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Glass noodles

Pasta, noodles & bread · Noodles

Glass noodles

Transparent noodles of mung bean or sweet potato starch; slippery, chewy and gluten-free.

Also called: cellophane noodles, mung bean vermicelli, dangmyeon, sweet potato noodles, fensi, sotanghon

A kind of noodles

6 recipes with it

Photo: 토리랑, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-4.0)

What it is

Glass or cellophane noodles are made from pure starch, usually mung bean (fine, wiry fensi and sotanghon) or sweet potato (thicker, grey Korean dangmyeon). Dried they are wiry and opaque white or grey; cooked they turn clear and slippery. They absorb flavour well and stay chewy, unlike rice noodles, which stay opaque and soften.

How it’s used

  • Japchae (Korean sweet potato noodles)
  • Thai yum woon sen salad
  • Hot pots and soups
  • Spring roll and dumpling fillings
  • Sotanghon soup

Characteristics

Texture
Slippery, springy and chewy.
When cooked
Soak or boil briefly; snip long strands with scissors. They keep absorbing liquid, so sauce soups just before serving.
Sold as
dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling, Suitable for frying

Storage

Pantry-stable. Dried noodles keep for a long time in a dry place.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Naturally gluten-free; check labels for added wheat.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
351 kcal
Protein
0.16 g
Carbohydrate
86.09 g
Fat
0.06 g
Fibre
0.5 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Noodles, chinese, cellophane or long rice (mung beans), dehydrated.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Rice noodles — Thin rice vermicelli works in salads and soups; softer and not clear.

Related ingredients

Recipes with glass noodles

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