Viral Carrot Button Noodles

These carrot button noodles are made with just two ingredients, carrots and glutinous rice flour, then shaped into little buttons and boiled until soft, chewy, and bouncy. I toss them in a simple chili crisp sauce with soy sauce and rice vinegar for a spicy, savory finish. Their unique shape and simple method are a big part of why they’ve gone viral, and the flavor delivers too.

Why Carrot Button Noodles Went Viral

I started seeing carrot button noodles all over social media, but this video from dandumbrell with more than 50 million views finally convinced me I had to try them. The little orange buttons looked so fun, and when I realized the dough was basically just carrots and glutinous rice flour, I wanted to see if something that simple could actually taste as good as it looked.

The glutinous rice flour completely changes the texture. Instead of eating like traditional pasta, the buttons turn soft, chewy, and slightly bouncy, almost like a rice dumpling. The carrots give them their bright orange color and a mild sweetness, and the dough is naturally gluten-free.

That little indent in the center is more than just for looks. It also creates a spot for the chili crisp sauce to settle, so you get more of the spicy, savory soy and rice vinegar mixture in every bite.

For me, that combination explains the hype. They’re made from incredibly simple ingredients, the shaping is fun and easy, and the finished texture is completely different from what you’d expect from a carrot-based noodle.

Ingredients

• 400 g carrots, cut into small coins
• 300 g glutinous rice flour
• 1 tablespoon chili crisp oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Ingredient Notes

• Glutinous rice flour: Also called sweet rice flour, this is what gives the carrot buttons their soft, chewy, springy texture. It’s different from regular rice flour, so I don’t recommend swapping one for the other. Despite the name, glutinous rice flour doesn’t contain gluten.
• Carrots: Cut the carrots into small, even pieces so they cook quickly and become soft enough to mash completely smooth. After boiling, drain them really well since extra moisture can make the dough sticky and require more flour.
• Chili crisp: Use any chili crisp you like and adjust the amount depending on your heat preference. My homemade chili crisp works great here if you want a more from-scratch version.
• Soy sauce: Soy sauce gives the simple dressing most of its salty, savory flavor. Regular or low-sodium soy sauce both work, but taste the sauce before adding any extra salt.
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar adds acidity that balances the chili oil and mild sweetness of the carrots. Use plain, unseasoned rice vinegar so you have better control over the sweetness and saltiness of the finished sauce.

How to Make Carrot Button Noodles

Step 1: Cook and mash the carrots

Boil the carrot pieces in salted water until very soft and easily pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes.

Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the carrots thoroughly. Let them steam dry for a minute or two, then mash the carrots in a bowl until completely smooth.

Step 2: Make the carrot dough

Add the glutinous rice flour to the warm mashed carrots and mix until a smooth, soft dough forms. The dough should be pliable without sticking heavily to your hands. If it feels dry or cracks when shaped, add the reserved carrot water a teaspoon at a time. If it’s too sticky, work in a little more glutinous rice flour.

Step 3: Shape the carrot buttons

Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into marble-sized balls. Press your fingertip gently into the center of each ball to create the signature button shape. Arrange the finished buttons on a plate while you shape the remaining dough.

Step 4: Boil the noodles and make the sauce

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the carrot buttons in batches if needed. Cook for about 3 minutes or they float to the surface and are tender and chewy.

While they cook, stir together the chili crisp, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.

Step 5: Sauce and serve

Remove the carrot buttons with a slotted spoon and immediately toss them with some of the chili crisp sauce so they don’t stick together.

Divide between bowls and spoon more sauce over the top. Finish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired, and serve warm.

Expert Tips for Chewy Carrot Button Noodles

• Work with the dough while it’s still slightly warm. The carrot and glutinous rice flour mixture is generally easier to knead and shape before it cools completely. If it starts feeling stiff, knead it briefly with your hands to make it pliable again.
• Don’t overwork the dough. Mix and knead only until it becomes smooth and cohesive. Excessive kneading isn’t necessary and can make the finished buttons firmer rather than soft and chewy.
• Lightly wet your hands when shaping. If the dough sticks to your fingers, use slightly damp hands instead of immediately adding more flour. Too much additional glutinous rice flour can make the noodles dense.
• Make a noticeable indent in each button. Press firmly enough to create a little well without pushing all the way through. The indentation gives the sauce somewhere to collect instead of sliding completely off the smooth surface.
• Keep the shaped buttons separated. Arrange them in a single layer while you finish shaping the batch. If they’re piled together before boiling, the slightly sticky dough can cause them to fuse together.
• Don’t overcook them once they float. Glutinous rice flour can become overly soft if boiled too long. Once the buttons rise to the surface, another minute or two is usually enough to give them that chewy, bouncy center.
• Loosen the sauce with cooking water if needed. If your chili crisp mixture feels too concentrated or oily, stir in a teaspoon or two of the hot noodle water. It helps the sauce coat the buttons more evenly while keeping the chili crisp flavor bold.

How to Store and Reheat Carrot Button Noodles

• Best eaten fresh. These noodles are at their best immediately after cooking and tossing in sauce, while they're warm and at their chewiest.
• In the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. They will firm up and become denser as they cool and chill.
• To reheat. Reheat in a skillet with a small splash of water over medium heat, or in the microwave in short intervals, until warmed through. The texture is slightly different from fresh but it's still enjoyable.

Carrot Button Noodles FAQs

What are carrot button noodles?

Carrot button noodles are small, chewy noodles made by combining cooked carrots with glutinous rice flour and shaping the dough into little buttons. They’re kind of similar to gnocchi, and taste best served with a flavorful sauce like chili crisp, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.

What do carrot button noodles taste like?

Carrot button noodles have a mild, slightly sweet carrot flavor with a soft, chewy texture. Most of the bold flavor comes from the sauce, which is why the spicy, savory chili crisp dressing works so well with them.

Are carrot button noodles actually noodles?

They’re called noodles because they’re a handmade dough that’s boiled and served with sauce, but the texture is different from wheat pasta. Glutinous rice flour gives them a chewy, bouncy consistency that’s closer to a rice dumpling or gnocchi than spaghetti or another pasta.

Are carrot button noodles gluten-free?

The carrot and glutinous rice flour dough is naturally gluten-free. Despite its name, glutinous rice flour doesn’t contain gluten. If you need the entire dish to be gluten-free, make sure your soy sauce and chili crisp are also labeled gluten-free. 

Can I use regular rice flour instead of glutinous rice flour?

I don’t recommend it. Regular rice flour and glutinous rice flour behave differently, and regular rice flour won’t give these carrot buttons the same soft, stretchy, chewy texture. Use glutinous rice flour, sometimes labeled sweet rice flour, for this recipe.

Why is my carrot button noodle dough sticky?

The dough can become sticky if the cooked carrots contain too much moisture. Let the carrots drain and steam dry before mashing, then add a little extra glutinous rice flour if needed until the dough is soft and pliable without sticking heavily to your hands.

Why are my carrot button noodles falling apart?

Carrot button noodles can fall apart if the dough is too wet or the buttons aren’t shaped firmly enough. If a test noodle breaks apart in the boiling water, work a little more glutinous rice flour into the remaining dough before cooking the rest.

Why are my carrot button noodles too hard or dense?

Too much glutinous rice flour can make the buttons firm. Add only enough flour to create a smooth dough that holds its shape, and use a little reserved carrot water if the dough becomes dry or cracks while shaping.

Can I make carrot button noodles ahead of time?

Yes. Shape the uncooked carrot buttons, arrange them in a single layer in a covered container, and refrigerate them until you’re ready to boil. Keep the pieces separated so the slightly sticky dough doesn’t fuse together.

Can I use a different sauce on carrot button noodles?

Yes. The carrot buttons have a mild flavor, so they work with a variety of sauces. Try garlic chili oil, sesame sauce, soy-garlic sauce, peanut sauce, or another savory Asian-style dressing in place of the chili crisp sauce.

Are carrot button noodles vegan?

The carrot button dough itself is vegan because it’s made with carrots and glutinous rice flour. For the complete recipe to remain vegan, check the ingredients in your chili crisp and other sauces before using them.

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