How long do homemade egg noodles last?

Fresh noodles keep for 2 days in the refrigerator, completely dried noodles last up to 1 month or longer at room temperature in an airtight container, and frozen noodles keep for 3 months.

Can I make egg noodles without a pasta machine?

Absolutely! Just use a rolling pin to roll the dough to your desired thickness, then cut with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. It takes a bit more elbow grease, but the results are just as delicious.

What's the difference between egg noodles and regular pasta?

The main differences come down to flour type, eggs, and salt. Regular American-style egg noodles use all-purpose flour (most often a hard wheat flour) , eggs, and salt. Whereas Italian egg pasta uses either 00 flour (a very finely milled soft wheat flour) OR semolina flour (hard wheat flour) , plus eggs, and no salt. In each type, the eggs give them a richer flavor, softer texture, and golden color. But traditional Italian egg pasta is silkier and more tender than regular egg noodles made using all-purpose flour. Lastly, regular Italian semolina pasta (like spaghetti and penne, etc.) is typically made with just hard wheat durum semolina flour and water. Egg noodles also cook faster and have a more silky, more tender bite.

Can I use whole wheat flour for egg noodles?

Yes! I've done it plenty of times. Replace up to half or all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Using 100% whole wheat makes them not quite as light and tender, but they're still really good especially if you roll them to #6 on an Atlas Marcato pasta machine. If you're not used to whole wheat flour, I recommend a 50/50 mix for the best texture and flavor.

How do I know when egg noodles are done cooking?

Fresh egg noodles cook in 3-5 minutes, depending on how thick or thin you've rolled them. They're done when they're tender but still have a slight bite (al dente). For thinner noodles, start taste-testing at 1 1/2 minutes, and for thicker noodles, start testing around 3 minutes—they cook fast! Dried homemade noodles take a little longer.

Why are my egg noodles tough?

Either the dough wasn't kneaded enough (I like to knead for a full 8-10 minutes) , or it didn't rest long enough (give it at least 10 minutes and up to 30) . Tough noodles can also result from rolling the dough too thick, aim for 1/16 inch thin or to your desired noodle thickness.

Can I make egg noodles ahead of time?

Yes! Make them up to 2 days ahead and store fresh in the refrigerator (I actually prefer to freeze them for the best outcome) , or dry them completely and freeze them or store them at room temperature for up to a month. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months (the safest and my preferred method) , just cook from frozen, adding 1 minute to the cooking time.

What's the best way to dry homemade egg noodles?

The safest method to dry homemade egg noodles to prevent salmonella contamination is to use a Food Dehydrator and dry for 2-4 hours at 135°F . Once dried (they should snap easily) , store in freezer (not the pantry) for 3-6 months. Honestly, I never dry egg noodles anymore because freezing them is so much easier anyway! An alternative method is to spread them in a single layer on clean tea towels, or on a cooling rack, or hang them over a pasta drying rack (or the backs of chairs like my dad did!) . Let them air dry for about 2 hours until they're brittle and snap cleanly when bent. Don't rush this—partially dried noodles will get gummy. Important Food Safety Note: Iowa State University Extension notes that older methods (like grandma hanging noodles to dry for days and then storing them in the pantry) are no longer recommended by food safety specialists . The USDA now advises that: -Drying does NOT kill bacteria -The "kill step" for raw flour and eggs is cooking thoroughly, but may not work if you leave your noodles out longer than 2 hours to dry in the first place -Even dried homemade egg noodles containing raw eggs should be stored in the freezer , not the pantry.

Easy Homemade Egg Noodles (For Chicken Noodle Soup & More)

Name: Classic Homemade Egg Noodles (For Chicken Soup)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 28 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose (250g) (substitute 00 Italian flour); 1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks; 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup water (60g-120g); 1 teaspoon kosher salt (4g)

Description

This homemade egg noodle recipe is super easy and what I use to make classic homemade chicken noodle soup. In fact, these noodles are made with just 2 ingredients (four, if you count salt and water). So, if you've ever wondered how to make egg noodles from scratch, this is a great, fool-proof recipe to start with.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose (250g) (substitute 00 Italian flour)
1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup water (60g-120g)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (4g)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark even when your hands have flour all over them

Instructions

Make the dough. Add the flour to a countertop or large bread bowl and make a "well" in the middle. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the egg mixture to the center of the flour well and start bringing in flour from the sides to the center until you've incorporated all of the flour and eggs into a crumbly (pale yellow) mixture. Add water a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough holds its shape. It shouldn't be too dry or wet and tacky. (See photos).
Knead the dough. Form the dough into a ball and remove it to a lightly floured surface and knead it by turning it clockwise a quarter turn and repeating until the dough becomes soft and pliable, or about 10 minutes. It should be much smoother, more yellow-looking, and somewhat elastic at this point.
Rest the dough. Cover the dough with sustainable plastic wrap, or simply cover it with a small bowl turned upside down and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
Roll out the dough. Working with one piece at a time (keep the others covered), press the dough into a flat disc thin enough to fit through the pasta machine's widest setting (0 or 1). Lightly dust with flour and feed it through the rollers. Fold the dough like a letter, bringing both ends toward the middle to overlap, creating a more even rectangle. Feed it back through the widest setting and repeat until the sheet is long and rectangular. Cut the sheet in half and dust each piece with flour.

Now begin progressive thinning. Pass the sheet through setting 1 once, then setting 2 once, then setting 3 once. Continue this pattern—adjusting to the next number and passing through once—until you reach your desired thickness. Setting 6 is typically recommended for fettuccine and noodle soups, but the final thickness is up to you.
Cut the desired pasta shapes. Attach the pasta shape cutter attachment and run the sheets of pasta through it, sprinkle liberally with semolina (or other flour) and shape them into a bird's nest, or hang them on a pasta drying rack. Alternatively, you may roll up the rectangular sheets of pasta and cut them into the desired thickness for ramen-like, fettuccine, or pappardelle, etc. If using immediately, allow the noodles to dry for at least an hour or two before boiling them. Cook the noodles for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until they reach the desired doneness, and Enjoy!

Notes

I find that homemade noodles need more water to boil in than boxed pasta which needs very little water to cook in.
Homemade noodles usually take just a few minutes to cook to "al dente" doneness, so be sure to check them after about 1 1/2 minutes to see how much longer they'll need until your desired doneness. They're easy to overcook, so keep that in mind.
Don't salt the water to "taste like the sea" because if you do, you're all but guaranteed overly salty pasta.
I used the following cooking times for the egg noodles in this post (which I allowed to dry completely before cooking).
- Thinner ramen-style noodles took just 3 minutes to cook.
- Wider fettuccini-style noodles took just 4 1/2 minutes to cook.
If you don't have a pasta machine, working with one dough piece at a time, roll out the dough using a rolling pin until you have a very thin sheet. Next, roll the sheet into a "log", and finally, cut the noodles to the desired width.
If using a pasta machine, I suggest rolling the pasta starting from 0 (or #1 depending on your pasta machine brand) and going to #6 (or #7) as the final setting, so the noodles don't end up being too thick or too thin.
If you want to make homemade alkaline ramen noodles for this soup instead, click over here to get that recipe.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Category: Pasta
Method: Mix & Knead
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4 ounce serving
Calories: 287
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 390mg
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1.6g
Unsaturated Fat: 1.9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 10g
Cholesterol: 186mg