Chewy rice vermicelli noodles are stir-fried with juicy shrimp, eggs, and crisp vegetables in a savory-sweet sauce. This easy bihun goreng recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Every bite is savory and garlicky with the rich umami flavor of kecap manis.
Jump to:
Bihun goreng (aka bee hoon goreng or mee hoon goreng) is a Southeast Asian stir-fried rice vermicelli dish popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, with variations made with vegetables, eggs, and different proteins.
I first tried it at a humble family-owned, open-air roadside restaurant in my husband's hometown of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where I watched the cook quickly toss everything together in a hot wok. It arrived piping hot on a simple orange plastic plate and was incredibly delicious, especially from the smoky wok hei.
After making this dish many times at home, I found that briefly soaking and thoroughly draining the rice vermicelli keeps the noodles chewy and helps them absorb the savory-sweet kecap manis-based sauce without becoming soggy.
Why It Works
- Chewy noodles: Briefly soaking the rice vermicelli, then rinsing and thoroughly draining it keeps the noodles chewy instead of soggy or prone to breaking.
- Tender shrimp: A 15-minute baking soda marinade keeps the shrimp plump and snappy, while briefly searing and removing them prevents overcooking.
- High-heat stir-frying: Toasting the sauce and noodles against the hot pan adds caramelization and smoky wok hei.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Rice Vermicelli: Use thin dried rice vermicelli, about 1-2 mm thick.
- Jumbo Shrimp: Use easy-peel, deveined jumbo shrimp for convenience; fresh or frozen both work, but thaw if frozen. I prefer black tiger shrimp for a meatier bite. Sliced boneless chicken thighs or fish cakes also work; skip the marinade if using fish cakes.
- Large Eggs
- Mung Bean Sprouts: Soybean sprouts also work.
- Yu Choy (aka Choy Sum): Bok choy, napa cabbage, or gai lan also work.
- Shallot: Half a small onion also works.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic works best, but jarred minced garlic also works.
- Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral, high-smoke-point oil for frying. Canola or refined avocado oil works too.
Marinade
- Cornstarch: Potato starch also works.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce also works.
- Baking Soda: Don't skip this because it helps keep the shrimp tender and snappy.
- Vegetable Oil
Noodle Sauce
- Sweet Soy Sauce (Kecap Manis): A thick, sweet Indonesian soy sauce. Find it at most Asian grocery stores or online. If unavailable, use dark soy sauce mixed with 2 teaspoons of sugar.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce also works.
- Oyster Sauce: Vegetarian stir-fry sauce also works.
- White Granulated Sugar: Cane sugar also works.
- Black Pepper: White pepper also works.
- Cold Water
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or online.
Expert Tips
- Slice thick stems thinly: Cut thick yu choy stems on a bias so they cook quickly.
- Rinse the bean sprouts: Rinse under cold water to remove their natural odor, then drain well.
- Rinse the shrimp well: Rinse under cold water to remove shell fragments, then pat dry so they sear and don't steam.
- Prep everything before cooking: Stir-frying moves quickly, so have all ingredients ready before starting.
- Use a large hot pan: Give the ingredients enough surface area to stir-fry instead of steam.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make bihun goreng:
- Marinate the shrimp: Toss the shrimp with all the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl until well combined. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Soak and drain the noodles: Submerge the dried rice vermicelli in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until firm but limp and pliable. Drain immediately, rinse under cold running water to remove excess starch, and shake well to remove as much water as possible. Set aside.
- Mix the noodle sauce: Whisk all the noodle sauce ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Sear the shrimp: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or pan over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp until pink, opaque, and lightly curled into a C-shape, then immediately remove from the pan. Set aside.
- Cook the aromatics and eggs: Sauté the shallots and garlic in the residual oil for 10 seconds. Push them to the side, pour in the remaining oil, and add the beaten eggs. Let the eggs set for 10 seconds, scramble into bite-sized pieces, and push to the side.
- Stir-fry and assemble: Add the noodles and sauce to the pan, letting the sauce toast against the hot surface for 5 seconds. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated. Add the yu choy and bean sprouts and toss until combined. Return the shrimp to the pan and give everything a final toss.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Microwave for 1-2 minutes until hot, or stir-fry in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water for about 3 minutes.
- Freezer: I don't recommend freezing bihun goreng because the rice vermicelli can become hard and crumbly after thawing.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Replace the regular soy sauce with gluten-free soy sauce. For the kecap manis, use gluten-free soy sauce mixed with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Use gluten-free oyster sauce.
- Vegetarian: Replace the shrimp with cubed extra-firm tofu and the oyster sauce with vegetarian stir-fry sauce. Skip the marinade, pan-fry the tofu until golden, then add it back in Step 6.
- Spicy: Add 1 tablespoon of sambal oelek or chili paste to the noodle sauce for extra heat.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve Bihun Goreng with:
- Malaysian Curry Puffs: The flaky pastry adds a crisp contrast to the chewy noodles.
- Curry Chicken Wings: The savory, spiced chicken makes the meal more substantial.
- Chinese Garlic Bok Choy: The crisp greens add freshness alongside the savory noodles.
FAQ
Why are my rice vermicelli noodles breaking?
The noodles were likely soaked too long and became too soft before stir-frying. Soak them for only 1-2 minutes until firm but limp and pliable, then immediately drain and rinse under cold water.
More Like This
Check out my other noodle recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy 30-Minute Bihun Goreng
Chewy rice vermicelli noodles are stir-fried with juicy shrimp, eggs, and crisp vegetables in a savory-sweet sauce. This easy bihun goreng recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Every bite is savory and garlicky with the rich umami flavor of kecap manis.
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz rice vermicelli dried kind
- ½ lb jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined, rinsed, patted dry
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts rinsed & drained well
- 1.5 cups yu choy cut into 2" long pieces
- 1 small shallot finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Shrimp Marinade
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Noodle Sauce
- 2 tablespoon sweet soy sauce (aka kecap manis)
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ tablespoon white granulated sugar
- â…› teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup water cold
Instructions
- Toss the shrimp with all the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl until well combined. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Submerge the dried rice vermicelli in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until firm but limp and pliable. Drain immediately, rinse under cold running water to remove excess starch, and shake well to remove as much water as possible. Set aside.
- Whisk all the noodle sauce ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or pan over medium-high heat. Sear the shrimp until pink, opaque, and lightly curled into a C-shape, then immediately remove from the pan. Set aside.
- Sauté the shallots and garlic in the residual oil for 10 seconds. Push them to the side, pour in the remaining oil, and add the beaten eggs. Let the eggs set for 10 seconds, scramble into bite-sized pieces, and push to the side.
- Add the noodles and sauce to the pan, letting the sauce toast against the hot surface for 5 seconds. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated. Add the yu choy and bean sprouts and toss until combined. Return the shrimp to the pan and give everything a final toss.
Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
Suggested Equipment & Products
Nutrition
Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 1181mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1439IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 2mg
AH
Delicious !! my American boys also agreed ! They liked it - I added chicken, shrimps and bakso( beef meatball).
Thank you for sharing the recipe..
Christie Lai
So glad to hear this! Thanks so much for making my recipe and I appreciate the positive feedback!
AH
Delicious !! my American boys also agreed ! They liked it - I added chicken, shrimps and bakso( beef meatball).
Thank you for sharing and really delicious!
Joyce Drissen Waite-Gibson/ IndoGirl
This is my most favorite dish and I am Indonesian. I do add carrots, cabbage & onion but OMG this is my go to recipe and I absolutely love it. Thank you!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Joyce! I am so glad you enjoy my recipe and those extra veggies sounds like a great way to add more fiber to this dish. Have a lovely weekend! 🙂
Chandran Arianayagam
Thank you - you made it so easy and it tasted very good
christieathome
I am so happy to read this, Chandran! Thanks very much for making my recipe!
Rita
Very tasty! My picky kids enjoyed it also. I'm Indonesian and this recipe got two thumbs up from me!
christieathome
So happy to read this Rita! Thank you for making my recipes and glad the kids also enjoyed it!
Karthik
Hi there,
I am your biggest fan of your cooking especially your Chinese Lemon Chicken.
christieathome
Thank you so much Karthik! I truly appreciate the kind comment and support. I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes 🙂 Have a great day!
M C Loo
Excellent !
christieathome
Thank you so much!
Hock Li
Nice recipe.. my family eat the whole lot after I use this recipe.
Thank you
christieathome
Thank you for making my recipe! Glad to hear this!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Quick and easy, and packed with both flavor and protein. This really is the perfect easy dinner recipe!
Never Ending Journeys
What an incredibly delicious stir fry idea! Looks yummy, especially with the eggs!