Rice noodles, cooked

Rice noodles are made from rice flour and water, forming translucent white strands with a mild, neutral flavor that soaks up sauces and broths readily rather than fighting with them. They are the noodle base for dishes like pad thai, pho, and countless stir-fries, cooked by soaking or briefly boiling until tender, with a texture that ranges from springy and chewy in fresh versions to soft and slippery once fully cooked and cooled into a salad. They also work cold in Vietnamese-style noodle bowls topped with herbs, peanuts, and a tangy dressing.

Dried bundles keep for months unopened in the pantry, so look for them in the international aisle, while fresh or refrigerated versions are found at Asian grocers and should be used within their printed date. Leftover cooked noodles keep in the fridge for a few days and benefit from a light toss in oil to keep the strands from clumping into a solid mass. Per 100 g cooked, they provide 108 calories, 24 g of carbohydrate, 1.79 g of protein, 1 g of fiber, and just 19 mg of sodium, making a mild, low-sodium base to build a whole bowl around with vegetables, a protein, and a flavorful broth.