Taiwan Style Rice Noodles

Taiwan Style Rice Noodles (台式炒米粉)- these are one of those dishes that instantly takes me back to family gatherings, birthday parties, and festivals in Taiwan. It's savory, cozy, and packed with umami from pork, dried shrimp, cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms. Super nostalgic, but also super easy to whip up at home!

Jump to:

• About Taiwanese Rice Noodles Stir Fry
• Stir Fried Thin Rice Vermicelli Dishes Across Asia
• About the Ingredients
• How to cook Taiwanese Rice Noodles Stir Fry (Step by Step)
• Storage & Reheating
• FAQ
• Taiwan Rice Noodles Stir Fry Recipe (炒米粉)
• Pin for later!
• More Delicious Noodle Recipes

About Taiwanese Rice Noodles Stir Fry

This stir-fried rice noodle dish (台式炒米粉) is something I grew up eating in Taiwan-the way my mom cooked it at home. It's a staple at potlucks, festivals, and family birthday celebrations.

This version is a dry stir-fry made with thin rice vermicelli, marinated pork, dried shrimp, cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms. It's savory, comforting, and full of umami without being overly heavy.

In this pan-fried rice noodles recipe, I use shiitake mushrooms, marinated pork, cabbage, and flavor it with dried shrimp and scallions. It's actually pretty customizable - you can leave something out or add in your favorite ingredients.

Like many Taiwanese dishes, this one has roots in Fujian cuisine, especially from the Minnan region, where many early immigrants to Taiwan came from. Over time though, it's evolved into something uniquely Taiwanese. While Fujian-style versions I've tried are usually saucier and more seafood-heavy, the Taiwanese version is drier, more soy-forward, and often made with pork instead of a variety of seafood.

Stir Fried Thin Rice Vermicelli Dishes Across Asia

If you love rice vermicelli noodles, you're in luck! There are so many delicious stir fried versions across Asia! While the noodles may look similar, the ingredients, flavor profiles, and cooking styles vary by region. Here's a look at some popular versions:

Taiwan - Taiwanese Stir-Fried Rice Noodles (台式炒米粉)
A dry-style stir-fry with marinated pork, cabbage, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms. Common at birthday banquets, temple festivals, and home gatherings.

Fujian, China - Fujian-Style Fried Rice Vermicelli (福建炒米粉)
Often saucier and seafood-forward, featuring shrimp, squid, or clams. May include wine lees or broth for extra umami depth.

Guangdong, China - Singapore-style fried noodles (星洲炒米)
This sounds confusing haha - but Singapore-style fried noodles 星洲炒米 is surprisingly, a Cantonese creation, not Singaporean!, seasoned with curry powder, shrimp, and BBQ pork. Also popular in soy-based beef or pork stir-fries with bean sprouts and scallions.

Philippines - Pancit Bihon
Stir-fried rice vermicelli with a mix of pork, chicken, and/or shrimp, along with cabbage and carrots. Seasoned with soy sauce, fish sauce, and often brightened with calamansi.

Singapore - Fried Bee Hoon
A simple everyday stir-fry made with cabbage, egg, and soy sauce. Often served plain (economic bee hoon), or paired with curry, fried chicken, or luncheon meat.

Indonesia - Bihun Goreng
A slightly sweet, soy-based stir-fry with garlic, shallots, vegetables, and proteins like shrimp or chicken. Often topped with crispy fried shallots.

About the Ingredients

Here's some additional info about the ingredients that you may find helpful!

Noodles

Taiwanese rice noodles are made with, you guessed it, rice noodles.

Rice noodles are made with rice flour and can be somewhat transparent and chewy or soft depending on how long you cook it (as is with a lot of noodles). They are usually gluten free, so if you are looking for a gluten free noodle option, check the ingredients to confirm.

There are different types of rice noodles depending on their shape - some are thin and skinny, some are thick and flat, and some of them are made in to sheets to wrap things in.

If you are going to use rice noodles, you will need to presoak them in water before you cook with them. Other noodles usually require boiling them first, but if you do that with rice noodles they will become too mushy.

To learn more about the different types of Asian noodles, check out my post here!

Rice noodles are usually gluten free, but if you need this dish to be completely gluten free - you will want to make sure the rice noodles you've purchased are 100% gluten free. Here's one that is fully GF - Thai Kitchen Gluten Free Thin Rice Noodles.

Soy Sauce

There are actually many different types of soy sauce in Asia. My mom constantly has at least 2 different types in the kitchen pantry. For example, when we are using soy sauce for dipping, we use Light Soy Sauce (Thin Soy Sauce), and if we are cooking we will sometimes Dark Soy Sauce.

For this recipe, we are using light soy sauce (the default, regular soy sauce), but if you are gluten free, then you will want to use Tamari.

Tamari is made as a byproduct of making miso. It has a rich color and flavor and is thicker than your standard soy sauce. Authentic tamari will contain very little to no wheat, making it suitable for gluten-free diets. However, always check your tamari to make sure it is 100% gluten free if you are on a gluten free diet.

Dried Shrimp

Dried shrimp (aka 蝦米) are sun dried shrimps that have been preserved and used in many Asian cuisines. It adds a umami flavor to the dish. We always have a jar (or 2) of dried shrimp in the house, as there are different types too!

You can buy them from any Asian supermarkets. You can also find some on amazon, and if all else fails, you could really skip them and just cook Napa with the smashed garlic to bring additional delicousness to this napa cabbage recipe.

If you like how the dried shrimp turns out, you should check out some of the other ways I use it - Cabbage Stir Fry, Taiwan Rice Noodles Stir Fry, and Bok Choy dish!

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

Dried shiitake is used for the recipe, and not fresh shiitake mushroom. It's important to use dried shiitake mushrooms because not only is the mushroom itself tasty, but after we soak this mushroom, the leftover water has so much flavor, and is added in to the noodles for extra flavor.

If you can't find any in your local Asian super market, shiitake mushrooms are actually also sold on amazon!

If you are looking for other dishes that use dried shiitake mushrooms, check out my Chinese Chicken Shiitake Mushroom Soup!

Taiwanese Cabbage

There are many types of cabbages, and I actually don't use regular green cabbage here so I wanted to mention the type of cabbage I use - Taiwanese cabbage. You can TOTALLY use normal green cabbage, though! I've done it myself.

Taiwanese cabbage has a flat round shape with lighter green leaves than green cabbage. It is also milder, sweeter, flavor than green cabbage. Taiwanese cabbage is also a lot more tender and crisp, whereas green cabbage is more firm. This is why I recommend Taiwanese cabbage for stir fries as it cooks a lot faster.

However, if you can't find any, as I mentioned you can totally just use green cabbage. I've done it before plenty of times. For both, you will want to stir fry until tender, and using the Taiwanese cabbage will just make it faster.

How to cook Taiwanese Rice Noodles Stir Fry (Step by Step)

Gather your ingredients:

• Pork Marinade:
  • 1 lb pork loin, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Noodles & Other Ingredients:
  • 7 oz dried rice noodles
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 8 oz Taiwanese cabbage (or regular cabbage), thinly sliced
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 3 tablespoon dried shrimp
  • ¼ tablespoon soy sauce
  • Salt to taste

Let's do the prep work, you have to let things marinade or soak for 15-20 mins, so might as well start these all about the same time:

• Mushrooms: Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl of hot water for 20 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid. Remove the mushrooms, slice, and set aside.
• Noodles: Soak the rice noodles in cold water for about 15 minutes or until softened. Drain well and set aside.
• Pork: In a medium bowl, combine the pork, soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Now time to get to cooking! Heat about 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a wok or cooking pan over high heat. Add the dried shrimp and let it cook for about 30 seconds, and then add the shiitake mushrooms and let cook for 30 seconds.

Add the pork to the wok/pan, and stir fry for about 2 minutes, and remove from heat.

Add another tablespoon of oil in the wok/pan, and then add cabbage and shredded carrots. Cover the wok/pan for about 3 minutes, letting the vegetables soften.

Uncover and add 2 tablespoon of oil to the pan over medium heat, and now add the softened rice noodles. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add soy sauce, and 1 cup of the mushroom water to the noodles and mix well.

Return pork, dried shrimp and mushroom mixture to the pan, and stir fry to combine the ingredients.

Allow it to cook, stirring constantly, until noodles and pork are cooked thoroughly. Add salt to taste and scallions to the wok/pan and mix well. Remove from heat and serve!

Storage & Reheating

Storage:

• Let the noodles cool completely before storing.
• Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
• I don't recommend freezing this dish, as rice noodles can turn mushy and lose their texture after thawing.

Reheating:

• Stovetop: Add a splash of water or mushroom soaking liquid to a pan or wok, then stir fry the noodles over medium heat until heated through.
• Microwave: Place noodles in a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle a bit of water on top, and cover loosely. Heat in 30-45 second intervals, stirring between each round, until warmed.
• Avoid overcooking during reheating, as the noodles can break apart.

FAQ

Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes! Just skip the pork and dried shrimp. For extra umami, use mushrooms (shiitake, king oyster, or enoki) and a splash of vegetarian oyster sauce.

What can I substitute for dried shrimp?
You can omit them or replace them with a small amount of fish sauce for umami. For vegetarian or vegan versions, try fermented tofu or extra mushroom soaking liquid.

Do I have to use Taiwanese cabbage?
No - regular green cabbage works too. Taiwanese cabbage is sweeter and more tender, but green cabbage is a great substitute. Just stir fry a bit longer for the thicker leaves.

Can I use fresh shiitake mushrooms instead of dried?
You can, but you'll miss out on the rich flavor from the mushroom soaking liquid. If you use fresh mushrooms, add a bit of chicken or vegetable broth for extra depth.

My noodles are sticking together - what happened?
That usually means they were over-soaked or cooked too long. Next time, soak only until just softened and toss the noodles with a bit of oil before stir frying.

Pin for later!

More Delicious Noodle Recipes

If you enjoyed this Taiwan Style Rice Noodles Stir Fry, here are a few more of my favorite noodle dishes you'll love! These recipes are packed with flavor, perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or just whenever that noodle craving hits:

• Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup (紅燒牛肉麵) - A Taiwanese classic with tender red-braised beef, noodles, leafy greens, and a deeply savory broth that warms you from the inside out.
• Beef Noodles Stir Fry - Marinated beef stir fried with garlic, onions, carrots, snow peas, and chewy noodles in a flavorful sauce. Easy and satisfying!
• Napa Cabbage Glass Noodles - A comforting dish made with stir-fried napa cabbage, glass noodles, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms. Light, savory, and packed with umami.
• Zha Jiang Mian (炸醬麵) - A Northern Chinese favorite made with minced pork in a savory-sweet fermented bean sauce served over noodles. So satisfying!

Want even more noodle inspo? You can explore all my noodle recipes here!