Here are some additional tips and our method for making perfect rice noodles for dishes like pad thai, pho, and spring rolls.
- Boil a pot of water.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add rice noodles to the pot, or pour the boiling hot water over the noodles in a wide bowl, covering the noodles completely.
- Swish the noodles around briefly to separate.
- Soak the noodles for 6 to 10 minutes* until tender but still slightly firm and chewy.
How to Prepare Rice Noodles
Compared to wheat noodles, rice noodles are much more delicate and thin. They become so simple to prepare as a result that we hardly consider it to be cooking.
As you remove them from the package, try to snap as few of the rice noodles as you can before placing them all in a large mixing bowl. Bring a good amount of water to boil. Pour the rice noodles into the boiling water, covering them completely.
Give the noodles a stir to loosen them up every couple of minutes. Check to see if they are cooked through once they are completely limp. Spring rolls’ thin vermicelli noodles will be cooked through in a matter of minutes. Depending on thickness, the flat rice noodles may take up to ten minutes. Keep an eye on the noodles and check them frequently because they will overcook and become mushy.
When the noodles are tender, drain them and stop the cooking by rinsing them in cool water. If you won’t be using the noodles right away, toss them with a little sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another.
Additional Tips for Cooking Rice Noodles
• If the noodles are going to be used in a stir-fry dish like pad thai, you must slightly undercook them. When they are in the stir fry, they will take in more moisture and finish cooking. Even if your noodles are perfectly cooked when you first prepare them, the stir fry will make them mushy. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve done that, so trust us!
• You can cook the noodles in the broth when making a soup. Just before serving, add them, and watch them carefully to prevent overcooking.
• After draining the noodles, they still have a tendency to clump up even with a little sesame oil. Once you incorporate the noodles into your dish, they will become looser once more.
What additional advice do you have for preparing rice noodles?
FAQ
How long soak rice stick noodles?
The dried rice noodles should be soaked for 30 minutes in cool or lukewarm water, or until they are limp but still firm to the touch. Additional cooking in the wok will further soften the noodles. While preparing the other ingredients, thoroughly drain the noodles in a colander.
How do you cook wide rice stick noodles?
The wide rice stick noodles should be cooked as directed on the packaging (our wide rice stick noodles needed to be boiled for about 4 minutes). Remove any extra water, then cover the noodles with cold water.
Do I need to soak rice stick noodles?
Extra starch is removed by soaking and rinsing, which reduces stickiness. Stir the rice noodles once you’ve put them in the boiling water to help them separate and make sure they cook evenly. In order to prevent them from becoming mushy, immediately drain and rinse them.
How long do Thai rice noodles take to cook?
INSTRUCTIONS. 1 BRING large pot of water to boil. When the rice noodles are tender but firm, add them and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water; drain well.