Rice noodles
Also known as: rice vermicelli, rice flour noodles
Rice noodles are noodles whose base is rice flour, sometimes with starch: the dough is mixed with water or hot water, or kneaded with steam, shaped into strands or ribbons and sold fresh or dried.
Rice noodles are noodles whose base is rice flour, sometimes rice flour with starch. The Japanese labelling code describes them like this: the dough is mixed with water or hot water, or kneaded with steam, then shaped into strands or ribbons and sold fresh or dried. Wheat flour is not needed, although ready-made blends are easy to find.
Quality depends on the rice itself. In southern China fresh wet rice noodles are a popular staple, and in 2025 researchers compared twelve rice varieties to find out which makes the best ones. The winners had 26–28% amylose and a gel consistency of 33–36 mm, and their noodles were firmer, springier and scored higher in tasting.
Rice noodles differ from wheat noodles in more than the raw material. The base here is rice, not wheat. They also differ from clear "glass" starch noodles, which are made from purified bean or potato starch rather than from ground rice.
Rice is the base of more than noodles: in Japan it also becomes Kome shōchū. Rice noodles are the heart of pad thai, and their most common kinds are rice vermicelli and flat rice noodles.
Why it matters to you. "Rice" on the pack does not mean "wheat-free". Under Japanese rules a blend with at least 30% rice flour and up to 70% wheat flour can still be called rice noodles. If you avoid gluten, read the ingredients.
Facts
| Raw material | Rice flour (sometimes with starch), water |
|---|---|
| Region | Fresh wet rice noodles: southern China |
| Legal basis | Japanese fresh-noodle labelling code: rice noodles need at least 30% rice flour |
What it includes
How it connects to Noodles
Rice noodles → kind of → 🍜 Noodles
Links
- Made from
- Rice flour
- What is made from it
- Vifon Phở, Itsu Noodles worth loving
- Used in
- Pad thai
- Part of
- 🍜 Noodles
- Similar and different
- Starch noodles, Starch noodles
- In other topics
- 🥃 Kome shōchū
Frequently asked questions
What are rice noodles made of?
Rice flour, sometimes with starch. The dough is mixed with water or hot water, or kneaded with steam, shaped into strands or ribbons and sold fresh or dried.
Which rice is best for rice noodles?
In a Chinese study of twelve varieties, the best fresh noodles came from rice with 26–28% amylose and a gel consistency of 33–36 mm.
Where are rice noodles a staple?
In southern China, where fresh wet rice noodles are very popular. Rice noodles are also the base of pad thai.
How do rice noodles differ from starch noodles?
Rice noodles are made from rice flour, sometimes with starch, while starch noodles such as Longkou Fen Si are made from purified bean or pea starch.
Is it true that rice noodles never contain wheat?
No. The Japanese code also counts a blend with at least 30% rice flour and up to 70% wheat flour as rice noodles, so the ingredients need reading.
What to read next
- Itsu Noodles worth loving — itsu Noodles worth loving is the British brand's range of rice noodles with a broth paste, in pots and pouches, steamed rather than fried.
- Vifon Phở — Vifon Phở is Vifon's range of instant rice noodles in beef and chicken flavours; in 1996 the company became the first in Vietnam to make instant pho noodle soup.
Similar
Noodle dishes · How noodles are made · Instant noodles · Buckwheat noodles · Starch noodles · Noodle brands
Sources
- Japan Fair Trade Council: Fair Competition Code on Labelling of Fresh Noodles (rice noodle definition)
- Zhao D. et al. (2025) Influence of rice physicochemical properties on fresh wet rice noodles, Gels 11(9):696