Singapore Rice Noodles is the best kind of noodle-y chaos on a plate, a riot of color and flavor—thin rice noodles seasoned with bold curry and tossed with shrimp so fresh they still taste of the sea, char siu pork with that smoky sweetness, crunchy vegetables, and fluffy bits of scrambled egg. It’s a beautiful mess of textures that somehow all make sense together.
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The first time I had Singapore Noodles, I was hooked by the heady flavors of curry powder, the crisp snap of vegetables, the plump shrimp, and the charred sweetness of the pork all punching from different angles. There’s no subtlety here—just a loud, unapologetic contrast of spicy, sweet, salty, crunchy, and tender. And believe it or not, it all comes together in one skillet. Less time doing dishes, more time getting lost in the flavor party on your plate.
Oh, and in case you thought these Singapore-style noodles were Singapore’s gift to the world, think again. The dish is actually a Cantonese invention, a mashup that takes the bold and the unexpected and turns it into something unforgettable.
Ingredient Notes
Dried rice noodles are the right call here — thin rice vermicelli, not the wide flat kind. Look for them in the Asian foods aisle or at any Asian grocery store. Soak them in boiling water for exactly 5 minutes, then rinse immediately with cold water. They should be just tender when they go into the wok. They’ll finish cooking in the pan.
Curry powder is the ingredient that makes this dish what it is. See the note below for details on which kind to use and how much.
Shaoxing wine adds a subtle depth to the sauce that’s hard to replicate exactly, but dry sherry is the closest substitute. Sake or dry white wine will also work.
Fish sauce punches up the umami in a way soy sauce alone doesn’t. If you don’t have it, just add a splash more soy sauce. The dish will still be good.
White pepper gives a milder, more aromatic heat than black pepper and is worth tracking down if you don’t already have it. It’s a staple in Cantonese cooking and shows up in a lot of these recipes.
Char siu is the traditional choice and worth making or buying from a Cantonese roast meat shop if there is one nearby. If you can’t find it, cooked ham works as a substitute.
Bok choy can be swapped for Chinese broccoli, spinach, or chard if you can’t find it.
A Note on Curry Powder
Curry powder is the defining ingredient here, so it’s worth thinking about which one you use. A mild Madras-style curry powder is the most traditional choice. It has the right balance of turmeric, cumin, coriander, and warm spice without tipping into the sharper heat of some other blends. Most standard grocery store curry powders (Spice Islands, McCormick) will work fine.
The amount matters more than the brand. One tablespoon for this recipe gives you a clear curry presence without overwhelming the other flavors. Go under and it disappears into the soy sauce. Go over and it becomes the only thing you taste.
If you want to make your own blend, combine 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. It won’t be identical to a commercial blend but it gets you there.
How to Make It
Making Singapore Noodles is a fun and relatively simple process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get this tasty dish on your plate in no time.
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- Mix the sauce: Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, Shaoxing wine, curry powder, sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, and minced garlic in a small bowl.
- Cook the noodles: Soak rice stick noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water (for more information, see the section below on how to prep rice noodles.)
- Scramble the eggs: In a hot skillet or wok, cook beaten eggs in oil until set, then chop them into small pieces.
- Sauté the veggies: Stir-fry bok choy, carrots, and onion in oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Cook the shrimp and pork: Cook shrimp until pink, add char siu, and season with salt. Set aside with the eggs.
- Stir-fry the noodles: Add the noodles to the skillet, cooking until slightly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Combine everything: Toss the noodles with the sauce, then mix in the cooked veggies, shrimp, and pork.
- Serve: Garnish with scallions and mung bean sprouts. Enjoy hot!
How to Prep Rice Noodles
The most common mistake with Singapore noodles is not prepping the rice noodles properly and ending up with mushy noodles. Here’s how to get it right.
Pour boiling water over the dried noodles and let them soak for exactly 5 minutes. Not 10, not until they’re fully soft. 5 minutes. They should still have a little bite when you drain them. Drain immediately and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking.
Once they’re drained, grab a pair of kitchen shears and cut through the noodle bundle a few times to shorten the strands. This makes them much easier to toss in the wok and easier to eat.
The noodles will finish cooking in the pan, so going in slightly underdone is the goal. By the time they’ve soaked up the sauce and picked up a little color from the heat, they’ll be exactly right.
Singapore Noodles Variations
This is a versatile dish and a great way to use up bits of leftovers. Here are a few ideas:
- Vegetarian Singapore Noodles — omit the shrimp and pork, add tofu and extra veg, use soy sauce instead of fish sauce
- Chicken Singapore Noodles — swap sliced chicken breast in for the shrimp
- Spicy Singapore Noodles — add fresh chili or chili paste to the sauce
More Ways to Use Rice Noodles
For another version of rice noodles pan fried with shrimp, veggies, and other mix-ins, try the Filipino classic Pancit Bihon. It’s a lighter dish that still packs plenty of flavor.
If you’re after something with deep savory flavor, Beef Chow Fun is the move—wide rice noodles, seared beef, and a soy sauce glaze that clings to every bite. For a sweeter, more mellow stir-fry, Pad See Ew with Chicken delivers chewy noodles with egg, Chinese broccoli, and dark soy. Chinese Sausage and shrimp tangle with rice noodles in Char Kway Teow. Then there’s Pad Kee Mao, also known as drunken noodles, which leans spicy, garlicky, and unapologetically bold, with Thai basil bringing it all home. And of course, Shrimp Pad Thai is a Thai classic that can’t be missed.
Prefer your noodles with broth? Hot and Sour Rice Vermicelli Soup balances tangy vinegar, white pepper, and chili oil with silky vermicelli noodles in a hot, comforting bowl.
Singapore Rice Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 ounce noodles dried rice stick
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil divided
- 2 eggs beaten with 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sliced onion
- ½ cup julienned carrot
- 1 head bok choy, quartered lengthwise and sliced
- ½ pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- ½ pound Char Siu, sliced Chinese roast pork
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, fish sauce, Shaoxing wine, curry powder, sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, and garlic.
- Put the noodles in a large, heat-safe bowl and pour boiling water over the top to cover the noodles. Let stand for 5 minutes, until the noodles are tender. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok set over high heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring with a spatula, until set, about 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a large bowl and chop into small pieces using the spatula.
- Add an additional tablespoon of cooking oil to the skillet. Add the bok choy, carrots, and onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add another tablespoon of oil if needed and then add the shrimp. Cook, turning the shrimp occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp are pink on the outside. Add the pork and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Season with a pinch of salt and then transfer the meat and veggies to the bowl with the eggs.
- Add another tablespoon of cooking oil to the skillet and then add the noodles. Cook, tossing with tongs and breaking up any noodle clumps, until the noodles are heated and begin to brown in parts, about 3 minutes. Add the sauce mixture and cook, tossing, until everything is well mixed. Return the meat and veggies to the skillet and toss to combine well.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- You can make this recipe gluten free by substituting gluten-free soy sauce, gluten-free tamari, or coconut aminos for the soy sauce.
- If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, you can substitute dry sherry, sake, or dry white wine.
- If you don’t have Char Siu, you can substitute diced cooked ham, or make a quick char siu using thick cut pork chops marinated in store-bought char siu sauce and grilled.
- To make the noodles easier to work with (and easier to eat!), after draining them, use a pair of kitchen shears to cut them in half or in thirds.
- You can spice the dish up by adding chili peppers or pass chili paste or sriracha at the table.
Nutrition
Robin Donovan is an AP syndicated writer, recipe developer, food photographer, and author of more than 40 cookbooks including the bestsellers Ramen Obsession and Ramen for Beginners. Her work is featured by major media outlets including Huffington Post, MSN, Chicago Sun-Times, Orlando Sentinel, Buzzfeed, Cooking Light, Mercury News, Seattle Times, Pop Sugar, and many others. More about Robin
Love this meal! Only changed I made was using capellini pasta for the noodles.