Eating Works » Gluten Free Info » Is Vermicelli Noodles Gluten Free?

Is Vermicelli Noodles Gluten Free?


Warning: Undefined variable $post in /home/customer/www/eatingworks.com/public_html/wp-content/themes/restored316-limoncella/functions.php on line 142

Quick Answer: So Vietnamese style vermicelli noodles are made from ground rice flour and are gluten free while Italian vermicelli noodles are made from wheat flour and are therefore full of gluten!

photo of vermicelli noodles with text that says are vermicelli noodles gluten free?

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. See my Affiliate Disclosure to read my policy and more about affiliate links.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Are Vermicelli Rice Noodles Gluten Free?

The answer to this question is a little confusing. You see, there are two kinds of vermicelli noodles. There is the more widely known Vietnamese vermicelli noodle which is gluten free but there is also an Italian Vermicelli noodle that’s made from wheat flour.

What Does Vermicelli Mean?

Technically the word vermicelli refers to the width of the noodle and not the flour used to make it. Vermicelli made from ingredients like buckwheat and rice are gluten free, whereas wheat based vermicelli isn’t.

Quick Answer: So Vietnamese style vermicelli noodles are made from ground rice flour and are gluten free while Italian vermicelli noodles are made from wheat flour and are therefore full of gluten!

Since Vietnamese vermicelli noodles are the most popular, this article will be primarily dedicated to Vietnamese vermicelli. However it’s important to note that there are two types and you should always read the ingredient list on every package!

Want to hear some great news? Yes, vermicelli noodles are 100% gluten free! These delicate noodles are made from extra fine ground rice flour. Rice is naturally gluten free. So these noodles are safe for anyone on a gluten free diet. They can even be enjoyed by someone who has celiac disease.

Vermicelli noodles make a great substitute for wheat noodles like ramen and spaghetti!

Can You Use Vermicelli Noodles Instead of Ramen Noodles in Ramen Noodle Soup?

Yes you can! Vermicelli noodles are one of my favorite gluten free ramen noodle substitutes. I love how their thin noodles fit around chop sticks or even on a spoon. The noodles can be cut are short and easy to eat. Since they absorb flavors well, they’ll soak up the umami goodness of the ramen broth becoming full of flavor.

Gluten Free Ramen Noodle Soup Recipe

If you love ramen, but you’re on a gluten free diet you’ll love this Gluten Free Ramen Noodle Soup Recipe! This easy soup recipe is done in thirty minutes and makes great lunches for the go!

Gluten Free Ramen
If you love ramen but you're on a gluten free diet you'll love this Gluten Free Ramen Noodle Soup Recipe! This easy soup recipe is done in thirty minutes and makes great lunches on the go!
Get the Recipe
gluten free ramen noodle soup in a bowl with carrots onions and greens

Can Celiacs Eat Vermicelli?

These delicate noodles are made from extra fine ground rice flour. Rice is naturally gluten free. So these noodles are safe for anyone who has celiac disease.

Are Vietnamese Vermicelli Noodles Good For You?

Yes vermicelli noodles are healthy for you! They are easier to digest then traditional wheat noodles and they have a lower glycemic index than traditional white rice. Since vermicelli noodles are made from rice they are high in carbs. So while they are definitely healthy for you they aren’t a good noodle for weight loss, keto diets or low-carb diets.

People who have celiac disease or eat gluten free can especially benefit from including some vermicelli noodles in their diet.

Vermicelli noodles are also low in fat and cholesterol which makes them good for people who have heart disease, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Most people who have high blood pressure need to watch out for what kind of pasta they eat.

Some pastas are high in sodium but vermicelli noodles are actually low in salt. As long as you don’t flavor them with salty soy sauce they’ll be perfectly heart healthy!

What about Italian Vermicelli?

Italian vermicelli noodles are made from wheat flour. They aren’t bad for you but they certainly aren’t as easy to digest as rice vermicelli. If you have celiac or are gluten free then Italian vermicelli noodles would actually be bad for you. At best they would cause a stomach ache and at their worse, a bowl of wheat vermicelli would cause an allergic reaction.

Is Vermicelli the Same as Rice Noodles?

Technically vermicelli noodles are a type of rice noodle. “Rice noodles” is a general term used for all noodles that are made from rice flour. There are lots of kinds of noodles made from rice flour including

  • Pad Kee Mao (wide rice noodles)
  • Pad Thai Noodles
  • Rat Noodles
  • Semi Fresh Sen Lek Noodles

Gluten Free Vermicelli Noodle Substitutes

If you don’t have gluten free vermicelli noodles you can use these options instead.

How to Cook Gluten Free Vermicelli Noodles

Boil Them

It’s quick and simple to cook vermicelli noodles, here’s how.

  1. Boil half a liter of water.
  2. Place a cake of vermicelli noodles in the water. Make sure the noodles are fully submerged.
  3. Allow the noodles to boil for two minutes and stir occasionally so they don’t stick together.
  4. Once done run the noodles under cold water until they cool off. Strain the noodles and set them aside to be added to recipes.

Soften Them

I think that the method above (boiling the noodles for two minutes) works best. Although, lots of recipes call for softening the noodles instead. What this means is that you boil water in a kettle and then add the noodles to the water off of a flame. Simply allow the noodles to soften in the boiled water for a few minutes.

One of the benefits of this method is that you don’t need a stove-top or open flame to cook the noodles. So it’s perfect for people who need to meal prep while camping or in a college dorm room. You can simply:

  1. Boil water in an electric tea kettle.
  2. Pour the hot water over a bowl with the noodles in it.
  3. Allow the noodles to rest in the hot bath for five minutes.
  4. Run them under cold water until they’re cool to the touch and strain them.

Deep Fry

Another popular method for preparing gluten free vermicelli noodles is deep frying them. Simply toss the noodles in hot oil and they’ll automatically puff up like a rice cake. These crunchy puffed noodles make a great garnish or crunchy snack!

How to Serve Vermicelli Noodles

Vermicelli noodles can be served in many ways. Some of the most popular ways is to drop them into soups, cook them in stir-fries or to wrap them in spring rolls. The options are as endless as your imagination.

Can Celiacs Eat Noodles?

Celiacs can eat noodles as long as they’re gluten free. There are tons of types of noodles out there that fit this profile. Noodles made from potatoes (glass noodles), rice flour, millet and quinoa are all safe. Celiacs can also enjoy noodles made from things like kelp.

Where to Buy Vermicelli Noodles

With all this talk about Vermicelli noodles, I bet your can’t wait to try them out for yourself. Let me tell you exactly where you need to go to buy these thin little rice noodles to avoid any confusion.

If you’re in the United States, at your local super market or grocery store you can find vermicelli noodles in the asian section. They are also easy to find at Asian supermarkets or Vietnamese specialty stores. You can find vermicelli noodles in big box stores like Kroger, Target, Walmart, Costco and K-Mart.

If you don’t want to leave your house you can simply order Vermicelli noodles from Amazon.

Are Vermicelli Noodles Vegan?

Vermicelli noodles are almost always vegan since their main ingredient is fine ground rice flour. However, always check the label to make sure. Some vermicelli noodles come with flavor packets that may contain animal products like anchovy for flavoring.

Are Vermicelli Noodles Keto Friendly?

Even though vermicelli noodles are healthy they aren’t good for people on a keto diet. Since the main ingredient of vermicelli noodles is rice (Vietnamese version) and wheat for the Italian kind, no matter what kind of vermicelli noodle we’re talking about. They’re going to be high in carbs.

A bowl of vermicelli noodles will blow you right out of ketosis and use up almost all of your daily allotted carbs.

How Many Carbs are in Vermicelli Noodles?

Just one tiny cup of cooked vermicelli noodles contains 115 grams of carbs.

Is There Gluten in Vietnamese Noodles

Almost all Vietnamese noodles are gluten free. So if you eat a gluten free diet or have celiac disease you can eat without stress at a Vietnamese restaurant. All of the noodles on the menu of most traditional Vietnamese restaurants are made from either

  • Rice Four
  • Tapioca Flour
  • Mung Bean Flour

All three of these kinds of flour are naturally gluten free! When you read a Vietnamese menu if you see the word “pho” or “bun” that the dish is both made with gluten free noodles and ingredients. Asian food is also associated with high amounts of gluten since Chinese food and Japanese Food use lots of soy to flavor dishes. Vietnamese cuisine doesn’t use a lot of soy to create flavor.

Vietnamese sauces are often made from fish sauce.

Which Chinese Noodle is Gluten-Free?

Looking for some gluten-free noodle options at a Chinese restaurant? Here’s a list of noodles you can order! Just don’t forget to make sure that the sauce you’re ordering the Chinese food with is also gluten free!

  • buckwheat vermicelli (naeng myun)
  • shirataki.
  • kelp noodles.
  • sweet potato vermicelli (dang myun)
  • rice sticks.
  • soba.
  • rice vermicelli.

Are vermicelli noodles gluten free google web story!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *