Noodles are made primarily from flour.

In Asian cuisine where noodles are a staple, it is common to find a wide variety of noodles which are produced using different types of flour.

There are noodles made from wheat, rice, buckwheat, mung beans starch and also potato starch.

Rice noodles and glass noodles are among the popular varieties of noodles.

Glass noodles are translucent and are made mainly from mung bean starch while rice noodles are a product of rice and are more opaque than glass noodles.

These noodles are often shaped as long and thin strands of noodles just like spaghetti, or as flat sheets.

They can be difficult to tell apart especially when they are made into the same shape. 

In this post, we discuss the differences between these two varieties of noodles

Glass noodles vs rice noodles

The main difference between rice noodles and glass noodles is what they are made from: rice noodles are made from rice flour while glass noodles are made either from mung bean starch or potato starch.

Without food coloring, glass noodles appear translucent when cooked. Rice noodles are white when cooked, however, Tapioca or cornstarch is often added when making rice noodles to make them more transparent.

There are also a few nutritionally differences between these two noodles, glass noodles are higher in carbs, and also nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6, and calcium than rice noodles

Glass noodles

Glass noodles are also known as cellophane noodles.

These are made from mung bean starch, potato starch or tapioca.

They are molded into a different types of shapes which could range from thin, long strands of rice noodles to flat sheets as well as other shapes too, and they are also translucent when cooked.

Glass noodles are usually sold dried. They are very popular in Asian cuisine and are used to make a variety of dishes.

Nutrition

Glass noodles are rich in carbohydrates, and most of these carbohydrates are made up of starch, however there is little when it comes to protein, fat.

They contain some micronutrients such as iron, calcium, selenium and niacin

Glass noodles are also known for being gluten free.

Culinary uses of glass noodles

Glass noodles could be prepared in a varieties of ways, they could be used in soups stir fries or salads

They are pretty simple to prepare, first by soaking them so that they reconstitute, They could also be deep fried

The taste of glass noodles is almost bland, although they may be a bit starchy. They rely on the flavor of the other ingredients that they are mixed with as it gives the dish its taste.

Rice noodles

The dough of rice noodles is usually made from white rice flour.

Rice noodles can be available in various shapes just like pasta. they may be flat just like fettucini or shaped into slender long strands of rice noodles which resemble spaghetti known as rice vermicelli.

They could also be available fresh or dried

These noodles are white in color, however, Tapioca or cornstarch is often added to make them more transparent or to give them a more chewy texture.

Nutrition

Rice noodles are also packed with carbs, and they contain only small amounts of fats and protein.

These noodles are usually low when it comes to vitamins and minerals, although they can be fortified with these micronutrients.

Rice does not contain gluten and therefore, a dish with rice noodles is gluten free as long as the other ingredients are also gluten free.

Culinary uses

They can also be used in salad, soups, and sir fry. They can be soaked in boiled water and allowed to soften or they can be cooked just like pasta in boiling water.

Rice noodles could also be cooked by deep frying.

They can are used together with various sauces and condiments.

In conclusion

Glass noodles and rice noodles are two popular types of noodles especially in Asian cuisine.

They are made from different types of flour, and they differ slightly in appearance.

However, they share a number of qualities and can even be substituted for each other in recipes.

Glass noodles and rice noodles are also used as gluten free alternatives to wheat noodles.