Dish Explainer

What Is Liangpi?

Liangpi is a northwestern cold noodle dish where chew, acidity, chile oil, and garlic define the experience.

Quick answer

Liangpi is a cold noodle or noodle-sheet dish often served with chile oil, vinegar, garlic, cucumber, and wheat gluten.

Chinese name Pinyin Cuisine or format Usual heat level
凉皮 liáng pí Shaanxi and northwestern Chinese cold noodles Mild to medium

What it tastes like

It is cool, slippery, chewy, sour, garlicky, and chile-fragrant, often with crunchy cucumber and spongy gluten pieces.

How it appears on menus

It appears in Xi'an, Shaanxi, northwestern, and noodle-shop menus, sometimes as cold skin noodles or cold rice noodles.

Common variations

  • Wheat liangpi
  • Rice liangpi
  • Versions with wheat gluten
  • Extra-spicy versions

Dietary issues

Many versions contain wheat gluten even if the noodles appear pale or translucent. Garlic, sesame, soy sauce, vinegar, and chile oil are also common.

What to order with it

Order with roujiamo, biang biang noodles, lamb skewers, or a mild soup.

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