How to Store Egg Noodles
Egg noodles are a great way of getting your kids to eat their vegetables. They’re also an excellent source of protein and fiber if made with natural flour.
Egg noodles make such good lunchbox food for school lunches or packed in the car on road trips. They are also easy and convenient to make. See how to store Rice noodles and crispy bacon storage.
So, in this article, we wrote down several ways to store egg noodles (cooked, dried, or fresh) in different methods.
To give you a glimpse, the most basic way to store egg noodles is by placing them into an airtight plastic or glass container with some rice paper sheets inside.
Read below for more tips, plus spice up your noodles following these methods.
How to Store Fresh Egg Noodles 5 Different Ways
Storing fresh noodles is not difficult at all if you know what you should do. In fact, there are many ways that you can use to keep these delicious foods safe from spoiling.
You may store the egg noodles in the cooler, fridge or freezer depending on your convenience.
See the difference in noodles used in Pad Thai vs Drunken Noodles.
What Do You Need in Storing Egg Noodles
You will need a storage bag, lid, cling film or cellophane wrap, waxed paper, and Ziploc bags.
The first thing that you need when storing fresh noodles is a storage bag. This will help protect the noodles from any possible damage caused by moisture. It would be best if you get one made out of plastic so it won’t break easily.
The next essential item is a lid because, without one, the noodles may dry up quickly. If you don’t have a lid, then wrap the noodles tightly using aluminum foil.
Another option is to place the noodles directly onto a plate covered with cling film. The cling film helps prevent the noodles from drying out too much. However, you must remember to remove the cling film before serving. Otherwise, the noodles could stick together.
You can even put the noodles in between two pieces of waxed paper. Just make sure that the waxed papers aren’t touching each other. Otherwise, the noodles might stick together.
If you want to freeze noodles, then you’ll need something like Ziploc bags. Make sure that the noodles are well-wrapped so that no part of the noodle gets exposed.
How to Store Cooked Egg Noodles
Storing cooked egg noodles isn’t very hard either. It can be stored for a couple of months, depending on how it is appropriately done. Here are the steps on how to store cooked egg noodles:
1. Make sure that the pasta is cool enough before storing it in the fridge.
2. To stop them from clumping in the fridge, toss them in oil using a bowl. However, if the cooked noodles have sauces and ingredients, you will not need the oil.
3. Tightly seal the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent contamination.
4. Store in the fridge for a maximum of 5 days. Know that the longer you store cooked noodles, the more it will get soggy.
How to Freeze Cooked Egg Noodles
Cooking egg noodles takes time but freezing them doesn’t take long at all. So, why bother cooking them twice? Well, here’s where things start getting interesting. When frozen, the noodles become firm and crispy, which makes them perfect for making salads. They’re great for adding crunchiness to sandwiches and wraps. And lastly, they can be used as a base for soups.
To freeze the noodles, follow these simple instructions:
1. Remember to cook them first until al dente. Once cooked, drain off excess water.
2. Transfer the drained noodles into a sealed or airtight plastic or glass container or freezer-safe container. Use a spoon to press down the noodles evenly.
3. Seal the container and freeze for up to 5 months.
How to Store Homemade Egg Noodles
Homemade egg noodles are easy to prepare and store. But there are some tips that you should know about homemade noodles:
- Always use room temperature eggs. Cold ones tend to curdle the dough.
- Don’t add extra liquid while kneading the dough. Too much liquid will cause the noodles to fall apart during boiling or cooking time.
- Use a noodle cutter or pastry cutter when cutting the dough.
Here are the steps in storing homemade noodles:
1. Place the cut noodles in a large pot filled with cold salted water.
2. Boil the water over medium heat.
3. Cook the egg noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes.
4. Drain immediately by running under cold tap water. Let the noodles dry entirely using a drying rack.
5. Wrap the dried noodles tightly using plastic wrap. If possible, cover the package with another layer of plastic wrap. This prevents the noodles from sticking together.
6. Refrigerate the packaged noodles for a couple of hours.
How to Freeze Homemade Egg Noodles
Freezing your homemade noodles is easier than you think. All you need to do is follow these easy steps:
1. Place the uncooked homemade noodles in a ziplock bag and seal them.
2. Put the sealed bag inside a larger zip lock bag.
3. Label the outer bag with the date and write “freeze” on top. The best thing about this method is that you don’t even need to defrost the frozen egg noodles before eating. Just reheat them in boiling water.
How to Store Fresh Egg Noodle Dough
Fresh egg noodles are very versatile. You can make the perfect noodle on your own on any day of the week. It’s also one of those foods that taste better after being refrigerated overnight. Here are the basic steps on how to store fresh egg noodle dough:
1. Make sure the flour has been mixed well. Don’t leave lumps because they’ll affect the texture of the finished product.
2. Cover the bowl containing the dough with cling film or plastic wrap. Leave enough space between the edges so that the dough won’t stick to each other.
3. Keep the covered bowl in the refrigerator for 12 – 24 hours. That is the maximum storage time if you want to have fresh noodle dough.
4. Remove the dough from the fridge 1 hour before rolling out.
How to Dry Egg Noodles
Drying egg noodles is not difficult but requires patience. Follow these simple instructions below:
1. Cut the raw pasta dough into small pieces. Dust with flour (use Semolina flour) to prevent them from sticking together.
2. Spread the pieces onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Hang them in the drying rack for 24 to 48 hours to completely dry.
3. If you do not plan to cook them immediately, store them in an airtight glass or plastic container for a couple of weeks.
How Long Do Egg Noodles Last
Egg noodles last longer than most people expect. They keep their quality for up to two months in the freezer. However, once thawed, they should be cooked within three days to get the best quality out of them. If you’re planning to freeze your noodles, remember to use only freshly made ones. Frozen noodles tend to lose some of their flavors and needed to be cooked well with added spices.
How to tell my Egg Noodles are Bad
If you find yourself buying bad eggs noodles, here’s what you might see:
- Sticky strands
- Hardened spots
- Dark brown color
- Smell like ammonia
- Taste bitter
- Feel sticky
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Difference Between Egg Noodles and Pasta?
Pasta comes in many shapes and sizes, while egg noodles come in long thin strips. Both types of noodles are usually served cold as appetizers. But there are differences between both products. For example, egg noodles are more delicate compared to regular pasta. And unlike pasta, which needs cooking, egg noodles require soaking in hot water. Soaking makes the noodles softer and less brittle.
To Dry or Not To Dry the Egg Noodles?
Drying the egg noodles would be better since it prevents the noodles from sticking and clumping to each other. Untangling them is definitely an ache to everyone’s head. Also, they retain their shapes for a longer time if they are completely dry. Storing them when dried is also a safe thing since it prevents the accumulation of harmful bacteria.
Do homemade egg noodles need refrigerated?
If you are not planning to cook or eat them immediately, then better refrigerate them to prolong the shelf life. Moreover, fresh noodles need to be refrigerated for 2 days, while dried noodles need not be refrigerated.
What Sort of Dishes Are Egg Noodles Used in?
- homemade pasta
- dried egg noodles
- chicken noodle soup
- fresh pasta and beef stroganoff
- chinese egg noodles
- warm kale salad with kale chips
My favorite is homemade chicken noodle soup.
What to Substitute for Egg Noodles If I have run out?
Here are the top 4 substitutes for egg noodles in 2024
1. Fettuccine
Fettucine can be a great substitute for egg noodles.
Its shape resembles a flattened sphere, often used for sauces such as Alfredo sauce or pesto. Fettuccine comes from Italian cuisine and is one of the most popular
. It’s made from wheat flour and egg yolks and rolled into pasta dough. One drawback to these noodles is they’re not quite as soft and chewy as regular egg noodles.
However, if you’re looking for something like a milder version of egg noodle, then fettuccini would be good enough.
The best way to cook this pasta dish is by boiling it in salted water. This will help draw out some of the starch from the noodles, making them softer and easier to chew.
What makes Fettuccine a good alternative to egg noodles?
Similar to egg noodles, Fettucine pasta is used in salads and soups. but is can also be used in stir-fries.
Is Fettucine a one-to-one replacement for egg noodles? Yes, it is.
2. Lasagna
Lasagna is a classic Italian dish made with layers of pasta and sauce. However, many people find it difficult to find because they can’t get their hands on lasagna strips. But If you do not mind the wider, pasta strips, then lasagna is a good substitute.
What are lasagna strips? Typically they are 2 inches wide and a foot long flat noodle strips.
They are made from wheat flour and eggs.
What makes it a good alternative to egg noodles?
Lasagna is one of the recommended alternatives to cooked egg noodles because many manufactures will put extra egg mix in the recipe. Like many other styles of pasta, lasagna goes with ingredients like cheese, spinach, tomato sauce, and mushroom.
There are different types of lasagna strips – you can choose from white color lasagna, gluten-free lasagna, and whole-grain lasagna.
3. Spaghetti
Spaghetti is the most popular substitute noodle because it is so easily available in stores. It is mostly made from semolina flour and eggs.
There are different styles of this pasta type. Normal spaghetti comes in a thin round size which is similar to normal egg noodles. But you can get angel hair spaghetti which is much thinner.
Both types of spaghetti are common in grocery stores and can be easily used as alternatives for egg noodles.
They both have similar nutritional values and cooking times.
What makes spaghetti a good alternative to egg noodles?
Spaghetti’s soft and thin strips have a similar texture to egg noodles and you can use them in a one-to-one replacement.
You can boil pasta using hot water and add olive oil for cooking. This kind of pasta works well when preparing pasta salads, using it to stuff pasta like ravioli, lasagna, manicotti, and cannelloni, cooking it up as an accompaniment to dishes such as meatballs. Plus, you can use this technique to cook any other type of pasta that needs a little extra time in the boiling water, like rigatoni or penne.
4. Linguine
Linguine is another pasts noodle that can easily be substituted for egg noodles. It is also often mistaken for fettuccine because it has a similar appearance.
Linguine is made from a special flour called semolina flour. Plus salt and water and eggs. Then it’s cooked in boiling salted water until al dente, then drained and tossed with butter and cheese.
Adding some chopped garlic to the sauce will give flavor.
What makes it a good alternative to egg noodles?
Like other styles of pasta, linguine is flexible and versatile. You can add it to casseroles, and stews. But it will also work as a replacement in egg noodle soups.
Its tender texture makes it suitable in your recipe for egg noodles, and it is best for light sauces. When you use this as a substitute, you must make sure that cook it so it is firm to taste.