Like Magic, Thai Crispy Rice Noodles Quickly Puff Up in Hot Oil (2024)

Those crispy white noodles that top several Asian dishes may seem like a fancy ingredient, but you can make them at home in no-time. Cooking them is a bit like magic as they instantly puff up when fried. Although delicious on their own as a snack, there are whole Thai dishes made out of these crispy noodles, and they are also great as a topping for lettuce wraps, stir-fries, salads, and soups.These crispy noodles are made with thin rice noodles (also called rice vermicelli), which makes them gluten free. The key to crispy noodles is having the oil hot enough so they expand immediately—so make sure to test with a noodle or two first.

How to Cook Rice Noodles

What You'll Need to Make This Crispy Rice Noodles Recipe

A Nice Set of Kitchen Sheers

A Great Wok

A Snappy Set of Tongs

"I tried it just as it is and on top of my soup and I LOVED how crispy it was. It took a couple tries to get the oil temperature right. If the oil is hot enough, they literally puff up and are done in 3 to 4 seconds; otherwise nothing happens and they burn." —Tara Omidvar

Like Magic, Thai Crispy Rice Noodles Quickly Puff Up in Hot Oil (5)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 (8.8-ounce) package thin dried rice noodles
3/4 cup oil, for frying
Pinch kosher salt, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Separate the rice noodles by pulling apart the various sections into manageable amounts. Using scissors, cut the noodles into strips 4 to 5 inches long.
Place the oil in a wok or small to medium frying pan. The smaller the pan, the less oil you will have to use. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for a minimum of 1 minute.
See Also
Air fryer 'pasta chips' are the latest food trend taking over TikTok
Take a few longer noodle pieces in your hand and dunk just the ends into the hot oil. If the oil is hot enough, the submerged parts will bloom within seconds into puffy, crispy noodles. If this doesn't happen, remove the submerged parts and cut them off. Wait a little longer for your oil to heat up, then try again.
Once the oil is ready, gently drop handfuls of the noodles into the hot oil.
Have a utensil at the ready to quickly flip them once. The actual cooking time is only a few seconds.
Set the puffed noodles to drain on paper towels. Sprinkle a little salt over them if desired. Continue frying the rest of your noodles. (You may need to reduce the heat to medium to avoid burning.)

How to Store Crispy Noodles

Crispy noodles should be eaten the same day or stored in a plastic food storage container overnight or longer (no need to refrigerate). How long they will stay crispy depends largely on the climate and level of humidity where you live.

Are Rice Noodles Healthier Than Wheat?

Although there is a difference between the carbohydrate and calorie counts of rice and wheat noodles, the results are somewhat negligible. The main distinction is that rice noodles are gluten and egg free, and therefore safe for anyone on a gluten-free or eggless diet.

What Are Glass Noodles?

Thai Appetizers
Asian Food
Thai Food
Thai Cooking Basics
Thai Mains

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
378	Calories
14g	Fat
56g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	378
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 1g	5%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 127mg	6%
Total Carbohydrate 56g	20%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 13mg	1%
Iron 0mg	3%
Potassium 21mg	0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Thai side
appetizer
thai
family dinner

Rate This Recipe

I don't like this at all.It's not the worst.Sure, this will do.I'm a fan—would recommend.Amazing! I love it!Thanks for your rating!