How Long To Soak Pad Thai Noodles?

Many Asian dishes frequently contain rice noodles as an ingredient. Being gluten-free allows you to use dried ones in a variety of ways, making them a great and practical pantry staple to keep on hand. However, you’ve probably had some disappointment with rice noodles because, if they’re not cooked properly, they can quickly become completely inedible mush.

If you’re just learning to make Asian dishes that call for rice noodles, like pad thai or perhaps a soup or stir-fry, it can be very confusing. Because rice noodles, like Italian pasta, come in various sizes and cook at various rates, there is no one-size-fits-all method for cooking them. And sometimes those packages lack cooking instructions altogether or have confusing instructions written in an unfamiliar language.

So, you may have questions. Do rice noodles need to be soaked before cooking? Should they be soaked in hot or cold water? We have the answers. Heres how to prepare rice noodles perfectly. Vermicelli, flat rice noodles, and the wider, broad flat noodles that are frequently found fresh and used in dishes like pad see ew, can all be prepared using these tried-and-true methods.

Steps to Make It

These are the thinnest of all rice noodles. They are widely used in salads, stir-fries, and soups and are popular in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. Vermicelli has a rougher, less smooth texture than other types of noodles, giving them an al dente flavor.

Prepare a deep bowl filled with room temperature water. Add the vermicelli to the water and soak for 3 minutes until it becomes opaque. The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

As they soak, you can use your hands to pick the noodles apart to loosen them. The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Strain the noodles. You will notice that they dont stick to each other. The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck If you want to use them in a noodle soup dish, bring your broth to a boil, add the noodles to the dish, and quickly turn off the heat. Serve immediately.

How To Use

• After rehydrating them, you can use them in stir-fries or salads within a few hours by simply adding them to your pan or bowl. If you add them to a stir-fry, you can carefully separate the noodles as you prepare the dish by using a spatula or tongs. These noodles retain their freshness well in dry dishes without excessive sauce or liquid. They also keep their texture well, even as leftovers.
• Bring your broth to a boil, add the noodles to the dish, and immediately turn off the heat if you’re using them in a noodle soup. Serve immediately.

Flat Rice Noodles (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 they are eventually all submerged under the water. The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Strain the noodles and run your fingers through them to prevent sticking. You can use a neutral oil like rice bran oil to coat the noodles if you wont use them right away. The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

How To Use

• If you want to use these noodles in stir-fries, do not boil them because they will become too mushy when added to the wok. As you continue to prepare your dish, you can add some water to the wok so that the noodles will gently cook in the steam.
• Do not be alarmed if the noodles appear to be sticking even after being coated in oil. Once you put them in the pan, they’ll start to separate once more.
• Blanch the noodles in hot water just long enough to soften them if you’re making noodle soup, but don’t let them sit in boiling water for more than two to three minutes. If you do this, you will be able to control the noodles’ texture, especially if you won’t be serving them right away.
• You can boil the soaked noodles right in the broth when making noodle soup at home if you intend to serve it right away.

Fresh Wide Flat Rice Noodles

Rice noodles can also be found fresh and coated with a thin layer of oil. They are found often in the refrigerated section of Asian specialty grocers or large supermarkets with extensive selection of Asian foods. They are ready to use as you need them and can be added to stir-fries or soups. Fresh rice noodles are more delicate than dried noodles and can be added to any dish in the final seconds of cooking. You can even turn off the heat altogether to make sure not to overcook the fresh rice noodles. We suggest that you toss your noodles carefully with a spatula to avoid overmixing.

How Do You Keep Rice Noodles From Sticking Together?

You may find yourself in a situation where the noodles are ready ahead of everything. If youre concerned about cooked noodles sitting around and sticking together, use a little bit of rice bran oil. Drizzle a bit over the noodles and gently toss them to distribute the oil. It should help prevent them from sticking together. Chicken Pad See Ew (Broad Rice Noodles Fried With Soy Sauce)

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FAQ

Do you have to soak rice noodles for 2 hours?

No soaking is necessary for fresh rice noodles. To soften the noodles, simply blanch them in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Then drain them, refresh with cool water and drain again.

Why do you soak pad Thai noodles?

Rice noodles must be soaked for this process to be successful so that the rice flour can absorb water, become pliable, but retain some rigidity. They shouldn’t be too soft or they’ll get too sticky while stir-frying. Simply rinse them under cold water and break them apart with your fingers if they clump together after soaking.

Can you soak rice noodles too long?

Long-soaked rice noodles will resemble overcooked Italian pasta in terms of softness and mushiness. Over-soaked rice noodles often have a gluey, gummy texture and tend to stick together. Additionally, they might separate during the stirring process, giving you shorter pieces of noodles as opposed to longer noodles.

How long should rice noodles be soaked?

Home cooks can easily prepare rice noodles by soaking them in warm water (not cold or hot) for ten to fifteen minutes, or until they are soft. Unlike wheat pasta, rice noodles don’t require boiling; just a few minutes in warm water will do.