You Want These Kinds Of Noodles In Your Life

If you enjoy noodles as much as I do, you’ll be happy to hear that there are a plethora of Asian noodles available. But a lot of variety also increases the possibility of confusion. And you will understand what I mean if you have ever perused shelves full of dry noodles or stood in front of a well-stocked refrigerator at an Asian supermarket. Which Asian noodles work best in salad dressings? Which stir-fries turn out the best? How about soups with noodles? So you can choose your variety with confidence, I’ve put together some thoughts and tips about the types of noodles I use the most, how to prepare them and where they work best. And, for all you die-hards out there, you can even try your hand at making your own homemade Chinese noodles or rice noodles from scratch!

What are the different types of noodles?

So many noodles, so little time. Sigh. Here I’ll concentrate on the main types you need to be familiar with, such as egg and wheat noodles (common in Chinese cuisine), rice noodles (often used in Vietnamese cuisine and Thai cuisine), and wheat and buckwheat noodles, such as ramen, udon and soba noodles, which are popular in Japanese cuisine. But know that there are tons within each category we don’t have room to cover here, as well as entirely unique types. Such as jjolmyeon, black fern (juegenfen), tapioca noodles and shirataki. So, more for next time!

Which noodles are gluten free?

If you’re gluten intolerant, you can still enjoy noodles. Rice noodles are typically gluten free since they’re made with rice flour (no gluten), not wheat flour (plenty of gluten). But make sure you always check ingredient details on the packaging to make super sure a particular noodle is suitable for you. Ditto cellophane noodles; as they’re not made using wheat flour, they don’t have gluten but some manufacturers might include extra ingredients that do.

Glass/cellophane noodles

Cellophane noodles are made from either mung bean, potato, sweet potato or tapioca starch, not flour. Used across various Asian cuisines in different types of dishes, they’re known for being transparent when cooked, and their ability to really soak up sauces and flavours. They’re a brilliant blank canvas. Bean thread vermicelli noodles are the super-thin wiry ones you buy in cute tied bundles and are used in soups, spring roll fillings, salads and more. 

To use, you just soak them in water according to the packet directions to soften; they don’t need cooking. Try them in my pad woonsen, glass noodle salad or ‘Ants climbing a tree’ noodles. Korean and Chinese cuisine often uses sweet potato vermicelli noodles and these come in a variety of thicknesses and shapes; they do require cooking, so check the packaging as times vary among brands and types. Perhaps the best known sweet potato noodle dish is japchae, which is like a Korean version of chow mein. The noodles are slightly brown and a tiny bit sweet, plus superchewy to eat. I love them!

Rice stick noodles

These are dried noodles made from rice flour and water. They come in a variety of widths, from the thin vermicelli ones, called bee hoon in some Asian cuisines and used in salads, fresh roll fillings, stir-fries and soups. I really love these in salads. Soak them in some just-boiled water for a couple of minutes then, if you’re using them cold, rinse them until they’re cool. I also like to use them hot in Singapore noodles and in my One-pan Filipino ‘pancit bihon’ noodles.

Medium rice stick noodles are most famously used in pad Thai, while the widest, fettuccine-like ones work great in stir-fries (like char kway teow), braises and soups like pho (although fresh, flat rice noodles are also used for pho) So they don’t turn gluey, they need soaking before cooking and the time can vary so again, always check the packet.

Pad Thai is one famous dish that uses rice stick noodles.

Udon, ramen and soba noodles

These are all Japanese noodles but the similarity ends right there. Nutty-tasting soba are made using buckwheat flour… which isn’t actually a wheat! It’s gluten free but most commercial soba does contain a percentage of wheat flour too because making them from 100% buckwheat is extremely difficult. Although they can be served hot, soba are best known for being eaten cold in summer; try them in my Sesame Chicken Soba Noodles

These Sichuan Bang Bang Chicken Noodles feature chewy udon – delicious!

Udon are thick, white, round, chewy wheat noodles which you either buy frozen or in vacuum packs. They just require a quick cook to heat through and detangle, and can be used in hot or cold dishes. In Japan, they have special udon restaurants which is my idea of heaven; udon are generally served either in a brothy situation, or drained with a sauce to the side for dipping. Try them in this Teriyaki Chicken Udon Noodle Soup and find out what all the fuss is about!

Ah… ramen. Both the name of the dish we all love and the noodle used to make it, ramen are a special kind of wheat flour noodle. They get their flavour, bouncy texture and yellowish colour from the addition of an alkaline water called ‘kansui’ – the precise shape and thickness (they go from thin and curly to thick and straight) vary. Thicker noodles are generally used with a thicker-style broth. Try my delicious Shoyu Ramen or Easy ‘Tantanmen’ Ramen.

Wheat Noodles

There are a ton of different styles of wheat noodles; from super-wide to ultra fine, from fresh to dried, frilly-edged, tubular, knife-peeled, shaped like cat’s ears… in China’s Shaxi province alone, they reckon there’s over 280 varieties! That’s a LOT of noodles! Wheat noodles are maybe the broadest noodle category of all. Called ‘mian’ in Chinese, they vary in taste, texture and application and seriously, I could write a book on the subject, it’s so vast. (Now there’s an idea!) 

Often, I find myself reaching for a thinnish, round, fresh wheat noodle like la mian, or Shanghai noodles, which are a bit thicker. I like these types because they’re really versatile and great in everything from salads to stir fries to soups. Find them in the refrigerator of your Chinese grocer, and check the bag for cook times. Try them in my Chilli Pan Mee, Sweet and Sour Noodles with Pork or Shanghai Hot Sauce Noodles.

Hokkien noodles

Hokkien noodles are a variety of fresh wheat noodles I really love cooking; they’re popular in Malaysian and Singaporean cuisines where they feature in dishes like Lor Mee Made using wheat flour, they have a sturdy, chewy texture and yellow colour which comes from the use of alkalising agents. Despite being categorised as an ‘egg’ noodle, no egg is actually involved. They come in vacuum-sealed packs although if you have a good Chinese grocer, you’ll be able to buy them fresh which is definitely preferable. They only need a quick blanch in boiling water before use in dishes such as these two excellent stir-fries – Hokkien Mee and my Special Hokkien Noodles.

Fresh rice noodles

Soft, flat and gorgeously slippery, wide rice flour noodles are used in the famous Thai stir-fried Drunken Noodles (try my easy 10-minute Spicy Prawn Drunken Noodles) and Pad See Ew. You can pick them up at your local Asian grocer, but if you’re feeling adventurous, why not make your own? My recipe for homemade rice noodles is actually way easier than you might think, so give it a whirl! One advantage of making your own is that store-bought ones tend to be brittle and easily break. Before using them you need to give them a quick refresh in boiling water, using chopsticks to gently prise apart and separate the strands.

And there you have it: a super-simple, quick guide to some of the most popular noodle types. Enjoy!