How To Cook Bean Thread Noodles (2024)

  • Cooking School
  • Asian Food
  • Gluten-Free Food
  • Chinese Food

By

Liv Wan

Liv Wan

Liv Wan is a former professional chef who has published three cookbooks about Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.

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and

Lauryn Bodden

How To Cook Bean Thread Noodles (1)

Lauryn Bodden

Lauryn is Food Editor for The Spruce Eats, creating recipes and cooking guides for all palates and expertise.

Updated on 04/14/23

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How To Cook Bean Thread Noodles (2)

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 1 mins

Soaking: 15 mins

Total: 21 mins

Servings: 2to 4

Yield: 1 package bean thread noodles

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Maybe you have come across these noodles in a dish before and just were not sure what they were, or what they were made of. These incredibly versatile noodles can be found in dishes all over Asia, and can be found in dishes ranging from stir-fries, soups, salads, and even desserts.

Noodles Around The World

Bean thread noodles are also known as Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, crystal noodles, and glass noodles. Though commonly found in Chinese cuisine in stir fries hot pot meals, these noodles can also be found as an ice cream topping in India, and in Thai cuisine in a spicy and sour seafood salad. In Korea and Japan, they have similar noodles that are made with potato starch and have a slightly sweeter flavor.

What are Bean Thread Noodles?

Bean thread noodles are made from mung beans, which are from the heads of bean sprouts. Some are made from ground mung beans, and others are made from mung bean flour. The ground mung bean type is much better in quality and healthier than the flour ones as the mung bean flour usually affects the purity and texture of the noodles.

The noodles are flavorless making it a perfect blank canvas to hold and absorb the flavors of a dish. The texture can range from being quite chewy to smooth and soft depending on how long it was soaked in water or boiled in broth. The noodles can also be found in other shapes, such as sheets, square-cut, and thin noodles. You can find them in their different shapes in dried form at supermarkets.

How Are Bean Thread Noodles Made?

Bean thread noodles are made from mung beans, which are made from the heads of bean sprouts. Some are made from ground mung beans, and others are made from mung bean flour. The ground mung bean type is much better in quality and healthier than the flour ones as the mung bean flour usually affects the purity and texture of the noodles.

Are Bean Thread Noodles The Same As Rice Noodles?

No. While these two noodles are often stocked near each other in grocery stores, bean thread noodles are made from mung beans while rice noodles are made from rice. In a pinch, if you cannot find bean thread noodles you can substitute thin rice noodles in a recipe.

How to Serve Bean Thread Noodles

If you are preparing the noodles in a salad or in soup, serve them immediately. The noodles tend to soak up all liquids and can change texture quickly if not served and enjoyed right away.

Recipes Using Bean Thread Noodles

  • Pad Woon Sen
  • Japanese Enoki Mushroom Soup
  • Korean Stir Fry

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch bean thread noodles

Steps to Make It

Boiling Method

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    How To Cook Bean Thread Noodles (4)

  2. Soak the bean thread noodles in warm water until pliable, 10 to 15 minutes.

    How To Cook Bean Thread Noodles (5)

  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until soft or to your taste, about 1 minute. Drain. Add the noodles to your favorite recipe, stir-fry and enjoy.

    How To Cook Bean Thread Noodles (6)

Deep Fried Bean Thread Noodles

Another popular way to serve these noodles is to deep-fry them in hot oil. In this case, the noodles should not be soaked or blanched first. Just add them straight into the hot oil and watch them puff up.

The best temperature for frying bean thread noodles is around 170 to 180 C. You can test the oil temperature by putting one small section of the noodles into the oil. If the noodles immediately float on top of the oil and the oil bubbles immediately, then the oil is at a perfect temperature. Fry until they puff and are light-golden brown and drain on a paper towel.

Chinese Mung Bean Sprout Stir-Fry

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
61Calories
0g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2to 4
Amount per serving
Calories61
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 11mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g5%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
Potassium 2mg0%
*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:

  • bean thread noodle
  • entree
  • asian
  • pasta

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How To Cook Bean Thread Noodles (2024)

FAQs

Do you cook bean thread noodles? ›

The most magical thing about bean thread noodles is that you don't really need to cook them! They are the real “instant noodle” because all you need to do is soak them in hot water. No need to actively boil.

Are bean thread noodles the same as glass noodles? ›

Well, glass noodles, also called cellophane noodles or bean threads, are long, thin noodles commonly used in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Filipino, and other East and Southeast Asian cuisines.

How long to cook glass noodles? ›

The simplest way to cook the noodles is to blanch them in hot water. Glass noodles cook comparably faster than wheat-based noodles – a quick one to five minutes compared to eight to 10 minutes that's required of most dried pastas. Glass noodles are especially great at absorbing flavor.

Are bean thread noodles clear? ›

Glass or cellophane noodles (also known as fensi or bean thread noodles) are transparent noodles that, when cooked, are clear like glass. They are used in Asian soups, hot pots, stir-fried dishes, and spring rolls.

Are bean noodles supposed to be chewy? ›

Mung bean noodles, also known as bean threads, cellophane noodles, glass noodles, and fen si, are chewy, thin, transparent noodles made from starch and water to get their translucent appearance. Depending on which country they're coming from, bean thread noodles can be made from a range of different kinds of starches.

How to cook noodles on the stove? ›

Boil 6 cups water in a large pot or a deep pan and bring it to boil over medium flame. When it comes to rolling boil, add dried noodles, 1/2 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Boil until noodles are soft, it will take around 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally in between.

Can you use bean thread noodles for pho? ›

Next prepare the Bean Thread noodles by boiling some water and placing the dried noodles in the boiled water. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside to add into the soup one bowl at a time. Add the chicken back into the strained stock.

Is glass noodle healthier than rice? ›

Glass noodles are lower in calories and GI.

This is because they can absorb a lot more water than rice and wheat noodles; so a plate of cooked glass noodles actually contains less carbs because there's more water in it. They are also lower in glycemic index than rice or wheat noodles.

Can you use bean threads instead of rice noodles? ›

Bean-thread noodles and rice noodles are often confused for one another. Bean-threads are not fine rice noodles. They're often shelved near one another, especially if supermarkets carry them both in the Asian foods section. They're both pale in color, very thin, and and can almost be used interchangeably.

Should I boil glass noodles? ›

Serving tips: Once you have the noodles you can use them right away, but for a more elastic texture and clearer noodles, I recommend blanching them in boiling hot water for about 10 seconds until the noodles are translucent again. Drain and rinse them under cold tap water until they are completely cooled.

Should glass noodles be chewy? ›

Stir fry glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli) is a comforting dish that's filled with springy, chewy noodles, slightly crunchy veggies, and (usually) a delicious fast-cooking protein.

Can diabetics eat glass noodles? ›

Glass noodles are perfect for those on low-sugar diets. Reducing sugar in your diet can help lower cholesterol, blood pressure, chronic inflammation, and dental plaque. The sugar-free noodle is recommended for those suffering from diabetes.

How to cook thread noodle? ›

Soak the bean thread noodles in warm water until pliable, 10 to 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until soft or to your taste, about 1 minute. Drain.

What are the common culinary uses of bean thread noodles? ›

Unlike other types of noodles, mung bean threads are generally not boiled but soaked in water for 3-5 minutes and roasted or added directly to soups, salads or wok dishes. In some recipes, they are also raw fried or deep-fried. You might know them as part of a filling in spring rolls.

Are cellophane noodles the same as bean thread? ›

Cellophane noodles are made from a variety of starches. In China, cellophane noodles are usually made of mung bean starch or sweet potato starch. Chinese varieties made from mung bean starch are called Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, or bean thread noodles.

Do string beans need to be cooked? ›

Green beans can be served raw or cooked, and because there's no shelling or de-stringing required, preparing them for recipes doesn't require a ton of knife-work.

How do you cook thread fine noodles? ›

Empty noodles into a microwaveable bowl. Add approx. 10ml water (1 dessertspoon). Cover and heat on full power for 1 minute.

Do you have to cook konjac noodles? ›

While they do not technically require cooking, they require a little bit of coaxing to reach their full potential. The first step is to thoroughly rinse them. Next, because shirataki are very long, make them more manageable by cutting them into halves with your with kitchen shears.

How do you rehydrate bean thread noodles? ›

Generally, you have to soak bean thread noodles in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes before you cook them.

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