The truth is, they’d be right! Although, there are a few people that use the term “noodle” loosely, so I’ve managed to squeeze in a couple of wildcards to keep things interesting. Don’t worry, though. I have a whole slew of yummy, spicy, veggie-filled noodle recipes for you to try, along with a couple of cheesy classics.
20+ Ways To Make Noodles for Dinner
1. Yakisoba Chicken
Yakisoba literally means “fried noodle” in Japanese, and is there anything better after a long day than a big bowl of stir-fry? This specific recipe uses a unique and thick sauce, which gets coated all over those noodles as well as the chicken and veggies. Unfortunately, the traditional recipe has a few ingredients that are hard to find, but this version is still super tasty and pretty darn close to the original.
2. Garlic Noodles
Garlic noodles are perfect for an afternoon snack or as a side to something tasty for dinner. They work just as well with steak as they do with spicy stir-fried vegetables. Unlike regular buttered noodles, these have a deeper base, made using oyster sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. So, they might work as a side to steak or pork chops, but they’re not a replacement for your favorite Italian spaghetti.
3. Paula Deen’s Goulash
These might not be the noodles you immediately think of when you hear the word, but they are known as macaroni noodles, so I’m keeping this one on the list. Goulash is a terrific one-pot wonder that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. Kids love it just as much as the grown-ups, and it’s pretty cheap to make, too. Try roasting off some carrots, squash, and cauliflower and blending it in with the tomato sauce to make it extra nutritious. Nobody will know the sauce is loaded with hidden veggies!
4. Takeout Sesame Noodles
I’m not sure why this is called sesame noodles when the sauce is made using peanut butter, but here we are. These noodles are slathered in a light but intensely flavored Asian peanut butter sauce. So, it’s not ideal if you have an allergy. But it is crazy-delicious, and I recommend having them on their own so you can really enjoy the flavor.
5. Amish Macaroni Salad
Here we are again with the macaroni noodles! But I think you’ll agree that this delightful, creamy pasta salad is worthy of a spot on the list. Like potato salad, pasta salad is a family fave, and it’s a welcome sight at any BBQ or pot-luck. I love the combination of hard-boiled eggs, onion, celery, red pepper, and dill pickle relish, all of which provide fantastic texture and flavor.
6. Spicy Peanut Soba Noodle Salad
Soba noodles are a little different from the noodles you may generally have. They’re thinner than udon noodles but thicker than egg noodles, and they have a distinct nutty flavor. They’re made with buckwheat flour, which makes them naturally gluten-free. When cooked, these noodles have a lovely chewy texture. This dish has another peanut sauce recipe, but it’s got a bit more kick than the one above. It’s also thicker, which makes this a creamier version and very flavorful.
7. Easy Tofu Pad Thai
Pad Thai is one of my all-time favorite noodle dishes, and it’s something I actually learned to make at home. The trick is to use a lot of different flavors but to balance them out just so. So, this contains chili garlic sauce and Thai red chilies, but it also has lime juice for freshness, and the tamarind adds a lovely sweetness to the mix.
8. Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is warm and comforting, and it’s great for a light lunch on a cold day. I prefer to make my own chicken broth since it’s the star of the dish, but if you buy it from the store, be sure to get something low in sodium. The best thing about this soup is that there are no rules to follow when adding veggies. If you’re not a carrot lover, maybe try butternut squash. If you don’t love celery, why not add in some chopped leeks? It’s totally up to you.
9. Tuna Noodle Casserole
If you’re looking for something filling, cheap, and easy to whip up on a busy weeknight, this tuna noodle casserole is the one for you. Unlike many recipes like this, you won’t be using canned soup as a base unless, of course, you’d like to speed things up! I didn’t have any mushrooms, so I added broccoli instead, and you can always change up the veggie to suit your palette.
10. Chow Mein
Chow mein is one of the easiest stir fry noodle recipes out there, and it’s a terrific way to use up any leftover vegetables that might be on their last legs. Though the recipe calls for peppers, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and cabbage, go ahead and throw in those extra broccoli florets and the last few pieces of roasted sweet potato if you have them. As for the sauce, you’ll make a pretty fast cornstarch slurry using soy sauce, oyster sauce, stock, brown sugar, and sesame oil.
11. Zucchini Noodles
Vegetable noodles are a fantastic option for those looking to lower their carb intake or for people with gluten intolerances. They’re also perfect for getting kids to eat more veggies! Zucchini noodles are probably the ones you’ve seen the most, and it’s likely due to the fact they’re so easy to make. Zucchini is softer than, say, carrots, so it’s easier to work with. These hand-held spiralizers take up almost no room, and they’re great for making vegetable noodles, which you can eat raw, microwaved, sautéed, or boiled.
12. Barilla Lasagna Recipe
Lasagna is a classic comforting dish made with a rich meat sauce and some kind of creamy, cheesy element, usually cheese sauce or a ricotta and egg mix. But the whole thing hinges on the noodles to hold those slices together. Without the pasta, you’d just have a bowl of sauce. To make your prep lightning-fast, grab a box of no-boil lasagna noodles. They will cook in the oven, so there’s no need to pre-boil them.
13. Asian Ramen Noodle Salad
Ramen noodle salad takes the boring away from a bowl of lettuce by adding crunchy noodles, nuts, and a sweet and tangy dressing to the mix. In some cases, you’ll just break up the noodles and toss them in. But not with this recipe! For this “best ever” ramen noodle salad, you’ll brown the noodles in a skillet with butter, slivered almonds, and sesame seeds for maximum flavor.
14. Vegan Dan Dan Noodles
Dan dan noodles are a Chinese Sichuan dish made with spicy sauce, chili oil, Sichuan pepper, minced pork, and scallions. It started as cheap but delicious street food, and it’s only become more and more popular as more people have tasted it. For this vegan version, you’ll make vegan “meat” with mushrooms, tofu, pecans, onion, and garlic. Although, you can just use regular fried tofu to speed things up.
15. Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine refers to the long flat noodles used in many Italian meals, while alfredo is the creamy sauce traditionally made with only butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Of course, it’s evolved over the years, and most alfredo sauces contain a blend of cheese along with some seasonings like garlic and onion. For a natural boost of flavor, try adding a spice bag with rosemary, garlic, and thyme to your cream, along with plenty of sliced onion. Bring it to a simmer, then let it cool to infuse it will all those fantastic ingredients.
16. Thai Peanut Noodles Recipe
If you have peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, and brown sugar, you’ll have the makings of one tasty noodle dish! If you don’t have chili paste, you can use Sriracha instead. Just whisk it all together and toss it with the cooked noodles. If this is just a quick lunch, I would throw over some chopped scallions and be very happy. For something more substantial, try frying up some chopped carrots and cabbage and maybe leftover chicken or tofu, too.
17. Lo Mein
Lo mein and chow mein look similar, and you’ll notice that a lot of the ingredients are the same with the two recipes. The biggest difference between these two noodle meals, however, is how the noodles are cooked. In chow mein, the noodles are boiled and then fried first before adding veggies, making them slightly crisp. In lo mein, the noodles are boiled and then tossed into the pan right at the end.
18. Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) is a traditional noodle meal that embodies the simplicity of authentic Italian cooking. This recipe consists of butter and freshly cracked black pepper instead of a super heavy, cream-filled sauce. Toss in the noodles with some pasta water and then finely grated Grana Padano (or Parmesan) and Pecorino. Let the heat melt the cheeses and serve. So simple!
19. Tallarines Verdes (Green Spaghetti)
Ready for a Peruvian twist on an Italian classic? Pesto is typically made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan. To get it to the right consistency, you’ll add some salt and pepper and olive oil, but it’s supposed to be a little chunky and definitely not smooth and creamy. For this version, you’ll use olive oil, spinach, basil, garlic, shallots, and walnuts along with evaporated milk and queso fresco to turn it into a dreamy sauce with a gorgeous green hue.
20. Sweet Lokshen Kugel
Kugel is a Jewish casserole that can be served sweet or savory and normally contains eggs, fat, and starch. The starch component could be bread, rice, matzo, or matzo farfel, but we’re talking about noodles today, right? I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how sweet and creamy this is, not to mention filling and cheap! The base is a blend of eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, sugar, melted butter, and salt, so it’s super-rich. You can add anything from soaked raisins to other dried fruits and nuts to make this extra special.
21. Fried Cabbage and Noodles
I love having cabbage as a simple side dish because it’s tasty, easy to whip up, and pretty inexpensive when feeding a whole family. But sometimes, I find it’s missing something to make it a little more satisfying. So that’s why this is my new go-to for cabbage side dished. Not only does it have buttery cabbage and tender noodles, but it’s also full of incredible caramelized onions.
22. One-Pot Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is a Russian dish that uses chopped beef in a creamy gravy made from sour cream, beef broth, mustard, and mushrooms. Of course, beef isn’t the cheapest option, which is why this recipe has you use ground beef instead, making it much more wallet-friendly. The best thing about this version is that you can cook it all in one pot, so there’s no need for a bunch of extra dishes.
23. Shirataki Noodles
Also known as konjac noodles and “miracle” noodles, shirataki noodles are Japanese, keto-friendly “pasta” made from glucomannan, which is found in the konjac root. It doesn’t sound too appealing, right? The issue with these noodles is that they’ll be chewy and unpleasant if you don’t cook them the right way. But this recipe seems to get it just right! Note: these noodles contain no carbohydrates and are vegan and gluten-free. However, they have been banned in Australia because they have been known to cause severe bloating. Some people cannot digest them properly, and as they sit in your stomach, they absorb water and expand. So with that in mind, remember only to consume konjac in moderation.
24. Easy Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe
I order meatballs over regular meat sauce every time because I like to have that bit of extra texture in my pasta. Meatballs are fantastic for adding protein and seasoning to your meals, and they’re pretty easy to make, too. I like to cook them on the stove-top, rolling them around until they’re browned on all sides before adding my sauce into the pan. The sauce will cook along with the meatballs, and they’ll infuse with even more flavor.
25. Easy German Spätzle Recipe
Spätzle is a kind of German egg noodles that, like the kugel from above, is served both sweet and savory. Though a Spätzle press would be helpful, I just used my potato ricer, and they came out perfectly. Think of them like you would pasta and serve with anything from meat sauce to Cacio e Pepe.
26. Quick Vegan Pho
Pronounced “fuh,” this Vietnamese soup is the perfect blend of flavorful broth, rice noodles, herbs, veggies, and meat. Of course, this version is vegan, which means it’s full of vegetable stock, tofu, and a slew of incredible spices and fun extras. Interestingly, many recipes rely on herbs and raw veggies for the topping, so whatever you choose, be sure to slice it pretty thin since it won’t be cooked.
27. Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Glass Noodles)
Japchae is the Korean version of chow mein, with the main difference being this dish uses sweet potato glass noodles instead of egg noodles. You can find these specialized noodles in most Asian grocery stores, in larger supermarkets, and, of course, online. You’ll boil these like any other noodle, though it is recommended that you toss them in a bit of oil to stop them from sticking once cooked. Click on a star to rate it!
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