16 Types of Asian Noodles to Add to Your Pantry

Origin: Japan

Primary ingredient: wheat

Ramen noodles are a Japanese noodle made of wheat flour, water, salt and an alkalizing agent that gives them their signature springy texture. They can be purchased fresh, but they’re more commonly found as instant ramen, the pre-cooked and fried version that’s compressed into a brick shape.

Try it: Vegetarian Ramen

Origin: Japan

Primary ingredient: wheat

These thick wheat noodles are popular in Japan (and elsewhere) for their dense, chewy texture. You can buy them fresh, frozen or dried, and they’re often the main ingredient in hot soups.

Try it: Yaki Udon

Origin: China

Primary ingredient: wheat

You’re probably familiar with the dish served at your local Chinese restaurant featuring these noodles. They’re soft and slightly doughy, commonly combined with meat, vegetables and thick sauces that cling to their surface. They can be found both fresh and dried.

Try it: Lo Mein

Origin: Japan

Primary ingredient: buckwheat

Made from buckwheat, soba noodles have a nutty flavor and darker color than other wheat noodles. (They’re also high in protein and fiber, and gluten-free, since buckwheat is a seed.) Soba can be served hot or cold, and they’re traditionally eaten on Ōmisoka—New Year’s Eve—in Japan.

Try it: Miso Noodle Soup

Origin: East Asia

Primary ingredient: wheat

Somen are similar to soba, but made with wheat flour enriched with oil. This gives them a delicate texture. In Japan, they’re often served cold and unadorned, with sauce on the side for dipping, but can also be found in soups. In South Korea, they’re called somyeon.

Try it: Japanese Cold Noodles

Popular: Throughout Asia

Primary ingredient: rice

These ultra-thin rice noodles are used in various cuisines and dishes throughout Asia, from stir fries to spring rolls to soups. They’re soft and chewy when cooked in water, but they can also be deep-fried until crisp.

Try it: Laksa Noodle Soup

Popular: Throughout Asia

Primary ingredient: rice

Like their name implies, these flat noodles are made from rice. You’ll find them dried in three common sizes: thin, medium and wide. They’re firm and chewy when cooked, and found in a variety of dishes due to their popularity throughout Asia.

Try it: Stir-Fried Beef and Asparagus with Flat Rice Noodles

Origin: China

Primary ingredient: rice

Also called chow fun, these flat, slightly wide rice noodles are common in Cantonese cooking and have a silky, soft texture. They’re often stir-fried and served with thick, savory soy-based sauces.

Try it: Beef Chow Fun

Origin: China

Primary ingredient: rice

Similar to shahe fen, mi xian are flat rice noodles found in Chinese cuisine. They’re wider and chewier than shahe fen and can be served stir-fried or in broth. In the Yunnan province where they hail from, they’re made in a process that involves fermentation.

Try it: Yunnan Rice Noodle Soup

Origin: Throughout Asia

Primary ingredient: various starches

These translucent noodles go by many names, including cellophane and crystal. They’re clear, thin and glass-like, made from various starches like mung bean, potato, sweet potato and tapioca. They’re sold dried and reconstituted in liquid before serving. They originated in China, but you’ll find cellophane noodles in dishes throughout Asia.

Try it: Yum Woon Sen with Shrimp

Origin: Korea

Primary ingredient: usually sweet potato

Another glassy, starch-based noodle, dangmyeon are a Korean variety of cellophone noodle made from sweet potato starch. They’re slippery and dense when cooked, and the noodle of choice in the stir fry dish japchae.

Try it: Japchae

Origin: Japan

Primary ingredient: konjac

These round, opaque noodles are made from konjac starch, which comes from a type of Japanese yam. They’re super high in fiber and contain practically no calories, making them a popular “low-carb” food in recent years. In Japan, they’re served like other rice-based noodles, in soups and stir fries.

Try it: Lemongrass Pork Chops with Shirataki Yakisoba

Origin: China

Primary ingredient: wheat

These springy, thin wheat noodles are made from the same dough as wonton wrappers. They’re usually sold fresh and are commonly served in soups.

Try it: Cantonese Wonton Noodle Soup

Origin: Korea

Primary ingredient: various starches

These Korean noodles are made from a variety of ingredients, including flour, buckwheat and starches like sweet potato and arrowroot. They have a dense, springy, almost jelly-like texture and are most often served in a dish of cold broth with vegetables and thin slices of meat or fish.

Try it: Bibim Nengmyun

Origin: China

Primary ingredient: wheat

These wheat noodles are hand-pulled into long strands and sold fresh. They’re the star in cháng shòu miàn, aka Longevity noodles, which symbolizes a long and happy life during Lunar New Year.

Try it: Long Life Noodles

Sold fresh at Asian markets

Origin: China

Primary ingredient: rice and tapioca starch

These short noodles have tapered ends and a firm, chewy bite (that’s thanks to the rice and tapioca starch they’re made of) and aren’t the most common stateside. They’re commonly served in stir fries but can also be found in soups.

Try it: Bee Thai Bak