Six Sensational Noodle Recipes
Celebrate National Noodle Month with a pasta dish for every occasion.Not gonna lie. We love our carbs. We could probably eat noodles all day...breakfast, lunch, and dinner...if given the opportunity. And, being adults, we have the opportunity to do so. (Especially if we decide to not have cereal for dinner. Another perk of adulting...carb choices.)
In all seriousness, pasta and noodles are a staple of so many cultures and cuisines because they are quick and easy and make a great base to complement so many different flavors. So how awesome is it that March is National Noodle Month? Very awesome! Here's your chance to try a handful of different dishes featuring this venerable starch in many of its myriad forms.
Pasta al Burro
When we think of fettucine alfredo in America, we often think of a thick, rich, cream-based white sauce, but in reality, the origins of the dish are much simpler. The original alfredo recipe is one using only butter, fettuccine, and young parmesan cheese, as below. Enjoy! Makes about 4-6 servings.
Image courtesy of The Candid Appetite Instructions
1. Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut butter into thin pats and transfer to a large, warmed platter. Drain pasta, reserving 3⁄4 cup pasta water, and place the pasta over the butter on the platter.
3. Sprinkle grated parmesan over the pasta and drizzle with 1⁄4 cup of the reserved pasta water.
4. Using a large spoon and fork, gently toss the pasta with the butter and cheese, lifting and swirling the noodles and adding more pasta water as necessary. (The pasta water will help create a smooth sauce.) Work in any melted butter and cheese that pools around the edges of the platter.
5. Continue to mix the pasta until the cheese and butter have fully melted and the noodles are coated, about 3 minutes. (For a quicker preparation, bring the reserved 3⁄4 cup pasta water and the butter to a boil in a 12″ skillet; then add the pasta, sprinkle with the cheese, and toss with tongs over medium-low heat until the pasta is creamy and coated, about 2 minutes.)
6. Serve the fettuccine immediately on warmed plates.
Adapted from Saveur
Singapore Noodles
While its actual origin is somewhat shrouded in mystery (but most likely NOT Singapore), Singapore noodles are a delicious way to get in all of our favorites...veggies, noodles, and proteins. Shrimp is almost always found in Singapore noodles, and so is char siu. Good noodles also make the difference—look for "kong moon" style rice noodles, which are made by several brands. A good place to check is your local Asian supermarket for relatively thin rice noodles, as well as the char siu. If you're unable to get that, ham is also a popular option—you can select a thick piece of ham steak and slice it thinly. Special equipment needed: wok. A very large nonstick skillet may also be used. Makes about 4 servings.
1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon canola oil and 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce. Mix well and set aside in refrigerator.
2. Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain noodles in a colander, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack set in it. Spread noodles in an even layer, then, using scissors, cut noodles in half.
3. Place garlic in a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons curry powder along with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Mix well, thinning with 2 teaspoons water, then set sauce aside.
4. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a wok or nonstick skillet over high heat, tilting to swirl oil, until smoking. Add eggs and let cook undisturbed for about 10 seconds, then gently move the eggs back and forth with a spatula until they start to firm up. Break eggs into small pieces, then set aside in a large bowl.
5. Wipe wok clean. Return wok to high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until smoking. Add shrimp and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add roast pork and onion and continue to stir-fry for another 30 seconds. Add red bell pepper and snow peas and stir for another 30 seconds, then add carrots. Add remaining 1 teaspoon curry powder, season with salt, and cook, tossing, until curry is evenly distributed. Scrape wok contents into bowl with eggs.
6. Wipe wok clean again. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil over high heat until smoking. Add rice-stick noodles and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Stir in sauce until curry powder is evenly distributed, adding water 1 or 2 teaspoons at a time as needed to help distribute sauce. Return egg, shrimp, roast pork, and vegetables to wok and stir-fry until everything is evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and remove from heat. Add scallions, drizzle with sesame oil, mix well, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Enjoy immediately.
Adapted from Serious Eats
Pasta 'n Cheese in a Pot
Oooey, gooey, rich, and mouthwateringly delicious. Are there noodles in here? Yes. There's also sausage (spicy or not, your call), a LOT of cheese, and of course some veggies (this is a balanced meal, after all). This is one of our favorite recipes of all time, and while it tastes like you spent all day over a hot stove...it's actually pretty simple.
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place zucchini, onion, tomatoes (skin side down), and garlic cloves on large baking sheet, combine with olive oil and 1 tsp Italian spices and several grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Place in oven and set timer for 30 minutes. Turn zucchini slices and onions about halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, place large pot of water on stove over high heat. When water is boiling, add kosher salt and pasta. Cook until pasta is about 3/4 done, approximately 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Check vegetables after 30 minutes and remove from oven when nicely roasted. Set aside to cool. When vegetables are cool, remove peel from garlic cloves and roughly chop the other vegetables. Set aside.
4. Combine ricotta, 8 ounces mozzarella, parmesan cheese, eggs, 1 tsp Italian spices, and several grinds of freshly ground pepper in large bowl.
5. Reset oven to 350 degrees F. In a large baking dish, combine roasted vegetables and pasta. Add sausage and tomato sauce. Top with cheese mixture and gently mix. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake covered with aluminum foil for approximately 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Adapted from Genius Kitchen
Garlic Shrimp Fettuccine
This delicious and deceptively simple dish makes a marvelous date-night treat...but is easy enough for anytime. Serves about 4.
1. Cook fettuccine according to package, reserving a cup of pasta water to thicken the sauce, if needed.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 Tablespoon butter until melted.
3. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pink and completely opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
4. Into the pan, add remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and garlic. Cook about 1 minute.
5. Whisk in flour and cook until no longer raw, 2 minutes.
6. Stir in heavy cream and milk, then whisk in egg yolk. Bring to a low simmer.
7. Whisk in parmesan.
8. When cheese is melted and sauce has thickened slightly, add cooked pasta and shrimp, tossing to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Garnish with more parmesan and parsley.
Adapted from Delish
Parmesan Chicken and Noodle Soup
A tasty twist on an timeless classic, this recipe is wonderful for its simplicity and its hearty nature. It's comfort food that can satisfy even the pickiest of palates...and as a bonus, it's easy to make with pantry staples you most likely already have on hand. Yields about 6 servings.
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the fennel, carrot, onion, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the pasta. Cook until the pasta is just tender, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken and simmer until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper and sprinkle with more Parmesan.
Adapted from Food Network
Avocado and Soba Noodle Salad With Spicy Tahini
This chill noodle salad can be a side dish, but is hearty enough to stand on its own as a meal. Full of good carbs, healthy fats, and plenty of greens it's summertime in a bowl.
For salad
1. In a medium saucepan, cook the soba noodles in boiling water, as directed on your package.
2. Make the dressing: Put the tahini paste, miso paste, rice vinegar, and sriracha in a large bowl. Whisk well.
3. Drain the cooked noodles and rinse under cold running water; set aside in the colander. (To keep noodles from clumping, rub the noodles together when rinsing under cold running water to wash away excess starch.)
4. Add your drained and cooled soba noodles to the dressing bowl and toss.
5. Add the jicama and baby spinach; mix well. Top off the soba noodles with avocado slices and gomashio.
6. To serve, twirl the noodles using tongs and place in individual serving bowls.
Adapted from Epicurious and first appeared in Kintsugi Wellness: The Japanese Art of Nourishing Mind, Body, and Spirit © 2018 by Candice Kumai.
