Types of Noodles Used in Singapore Noodle Dishes

In Singapore, there are many types of noodle dishes, but most of them are based on a few noodle types.

The concept is a bit like pasta. The same dough is used, but made into different shapes. In the case of the noodles used in Singapore, in addition to the shapes, the actual ingredients used to make the noodles can vary.

Here are some of the most common types of noodles you can find in Singaporean noodle dishes.

Mee Kia - Thin Noodles
This is your run-of-the-mill, basic thin noodle type.

The shape is a thin round like spaghetti. However, it is thinner than spaghetti, and just slight thicker than angle hair.

It is similar to the thin Japanese ramen, but the Singapore version is slightly more springy in texture. Depending on the noodle factory that produces it, there can still be slight variations.

Mee Kia goes very well with noodle dishes that utilizes thick sauces, as it allows the sauce to cling to the noodle very easily.

Often Used in - Minced Meat Noodles, Fishball Noodles, Wonton Noodles, Duck Noodles, Soy Chicken Noodles, Yong Tau Foo

Mee Pok - Flat Noodles
This is the flat version of Mee Kia and is as popular as its thin cousin.

Used very often in fishball noodles, and is especially tasty in dry noodle dishes.

Often Used in - Minced Meat Noodles, Fishball Noodles, Wonton Noodles, Yong Tau Foo

Thick Yellow Noodles
Another popular noodle type, this is a thick oily noodle that is very soft after being cooked. It doesn't have much of a springy texture, but is very versatile, being used in many different types of noodle dishes.

Often Used in - Fishball Noodles, Hokkien Mee, Yong Tau Foo, Fried Kway Teow, Duck Noodles, Mee Goreng, Mee Rebus, Mee Soto

Kway Teow - Flat Rice Noodles
Kway Teow is a stalwart in Asian cooking, and quite naturally, features a lot in Singaporean noodle dishes.

Kway Teow is made from rice flour, and is typically white in colour before it's cooked. The texture is very similar to the famous Thai street dish, Phad Thai. In fact, I believe they are essentially the same thing; simply different shape

It is sometimes referred to as Hor Fun as well.

Kway Teow is the predominant ingredient in one of Singapore's most famous dish, the Fried Kway Teow. Apart from that, it's used more often as a soup noodle dishes.

Often Used in - Minced Meat Noodles, Fishball Noodles, Yong Tau Foo, Fried Kway Teow, Fish Hor Fun, Shredded Chicken Hor Fun

Bee Hoon - Thin Rice Noodles
These are super thin rice noodles that are made of the same rice flour as Kway Teow.

Both fried and soup versions are popular. The simple fried bee hoon is a very popular breakfast dish.

Often Used in - Minced Meat Noodles, Fishball Noodles, Yong Tau Foo, Hokkien Mee, Fish Soup, Bee Hoon Goreng, Mee Siam

Thick Bee Hoon
As the name implies, this is the thicker version of Bee Hoon.

It is the most popular carb for Fish Soup and the Singapore institutional dish, the Katong Laksa.

Often Used in - Fish Soup, Laksa, Hokkien Mee, Yong Tau Foo

Bee Tai Mak
Also known as "rat's tail noodle", it's made of rice flour, but are chopped up into strips resembling... rat's tails.

I know that sounds gross, but taste wise it's no different from Kway Teow.

This type of noodle is not as popular as the other types of noodles, but most stalls will always keep a small batch of that around.

It's mostly used for soup noodles. A fried version exists and usually serves as an alternative to breakfast bee hoon.

Often Used in - Minced Meat Noodles, Fishball Noodles, Laksa, Yong Tau Foo