Easy Singapore Noodles that are Better Than Takeout!
Better Than Take-Out Singapore Noodles
I had many favorite foods as a kid, but one I really liked in particular was Singapore noodles. It was a dish my mom and I would always split when going out for Chinese food, and now getting to develop my own version has been fun and nostalgic. Singapore noodles is a common Chinese dish that uses curry powder, soy sauce, mixed veggies, and shrimp to create a delicious bowl of saucy noodles. This dish uses vermicelli noodles, which are very thin but have a great texture and take up the flavors of your spices so well.
What makes this dish so unique is the curry powder, which creates the distinct yellow color of the noodles, and adds warmth to your dish. The other important seasoning is white pepper powder. Much spicier than black pepper, white pepper adds heat that hits in a similar manner as Szechuan pepper. I hope you give this dish a try and enjoy it as much as I do!
Notes and Tips:
The great thing about home cooking is the freedom of using what you have on hand. If you have vegetables you want to use, feel free to substitute or add. The flavors go well with cabbage, broccoli and snow peas
This dish uses shrimp, but I have made it without and it still turned out great. Feel free to leave it off if you prefer to.
Singapore noodles are best made in a large skillet (10”-12”) or a wok. This allows you to stir fry veggies, cook the scrambled egg, and add in the noodles at the same time. If you are working with a smaller skillet, I recommend stir-frying in stages and mixing at the end when everything has cooked down.
Prepping for this dish makes the actual assembly very quick. I recommend chopping your veggies when you put your noodles in the bowl of water. This just leaves cooking your shrimp and a little sauté time.
If using shrimp, my preferred way is to cook the shrimp until slightly undercooked. When tossed with the noodles and veggies, they will finish cooking without becoming rubbery. Cooking the shrimp is my first step in preparing this dish as the shrimp need a full pan to cook.
What Else Can I Put In my Singapore Noodles?
Some additional veggies can taste really good in Singapore Noodles. Adding in white onion with the carrot and bell pepper is a great addition. You can also add in snow peas, which are like a flat version of snap peas. These are a light vegetable that goes really well in this noodle dish.
Some proteins that taste really good in Singapore Noodles are grilled chicken, fried tofu, or thinly shaved steak. Let me know what you like to eat with your Singapore Noodles in the Comments below!
Where Do Singapore Noodles Come From?
The origin of Singapore noodles is not fully known. This noodles dish has been traced to Hong Kong and not Singapore as the name may suggest. It is a popular dish and different variations can be found all over with local flavors making their way into the dish.
Singapore noodles are also known as Singapore Mei Fun noodles. This means Rice Noodles in Cantonese, which is the type of noodle used in this dish.
Why Do Singapore Noodles Taste So Good?
Singapore Noodles taste so delicious due to the combination of spices used to season the dish. Curry powder and white pepper have a distinct flavor that is a little spicy, warm, and savory. When combined with soy sauce and oil they all make for the most delicious flavor.
You do not want your noodles to dry out. It is important to use plenty of oil or butter when adding all your ingredients to that the noodles have a chance to stir fry and not get mushy. I like to use butter for this dish since it adds just a little extra flavor but you can use olive oil, or any type of oil you have on hand.
What is the Difference Between Singapore Noodles and Regular Noodles?
Singapore Noodles are made of rice and vermicelli style. This means they are super thin when compared to a traditional rice noodles that is usually slightly thicker. Rice Vermicelli noodles can be found at most grocery stores or at Asian markets.
Another difference is that the spices used to stir fry Singapore noodles are curry and white pepper. This is a unique combination that is not usually found in normal stir fries.
Are Singapore Noodles Gluten Free?
Since this recipe is made with rice noodles, they are gluten free! You can also use gluten free soy sauce to make this recipe completely gluten free if you wish!
How Spicy Are Singapore Noodles?
The short answer is that Singapore Noodles are a spicy dish. It depends, however, on how much white pepper you add to the dish. The wonderful thing about making this noodle dish at home is that you can add in as little or as much white pepper that you want.
White pepper is different from black pepper in that it has a slightly earthier or bitter spice flavor that hits you after you take a couple bites. I recommend you add in what the recipe calls for and then add more at the end if you want a spicier dish!
Ingredients For Singapore Noodles:
Recipe:
- 1 package vermicelli noodles, softened. See above for where to buy vermicelli noodles! You can use other rice noodles in this recipe but the texture will be slightly different.
- 2 eggs The eggs are scrambled in with the noodles. You can sub for just egg whites if you want.
- 1 red bell pepper You can use any color bell pepper if you prefer.
- 10-12 large shrimp, cooked. Look for peeled and de-veined shrimp.
- 1 bunch green onion, cut on a bias
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks. You can also coin the carrots but matchstick style is the best texture.
- 4 Tbs olive oil You can also use butter
- 1 Tbs sesame oil Sesame oil adds nuttiness and flavor.
- 1 Tbs yellow curry powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper powder The signature spice, this pepper should not be skipped!
- 2 Tbs soy sauce
- Sesame seeds for topping
How To Make Singapore Noodles At Home:
Prepare the Noodles:
1 hour in advance of cooking, place your noodles in a bowl of room cold water.
Chop you bell pepper, carrot, green onion, and garlic clove. Set aside, keeping everything separate.
To cook your shrimp, bring 2 -4 Tbs of olive oil to medium heat in a skillet. When hot, place your shimp in. Flip just as the sides begin to turn pink. Remove from the skillet when the shrimp is no longer grey. This should only take about 1-2 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
When ready to cook your Singapore Noodles. Heat 2-3 Tbs of oil in a wok or large skillet and add the garlic.
When the garlic is golden brown, add in the bell pepper and carrot.
Add The Veggies:
Sauté the veggies for 4 minutes or until the carrot is beginning to soften.
Push your veggies to the sides of your wok and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add in your eggs and scramble in the middle of the Wok.
Once the egg is cooked, add in your shrimp and noodles along with 1-2 Tbs of oil.
Add in the sesame oil, soy sauce, curry powder, white pepper powder and mix well.
Add in the green onion and toss to combine.
Continue to toss until everything is well coated with the seasoning, adding in more oil if your noodles are getting dry.
Taste and adjust levels of soy, curry, salt, ect…
Top with sesame seeds, green onion and enjoy!
This bowl of Singapore Noodles is shown with Char Sui Pork. This is a common pairing with Singapore Noodles!