By The Table desk · Last verified 11 October 2026
Prawn noodles, or prawn mee (Hokkien: hae mee), are a Singapore hawker classic with roots in Fujian, China. The heart of the dish is the broth: most stalls simmer prawn heads and shells for hours, and many add pork bones, for a sweet, deep, orange-tinted soup. You can have it soup, with noodles in the broth, or dry, tossed in chilli or sambal with the soup on the side. Then choose the noodle, usually yellow noodles, bee hoon or kway teow, or a mix. The upgrades are pork ribs and big prawns, and each raises the price, which every stall sets on its own board.
A good bowl of prawn mee is pure comfort, and knowing the choices means you get exactly the bowl you are craving.
Quick facts
- Origin: traced to Fujian, China; sold at hawker centres and coffee shops across Singapore.
- Broth: prawn heads and shells, simmered long; pork bones at many stalls.
- Styles: soup, or dry with chilli and the soup on the side.
- Noodles: yellow noodles, bee hoon, kway teow, or a yellow-and-bee-hoon mix.
- Upgrades: pork ribs, big prawns, and at some stalls pork slices or other seafood.
- Prices: set by each stall and rise with the prawn size; check the board (as of October 2026).
Soup or dry?
| Choice | Soup | Dry |
|---|---|---|
| How it comes | Noodles, prawns and toppings in the broth | Noodles tossed in chilli or sambal; broth in a separate bowl |
| Flavour | Sweet, deep, prawny | Spicy and savoury, with the soup to sip between bites |
| Best for | Tasting the stall’s broth at its fullest | Chilli lovers; keeping noodles springy |
| Watch out for | Noodles softening if you linger | Heat level varies a lot by stall |
Not sure? Order dry. You get the chilli-tossed noodles and the full broth on the side, so you taste both sides of the stall.
Pork ribs, big prawns and how the price climbs
The basic bowl comes with prawns plus toppings such as bean sprouts, fried shallots and, at some stalls, crispy pork lard. From there, the board offers upgrades.
| Bowl | What you get | Price logic |
|---|---|---|
| Basic prawn noodles | Sliced prawns, sprouts, shallots, broth | Lowest price on the board |
| Prawn and pork rib | Adds braised or simmered pork ribs | A step up |
| Big prawn | Larger whole prawns, often split in half | Priced higher, often by prawn size |
| Big prawn and pork rib | Both upgrades | Usually the top of the board |
Some “big prawn” stalls price by the size of the prawn or a set number of prawns per bowl, so the top tier can be much dearer than the basic bowl. Read the board slowly before you order.
How to order, step by step
- Read the board, noting each tier and price.
- Choose the bowl: basic, pork rib, big prawn, or both.
- Say soup or dry.
- Pick the noodle: yellow, bee hoon, kway teow, or “mix” (yellow with bee hoon).
- Chilli: say if you want more or less, especially for the dry version.
- Exclusions: no pork lard, no sprouts, and so on.
Worked example: “Prawn and pork rib, dry, mix noodles, less chilli.” One sentence, every decision made.
Eating the prawns without fuss
Basic bowls usually arrive with peeled, sliced prawns. Big prawns often come split but in the shell, so expect to use your fingers or chopsticks to lift the meat out. Ask for a small empty bowl for shells, and a few tissues. If you want no fuss at all, stick to the basic tier.
The WahLiao Verdict
Start with prawn and pork rib, dry, with mixed noodles: you taste the chilli, the broth and the ribs in one sitting, and you will know at once whether the stall’s soup is worth a big-prawn splurge next time. Big prawns are a treat, not a test; the broth is what tells you a stall is good. Read the tiers carefully, decide on your noodle before you reach the front, and keep tissues handy.
Questions people ask
Why is the broth orange?
It comes from the prawn heads and shells, which are simmered for a long time. Some stalls also add chilli oil or spices.
Is prawn mee the same as Hokkien mee?
No. Both use prawns and both have Hokkien roots, but Hokkien mee is a fried noodle dish and prawn mee is soup or dry noodles with broth.
Does prawn mee contain pork?
Often yes, through pork bones in the broth, pork ribs or lard. Ask the stall if you avoid pork.
Is it suitable for shellfish allergies?
No. The broth itself is made from prawns, so even a bowl without prawns on top is not safe.
Sources: MICHELIN Guide, Singapore’s prawn mee: broth, styles, noodles and toppings. The Table explains; it does not endorse.
Read next: Bak Chor Mee Explained: Dry or Soup, the Vinegar and the Toppings · Fish Soup Explained: Sliced Fish, Fried Fish and the Milk Question · Back to The Table
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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