turn a bare pantry into dinner faster than almost anything else in the kitchen. Soak them in hot water, drain, and they’re ready to soak up a sauce, float in broth, or toss with a hot wok of vegetables and shrimp. No boiling pot of water, no watching the clock for al dente, just a quick soften and you’re cooking.
The best rice noodle recipe for a weeknight is chicken pad Thai, because it comes together in one skillet in under 30 minutes and uses ingredients most grocery stores stock in the international aisle. For something slower and more rewarding on a weekend, beef pho rewards you with a broth that tastes like it simmered all day. Between those two poles sits a whole world of flat noodles, thin vermicelli, and brothy bowls worth knowing.
Rice noodles show up across Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Cambodian, and Burmese kitchens, each cuisine shaping them into something distinct. Some get stir-fried with char from a screaming-hot wok. Others get ladled over with curry broth or piled high with fresh herbs and crushed peanuts. A few get served cold, dressed in nothing more than lime juice, fish sauce, and chile.
Quick picks:
- Best weeknight dinner: Chicken Pad Thai, ready in one pan
- Best cozy weekend project: Beef Pho, worth the simmer
- Best cold-weather bowl: Chicken Curry Laksa, rich and spiced
- Best make-ahead lunch: Shrimp and Vermicelli Fresh Spring Rolls
1. Chicken Pad Thai
Chicken pad Thai delivers sweet, tangy, and savory in one skillet, and it’s ready faster than delivery. This stir-fry pairs chewy rice noodles with tender chicken, egg, bean sprouts, and a tamarind-based sauce that balances sour and sweet.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz flat rice noodles (pad Thai style)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, sliced thin
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/3 cup crushed roasted peanuts
- Lime wedges
Method:
- Soak noodles in warm water 20 minutes until pliable; drain.
- Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Cook chicken until browned, 5 minutes.
- Push chicken aside, scramble eggs in the empty space.
- Add noodles, fish sauce, tamarind, and sugar. Toss 3 minutes.
- Stir in bean sprouts and green onions; cook 1 minute.
- Top with peanuts and lime. Serve hot.
For more Thai staples, browse our best Thai recipes.
2. Beef Pho
Beef pho is the long-simmer bowl worth setting aside a Sunday for, with a broth built on charred onion, ginger, and warm spices. Thin rice noodles soak up every bit of that broth alongside tender slices of beef.
Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 3 hours
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs beef bones
- 1 lb beef chuck, cubed
- 1 onion, halved and charred
- 3-inch piece ginger, charred
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 14 oz dried flat rice noodles (banh pho)
- 8 oz raw beef sirloin, sliced paper-thin
- Bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, jalapeño to serve
Method:
- Simmer bones, chuck, onion, and ginger in 4 quarts water, 3 hours, skimming foam.
- Toast cinnamon, star anise, and coriander in a dry pan; add to pot last 30 minutes.
- Strain broth; stir in fish sauce and sugar.
- Cook rice noodles per package directions; divide into bowls.
- Top with raw sirloin slices and ladle hot broth over to cook the meat.
- Serve with herbs, lime, and jalapeño.
Explore more at our best Vietnamese recipes.
3. Pad See Ew
Pad See Ew is the smoky, soy-dark cousin of pad Thai, built around wide rice noodles seared until they catch a little char. Chinese broccoli and a sweet-salty soy sauce blend round it out.
Yield: 3 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh wide rice noodles
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 oz chicken or beef, sliced thin
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups Chinese broccoli, chopped
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
Method:
- Heat oil in a wok over high heat; cook meat until done.
- Push aside, scramble eggs.
- Add noodles and broccoli, toss gently to avoid breaking noodles.
- Pour in soy sauces, oyster sauce, and sugar.
- Stir-fry 3 minutes until noodles pick up color and char slightly.
4. Shrimp Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
Shrimp drunken noodles bring bold chile heat and fresh basil to wide rice noodles in a sauce that clings to every strand. No alcohol involved, just a name for a dish bold enough to wake anyone up.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh wide rice noodles
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled
- 3 tbsp oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 Thai chiles, minced
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
Method:
- Heat oil in wok; fry garlic and chiles 30 seconds.
- Add shrimp, cook until pink.
- Add bell pepper and noodles, toss.
- Stir in sauces and sugar, cook 2 minutes.
- Fold in basil until wilted. Serve immediately.
5. Vietnamese Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowls (Bún Thịt Nướng)
Bún thịt nướng layers smoky grilled pork over cool rice vermicelli, making it one of the most refreshing rice noodle dinners you can build. Lettuce, herbs, pickled carrots, and crushed peanuts fill out the bowl, finished with a splash of nuoc cham.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 25 minutes (plus marinating) | Cook: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb pork shoulder, sliced thin
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp lemongrass, minced
- 8 oz rice vermicelli
- 1 cup pickled carrot and daikon
- Lettuce, mint, cilantro
- Nuoc cham for serving
Method:
- Marinate pork in fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and lemongrass 1 hour.
- Grill pork 3 minutes per side.
- Cook vermicelli per package directions, rinse cold.
- Build bowls with noodles, lettuce, herbs, pickled vegetables, and pork.
- Drizzle with nuoc cham.
Find more at our best vermicelli recipes.
6. Singapore Rice Noodles (Singapore Mei Fun)
Singapore Mei Fun turns thin rice vermicelli golden yellow with curry powder, a dish that’s more Hong Kong diner than Singapore street food, but beloved all the same. Shrimp, pork, and scrambled egg fill out the stir-fry.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz rice vermicelli
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1/2 lb shrimp
- 1/2 lb char siu pork, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
Method:
- Soak noodles until soft; drain well.
- Heat oil, scramble eggs, set aside.
- Stir-fry shrimp and pork until cooked.
- Add curry powder, toast 30 seconds.
- Add noodles, bell pepper, sprouts, soy sauce, and eggs. Toss until evenly yellow.
7. Char Kway Teow
Char Kway Teow is a smoky Malaysian stir-fry built on wide flat rice noodles, Chinese sausage, and a hit of dark soy sauce. Bean sprouts and chives add crunch against the richness of the noodles and egg.
Yield: 3 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh flat rice noodles
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 Chinese sausages, sliced
- 8 shrimp, peeled
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 cup garlic chives, chopped
Method:
- Heat oil in wok; fry sausage until fragrant.
- Add shrimp, cook until pink.
- Push aside, scramble eggs.
- Add noodles and sauces, toss over high heat until charred in spots.
- Fold in sprouts and chives last minute.
8. Chicken Curry Laksa
Chicken curry laksa wraps thin rice noodles in a coconut curry broth that’s spicy, rich, and deeply comforting. Fried tofu puffs and boiled egg are classic additions that soak up the broth beautifully.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz rice vermicelli
- 2 tbsp laksa paste
- 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb chicken thighs, sliced
- 1 cup tofu puffs
- 2 boiled eggs, halved
- Bean sprouts, cilantro to serve
Method:
- Fry laksa paste in a pot 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add coconut milk and broth; bring to a simmer.
- Add chicken, cook 15 minutes.
- Add tofu puffs, simmer 5 minutes more.
- Cook noodles separately; divide into bowls.
- Ladle curry over noodles, top with egg, sprouts, and cilantro.
Pair this with ideas from our best curry chicken recipes.
9. Pancit Bihon
Pancit Bihon is a Filipino noodle dish built for birthdays and potlucks, tossed with thin rice vermicelli, soy sauce, and a mix of vegetables and meat. It’s a dry stir-fry, not a soup, so every strand gets coated in sauce.
Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz rice vermicelli (bihon)
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 lb chicken, sliced thin
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 3 green onions, chopped
Method:
- Soak noodles 10 minutes; drain.
- Heat oil, cook chicken until browned.
- Add broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce; simmer 5 minutes.
- Add carrots and cabbage, cook 3 minutes.
- Add noodles, toss until broth absorbs, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with green onions.
10. Shrimp and Vermicelli Fresh Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)
Gỏi cuốn are cool, no-cook spring rolls wrapped in rice paper around shrimp, vermicelli, and fresh herbs. They make a light lunch or a party appetizer, dipped in peanut sauce or nuoc cham.
Yield: 8 rolls | Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 rice paper wrappers
- 4 oz rice vermicelli
- 16 cooked shrimp, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- Peanut sauce for dipping
Method:
- Cook vermicelli per package directions, rinse cold, drain.
- Soften rice paper in warm water 10 seconds.
- Layer lettuce, noodles, herbs, and 4 shrimp halves cut-side up.
- Roll tightly, tucking in sides halfway through.
- Serve with peanut sauce.
See more at our best vermicelli recipes 2.
11. Thai Peanut Rice Noodles with Tofu
Thai peanut rice noodles coat flat noodles and crispy tofu in a creamy, nutty sauce that comes together in one pan. It’s a satisfying vegetarian dinner with a little heat from chile garlic sauce.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz flat rice noodles
- 14 oz firm tofu, cubed and pan-fried
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp chile garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Method:
- Soak noodles until tender; drain.
- Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, chile sauce, honey, and water.
- Toss noodles, tofu, and cabbage with sauce in a large bowl.
- Top with chopped peanuts before serving.
12. Chilled Sesame Rice Noodle Salad with Cucumber
This chilled noodle salad is a cool, crunchy side for hot summer nights, dressed in sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Cucumber ribbons add snap against the slick, chewy noodles.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz thin rice noodles
- 1 cucumber, ribboned
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, sliced
Method:
- Cook noodles per package directions, rinse under cold water, drain well.
- Whisk sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar.
- Toss noodles and cucumber with dressing.
- Chill 15 minutes, top with sesame seeds and green onions.
13. Thai Boat Noodles
Thai boat noodles get their deep color and flavor from a broth built on pork blood, warm spices, and a touch of palm sugar, traditionally served in small bowls from canal-side vendors. Thin rice noodles hold up well in the rich, dark broth.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb pork shoulder, sliced
- 6 cups pork or beef broth
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp Thai chile flakes
- 8 oz thin rice noodles
- Bean sprouts, cilantro, fried garlic to serve
Method:
- Simmer broth with star anise and cinnamon 20 minutes.
- Add pork, cook until tender, 20 minutes.
- Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and chile flakes.
- Cook noodles separately; portion into bowls.
- Ladle broth and pork over, top with sprouts, cilantro, and fried garlic.
14. Vietnamese Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup (Bún Riêu)
Bún riêu is a tangy, tomato-based crab soup ladled over rice vermicelli, balancing sour tamarind with sweet crab flavor. Fried tofu and a crab-and-egg mixture float on top in savory clumps.
Yield: 5 servings | Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 oz crab meat
- 3 eggs
- 6 cups pork or shrimp broth
- 4 tomatoes, quartered
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 cup fried tofu, cubed
- 1 lb rice vermicelli
- Shiso, bean sprouts to serve
Method:
- Whisk crab meat with eggs; set aside.
- Simmer broth with tomatoes 10 minutes.
- Pour in crab-egg mixture gently, let set into curds.
- Stir in tamarind and fish sauce, add tofu.
- Cook noodles separately; ladle soup over and top with herbs.
15. Indonesian Fried Flat Rice Noodles (Kwetiau Goreng)
Kwetiau Goreng is Indonesia’s answer to pad see ew, flat rice noodles fried dark with sweet soy sauce, called kecap manis. Shrimp, chicken, and crunchy vegetables round it into a full meal.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh flat rice noodles
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1/2 lb shrimp
- 1/2 lb chicken, sliced
- 3 tbsp kecap manis
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded
- 2 green onions, chopped
Method:
- Heat oil, cook chicken and shrimp until done.
- Push aside, scramble eggs.
- Add noodles, kecap manis, and soy sauce, toss well.
- Fold in cabbage, cook 2 minutes.
- Garnish with green onions.
16. Cambodian Fish Curry Noodles (Num Banh Chok)
Num Banh Chok pairs fresh rice noodles with a green fish curry made from lemongrass, turmeric, and kroeung paste, topped with a pile of raw vegetables. It’s traditionally a breakfast dish in Cambodia, light but deeply fragrant.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb white fish fillets
- 2 tbsp kroeung paste (lemongrass curry paste)
- 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 lb fresh round rice noodles
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- Cucumber, mint, banana blossom (if available)
Method:
- Simmer fish in coconut milk 15 minutes until it flakes apart.
- Stir in kroeung paste and fish sauce, simmer 10 minutes.
- Mash fish into the sauce slightly for texture.
- Arrange noodles in bowls, pile with raw vegetables.
- Ladle warm fish curry over the top.
17. Burmese Fish Noodle Soup (Mohinga)
Mohinga is often called Myanmar’s national dish, a fish-based broth thickened with rice flour and ladled over rice vermicelli. Crushed fried chickpea fritters and hard-boiled egg are the classic toppings.
Yield: 5 servings | Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb catfish or similar white fish
- 6 cups fish or chicken broth
- 2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp rice flour mixed with water
- 1 lb rice vermicelli
- Hard-boiled eggs, fried fritters, cilantro to serve
Method:
- Poach fish in broth with lemongrass 15 minutes; remove and flake.
- Return flaked fish to broth, stir in fish sauce.
- Whisk in rice flour slurry to thicken slightly, simmer 10 minutes.
- Cook noodles separately; portion into bowls.
- Ladle broth over, top with egg, fritters, and cilantro.
18. Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup (Bánh Canh Cua)
Bánh Canh Cua uses thick, chewy rice and tapioca noodles in a crab broth that’s silkier and heavier than pho. Pork hock and crab meat make it a rich, satisfying bowl.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb pork hock, sliced
- 8 oz crab meat
- 6 cups pork broth
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp annatto oil (for color)
- 1 lb thick rice and tapioca noodles (banh canh)
- Fried shallots, cilantro, lime to serve
Method:
- Simmer pork hock in broth 30 minutes until tender.
- Stir in fish sauce and annatto oil.
- Add crab meat, simmer 5 minutes more.
- Cook noodles separately per package directions; add to bowls.
- Ladle broth over, top with fried shallots, cilantro, and lime.
19. Guilin Rice Noodles (Guilin Mifen)
Guilin Mifen is a Southern Chinese specialty built on round rice noodles topped with braised pork, peanuts, and pickled green beans. The broth is light, letting the toppings carry most of the flavor.
Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb pork belly, braised and sliced
- 4 cups pork broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 lb fresh round rice noodles
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup pickled green beans, chopped
- Chili oil, scallions to serve
Method:
- Braise pork belly in broth, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine 30 minutes until tender.
- Slice pork thin once cooled slightly.
- Cook noodles per package directions; divide into bowls.
- Ladle broth over noodles, top with pork, peanuts, and pickled beans.
- Finish with chili oil and scallions.
How to Choose and Cook Rice Noodles
Rice noodle width decides what a dish can do. Thin vermicelli soaks up broth and dressing fast, making it the right call for cold salads and soup bowls like pho or bún riêu. Wide flat noodles, the kind used in pad see ew and char kway teow, hold up to high heat and a hard toss in a wok without falling apart.
Dried noodles need a soak, not a boil. Submerge them in hot tap water for 10 to 20 minutes until they bend without snapping, then drain well before adding to a pan or bowl. Boiling dried rice noodles in a pot usually turns them mushy.
Fresh rice noodles, found in the refrigerated section of most Asian grocery stores, need almost no prep. A quick rinse under warm water to loosen the strands is often enough before they go into a hot wok.
| Recipe | Noodle Type | Best For | Cook Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Pad Thai | Flat rice noodles | Weeknight stir-fry | 15 min |
| Beef Pho | Thin flat (banh pho) | Weekend soup | 3 hrs |
| Pad See Ew | Wide fresh rice noodles | Smoky stir-fry | 15 min |
| Shrimp Drunken Noodles | Wide rice noodles | Spicy stir-fry | 12 min |
| Bún Thịt Nướng | Vermicelli | Cold noodle bowl | 10 min |
| Singapore Mei Fun | Thin vermicelli | Curry stir-fry | 12 min |
| Char Kway Teow | Flat rice noodles | Smoky stir-fry | 12 min |
| Chicken Curry Laksa | Thin vermicelli | Spiced soup | 30 min |
| Pancit Bihon | Thin vermicelli (bihon) | Dry stir-fry | 15 min |
| Gỏi Cuốn | Vermicelli | Fresh spring rolls | 5 min |
| Thai Peanut Noodles | Flat rice noodles | Creamy stir-fry | 15 min |
| Sesame Noodle Salad | Thin rice noodles | Cold salad | 5 min |
| Thai Boat Noodles | Thin rice noodles | Rich soup | 45 min |
| Bún Riêu | Vermicelli | Tangy soup | 40 min |
| Kwetiau Goreng | Flat rice noodles | Sweet stir-fry | 15 min |
| Num Banh Chok | Round fresh noodles | Curry noodle bowl | 30 min |
| Mohinga | Vermicelli | Fish broth soup | 45 min |
| Bánh Canh Cua | Thick rice/tapioca noodles | Hearty soup | 50 min |
| Guilin Mifen | Round fresh noodles | Braised pork bowl | 40 min |
Store leftover cooked rice noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. A quick rinse under hot water loosens them back up before reheating in a soup or stir-fry. For more ideas on stretching noodles and grains through the week, check out our best rice bowl recipes and 25 leftover rice recipes.
