If the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “quick noodles” is ramen, these recipes will turn your world around. We’ve got soba, udon, Chinese egg noodles, cellophane noodles, and more. Many of these are easy to find in your supermarket’s produce section, and pair wonderfully with fresh vegetables in a stir-fry or soup. And, OK, one of the recipes is for ramen, albeit a clever hack, using only the dried noodles and ditching the seasoning pack for fresh vegetables and aromatics. Any one of them is a delicious, go-to weeknight dinner.
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RecipeSteamed Mussels with Rice Noodles and Spicy Garlic-Herb-Sake Broth
This dish is just as much about the herb-infused broth as it is about the noodles. Take the time to pick out the nicest herb leaves, as they are the star of the show. -
RecipeSpring Vegetable Lo Mein
Mushrooms stand in for meat in this fresh version of a take-out favorite, and asparagus and carrots give it a decidedly spring feel. This dish is delicious on its own, but for a more filling main course, try topping each serving with a sunny-side-up egg or a piece of broiled soy-glazed salmon.
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RecipeSesame Soba Noodles with Roast Chicken and Chard
Store-bought rotisserie chicken is a time-saver here, but it’s the punch of fresh ginger plus soy sauce and sesame oil that makes this a dish you can’t stop eating.
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RecipeAsian Chicken and Rice Noodle Salad
Although this salad may look like it’ll feed a small army, the rice noodles and shredded vegetables are very light, and the sweet, sour, and slightly spicy vinaigrette makes you want to keep eating.
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RecipePeanut Soba with Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli
Soba are thin, delicately textured Japanese noodles made of buckwheat, with a deep color and a nutty, earthy flavor. Although they’re traditionally served cold with a dipping sauce, here they are stir-fried with tender broccoli florets and soy-marinated flank steak.
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RecipeQuick Shrimp Pad Thai
The method in this tasty pad thai is dead simple. You don't need a super high-powered wok burner; you don't even need a wok. And even though Thai noodle dishes in restaurants often include hard-to-find ingredients like bamboo shoots or Thai basil, you won't need them here; your local supermarket should have everything you need.
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RecipeChinese Egg Noodles with Five-Spice Pork
如果你从来没有去找他们,你可能be surprised to learn that fresh Chinese egg noodles are available in the produce area of most supermarkets. Here, they're paired with ground pork, peanuts, and heady spices for a quick riff on Sichuan dan dan noodles.
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RecipeStir-Fried Noodles with Beef & Vegetables
Takeout may be easy, but it's nowhere near as fun as making dinner yourself. Tonight, pick up a package of bean threads or rice noodles and treat your family to the taste of authentic Asian takeout with this speedy stir-fry made at home.
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RecipeUdon with Tofu and Stir-Fried Vegetables
These wheat-based Japanese noodles are available both dried (used in this recipe) and fresh. Dried udon are flatter than their fresh counterparts and closer in texture to linguine.
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RecipeSweet-and-Sour Soba Noodles with Snow Peas and Ground Pork
If you want a little heat, stir some spicy garlic chile paste or red chile sauce into the noodles. -
RecipeRamen Noodle Soup with Spinach and Poached Eggs
Instant ramen, that old dorm-room standby, gets a massive upgrade when you ditch the artificial flavor packet in favor of fragrant aromatics and fresh spinach.
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RecipeShrimp Pad Thai
Sour, salty, and sweet are perfectly balanced in this classic Thai noodle dish. Add to that luscious tofu and tender shrimp, and you’ve got a real crowd pleaser. -
RecipeCha Soba Noodles with Ginger, Mushrooms, and Pork
Cha soba noodles are subtly flavored with green tea and pair well with the spicy, gingery, tangy notes in the pork. Look for them where you buy noodles; if you can’t find cha, then substitute regular soba noodles.
