11 Light and Healthy Rice Noodle Recipes

They're Delicious Hot or Cold

By Lily Kip
Updated on 03/25/20
Chicken Pad See Ew

  The Spruce

Served cold, hot, or somewhere in between, rice noodles are a light and healthy alternative to heavy pastas and a fantastic dinner option during warm weather months. They're also gluten free, making many of these recipes a fit for family members with special dietary needs. Take your pick of more classic noodle stir fries, cold noodle salads, and other exciting preparations from the list below.

  • 01 of 11

    Thai Crispy Rice Noodles

    Crispy rice noodles

    The Spruce

    Love the crispy rice noodles you get in Thai food restaurants? Now you can make them all by yourself at home. This recipe for crispy rice noodles has them placed in a lettuce wrap, but they’re also tasty on salads or just as a snack.

  • 02 of 11

    Gluten Free Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

    Thai chicken noodle soup

    The Spruce

    This Thai take on a comfort-food classic is a delicious way to use up leftover chicken or turkey. Add your favorite vegetables as well as lemongrass and other herbs and you’ve got a winning dinner, especially in the cold-weather months.

  • 03 of 11

    Easy Brown Rice Vermicelli Noodles With Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms

    Brown rice vermicelli noodles recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

    Vermicelli noodles get an extra boost of nutrition by using brown rice instead of white. This recipe combines stir fried shiitake mushrooms with bok choy and bean sprouts for added crunch, plus chilies for a slight kick. For a completely vegetarian version, replace the fish sauce with either vegetarian fish sauce or soy sauce.

  • 04 of 11

    Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Thai Fried Rice Noodles

    Thai Fried Rice Noodles

    The Spruce

    Vegans rejoice! One of the many great things about rice noodles is most are vegan-friendly. This Thai stir fry brings together a variety of delicious vegetables and seasonings, like tofu, shiitake mushrooms, peppers, galangal, and chili sauce.

    Continue to 5 of 11 below.
  • 05 of 11

    Anytime Noodles With Stir-Fried Vegetables

    Anytime Noodles With Stir-Fried Vegetables

    Silvia Elena Castaeda Puchetta / EyeEm / Getty Images

    These “anytime” noodles are a great way to use up leftover vegetables from dinner the night before or the excess harvest from your backyard garden or farm share. Feel free to sub in any veggies you think might taste good together, but this recipe recommends Napa cabbage, spinach, carrots, onions, and scallions.

  • 06 of 11

    Chicken Pad See Ew

    Chicken Pad See Ew

    The Spruce

    The classic pad see ew includes broad rice noodles, which are kept refrigerated and can be purchased either in the Asian foods section of your supermarket or at any Asian food specialty store. The marinade is the most important part and super easy to make with just oyster sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar.

  • 07 of 11

    Thai Rice Noodle Salad With Chili-Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

    Thai Rice Noodle Salad

    The Spruce

    This recipe is served cold with a chili lime vinaigrette. Perfect for a backyard BBQ, block party, or picnic during the summer, this noodle salad is hard to beat. Just be sure to eat it all quickly, as the noodles tend to dry out after a day or two.

  • 08 of 11

    Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Lemongrass Beef (Bun Bo Xao)

    Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Lemongrass Beef

    The Spruce / Connie Veneracion

    A classic Vietnamese meal, bun bo xao is a light dish that layers together rice noodles, pickled vegetables, and marinated beef, with garnishes of roasted peanuts, fried shallots, and herbs. It's surprisingly quick to pull together, which is surprising for how nuanced the flavors are.

    Continue to 9 of 11 below.
  • 09 of 11

    Singapore Noodles With Rice Vermicelli

    Singapore Noodles With Rice Vermicelli

    Edward Allwright / Getty Images 

    This classic Singaporean specialty is made with curried rice noodles that lend the dish its distinct yellow color. This particular recipe includes shrimp, but it can be swapped out for other types of seafood, darker meat, or even tofu as a vegetarian option.

  • 10 of 11

    Easy Thai Vegetarian Rice Noodles with Basil

    Thai Vegetarian Rice Noodles with Basil

    Ben Monk / Getty Images

    Once you try this Thai-style pesto sauce, it may become your new go-to way to use up fresh pesto. In this preparation, the sauce is simply combined with rice noodles, but you can bulk it up with chicken, tofu, or another protein of choice.

  • 11 of 11

    Stir Fried Shrimp and Rice Noodles

    Stir Fried Shrimp and Rice Noodles

    Katie Workman / themom100

    Stir fries are the perfect meal to make when you’re in a rush, but looking for a takeout alternative. This super healthy delicious stir fried shrimp and rice noodles may just save tonight's family dinner.