What Is Mei Fun? Rice Vermicelli Explained
By The Chowmi Test Kitchen · Updated October 26, 2026
Mei fun (米粉, mǐfěn) is thin rice vermicelli — delicate, hair-like noodles made from rice flour and water, naturally gluten-free. They're sold dried in wiry bundles, soaked in warm water until pliable, then stir-fried or added to soup. The big difference from chow mein is the noodle itself: chow mein is made from wheat (and usually egg) and is chewier and yellow, while mei fun is made from rice, is much thinner and whiter, and cooks up light and slightly springy. Because they're so thin, mei fun soak up flavor and the wok's smokiness quickly, which is why stir-fried versions like Singapore mei fun — tossed with curry powder, shrimp, char siu, egg and vegetables — are so popular. The keys to cooking it are soaking (not boiling) the noodles so they don't turn mushy, and keeping the wok hot and the noodles moving so they don't clump.
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What mei fun is
Mei fun (also spelled mai fun) is rice vermicelli: very thin noodles made only from rice flour and water, with no wheat or egg, so they're naturally gluten-free. Dried, they look like stiff white wire; once soaked in warm water for a few minutes they become soft and flexible. They're light, mild, and slightly springy, and they take on the flavor of whatever they're cooked with — which makes them a blank canvas for bold stir-fry sauces and soups.
The name is Cantonese, and the same noodle turns up across Asia under other names: bee hoon in Malaysia and Singapore, bihon in the Philippines (as in pancit bihon), sen mi in Thailand. Vietnamese bún is a close cousin, usually a little thicker and often sold fresh.
Mei fun vs chow mein vs chow fun
These three are easy to confuse but distinct. Mei fun is thin rice vermicelli (rice, gluten-free). Chow mein is stir-fried wheat-and-egg noodles — yellow, chewy, sometimes crispy. Chow fun uses wide, flat rice noodles (ho fun) — broad, silky ribbons, as in beef chow fun. So the quick guide: thin white strands are mei fun, thin yellow strands are chow mein, and wide flat ribbons are chow fun. Two are rice-based (mei fun, chow fun) and one is wheat-based (chow mein).
The table adds the other noodles mei fun gets mixed up with, including the clear glass noodles that look almost identical in the dried bundle.
| Noodle | Made from | What it's like | Classic dish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mei fun (米粉) | Rice flour and water | Very thin and white; wiry when dry, light and springy when cooked | Singapore mei fun, noodle soups |
| Ho fun / chow fun (河粉) | Rice flour and water | Wide, flat, silky ribbons, usually sold fresh | Beef chow fun |
| Chow mein noodles (炒面) | Wheat flour and egg | Thin and yellow; springy, crisp in spots when pan-fried | Soy sauce chow mein |
| Lo mein noodles (捞面) | Wheat flour and egg | Thicker and yellow; soft and chewy | Lo mein |
| Glass noodles (粉丝) | Mung bean starch | Thin, turn clear when cooked; slippery and chewy, stay firm in soup | Ants climbing a tree, hot pot |
| Rice sticks (sen lek) | Rice flour and water | Flat, about ⅛–¼ inch wide | Pad thai |
Buying mei fun: what the package says
In an Asian grocery, mei fun sits in the dried-noodle aisle in flat bricks or wiry nests, labeled rice vermicelli, rice sticks, mai fun, bee hoon or bihon. Check two things. The ingredients should be rice and water — a little tapioca or corn starch is common and fine, it just makes the noodles a touch springier. And check the thickness: the thinnest, hair-like kind is what Singapore mei fun and spring-roll fillings want, while anything flat and ribbon-like is a rice stick for pad thai.
Two look-alikes catch people out. The "vermicelli" in a supermarket pasta aisle is Italian wheat pasta, which cooks up soft and starchy rather than springy. And bean thread, or "glass vermicelli", is made from mung bean starch: it turns clear when cooked and stays slippery and chewy. Both are good noodles, but neither behaves like mei fun in a stir-fry.
Singapore mei fun (and why it's curry-yellow)
The most famous mei fun dish on Western menus is Singapore mei fun (or Singapore noodles) — stir-fried rice vermicelli tossed with curry powder, which turns it bright yellow, plus shrimp, char siu, egg, bell pepper and onion. Despite the name, it's a Cantonese/Hong Kong creation, not actually from Singapore. The thin noodles are perfect here because they soak up the curry and the wok's aroma in seconds. It's light, fragrant, and a little spicy.
How to cook mei fun without clumping
Two rules. First, soak rather than boil: cover the dried vermicelli in warm (not boiling) water for 5–10 minutes until just pliable, then drain well — over-soaking or boiling makes them mushy and prone to breaking. Second, stir-fry hot and fast: get the wok ripping hot, keep the noodles moving with tongs or chopsticks, and add a little oil and sauce so they don't stick together. A splash of stock can loosen them if they tighten up. Serve immediately.
For soup, soak the noodles the same way and slip them into the hot broth for the last minute only; they keep softening in the bowl. A pair of kitchen scissors helps with both: snip the soaked noodles into shorter lengths so they're easier to toss and to eat.
What Is Mei Fun? Rice Vermicelli Explained FAQ
What is mei fun?
Mei fun is thin rice vermicelli — delicate, hair-like noodles made from rice flour and water, naturally gluten-free. Sold dried in wiry bundles, they're soaked in warm water until soft, then stir-fried or added to soup. They're light and mild and absorb flavor quickly, which is why stir-fried versions like Singapore mei fun are so popular.
What's the difference between mei fun and chow mein?
The noodle. Mei fun is thin rice vermicelli — made from rice, white, very thin, and gluten-free. Chow mein is made from wheat and usually egg — yellow, chewier, and sometimes crispy. So mei fun is rice-based and delicate; chow mein is wheat-based and chewy. They look and eat quite differently despite both being stir-fried noodles.
Is mei fun the same as rice noodles?
It's one kind of rice noodle — the thinnest, round kind. "Rice noodles" also covers flat rice sticks like the ones in pad thai and the wide, silky ho fun used for chow fun. All are made from rice flour and water; they differ in shape, and so in what they're best for.
Is vermicelli the same as mei fun?
Only rice vermicelli is. The vermicelli in a supermarket pasta aisle is Italian wheat pasta, and "bean thread vermicelli" is glass noodles made from mung bean starch. Check the ingredients: mei fun is just rice (sometimes with a little tapioca or corn starch) and water.
What's the difference between mei fun and glass noodles?
What they're made of, and it shows once they're cooked. Mei fun is rice, so it cooks up opaque white, light and slightly springy. Glass noodles are mung bean starch, so they turn clear and stay slippery and chewy, holding their shape for a long time in soup and hot pot. Dried, the two look almost the same — the package ingredients tell you which you have.
Is mei fun gluten-free?
The noodles are — rice vermicelli is made purely from rice flour and water with no wheat. But a finished mei fun dish often isn't gluten-free, because it's usually seasoned with soy sauce (which contains wheat) and may include other wheat-based sauces. To keep it gluten-free, use tamari or a certified GF soy sauce and check any other condiments.
Is mei fun healthy?
Plain rice vermicelli is a light, low-fat noodle: about 110 calories per 100 g (3½ oz) cooked, almost all of it carbohydrate, with little protein or fiber — much like white rice. The finished dish is another matter, because stir-fried versions pick up oil; a restaurant plate of Singapore mei fun can be quite rich. At home, 1–2 tablespoons of oil is enough for a whole batch, and plenty of vegetables and shrimp or chicken make it a balanced meal.
What is Singapore mei fun?
Singapore mei fun (Singapore noodles) is stir-fried rice vermicelli flavored with curry powder — which gives it its bright yellow color — along with shrimp, char siu pork, scrambled egg, and vegetables. Despite the name, it's a Hong Kong/Cantonese invention, not from Singapore. It's light, fragrant, and mildly spicy.
What is mei fun called in other countries?
Bee hoon in Malaysia and Singapore, bihon in the Philippines (pancit bihon is the stir-fried dish), and sen mi in Thailand. Vietnamese bún is a close relative — round rice vermicelli, usually a little thicker and often sold fresh. "Mei fun" and "mai fun" are both romanizations of the Cantonese name, and in Mandarin it's mǐfěn.
How do you cook mei fun so it doesn't clump?
Soak the dried vermicelli in warm (not boiling) water for 5–10 minutes until just pliable, then drain well — don't over-soak or boil, which makes it mushy. Then stir-fry over high heat, keeping the noodles moving and adding a little oil and sauce so they separate. A splash of stock loosens them if they stick. Serve right away.
Can you reheat mei fun?
Yes, though rice noodles firm up in the fridge. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water over them and reheat in a hot wok or skillet, tossing until they loosen, or microwave them covered with a splash of water. Cooked mei fun keeps 3–4 days in the fridge.
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