27 quick and easy noodle recipes for when dinner has accidentally become an afterthought
You'll come back to them again and again 🥡
Have you ever gotten to the end of a busy day and not given a single thought as to what's for dinner that night? That's when a noodle dish is handy. They are often very speedy and if you always keep a stash in your cupboard, you aren't caught short of a tasty midweek meal option (when paired with some trusty condiments and the remnants of the vegetable drawer).
Whether you prefer them in spoonable form (see our chicken katsu soup recipe), or a drier stir-fry take (we're looking at you 5-ingredient miso aubergine noodles), noodles are a fabulous go-to. If you make a big batch, you can also eat them re-heated as leftovers the next day.
We have options suitable for veggies, vegans and meat-eaters, so something for everyone!
20 minute pork and kimchi noodles
Leftover roast pork is the hero in this quick noodle dish, made spicy with kimchi and gochujang and sweet with honey.
Recipe: 20min pork and kimchi noodle
Zingy salmon with soba noodles recipe
Nutty soba noodles and salmon are a delicious combination, with sharp grapefruit cutting through any richness.
Recipe: Zingy salmon with soba noodles
Quick Thai drunken doodles recipe
This delicious recipe is a great example of how a simple blend of sauces can infuse noodles with complex flavours.
Recipe: Quick Thai drunken doodles
Peanut butter dan dan noodles recipe
One of Szechuan province’s most famous exports and typically face-numbingly spicy. Our peanut butter version certainly has a kick, but it won’t set your mouth on fire (you can always add more chilli oil!).
Recipe: Peanut butter dan dan noodles
Easy one-pot chilli beef noodles traybake recipe
An easy midweek that's all cooked in one tray, even the noodles!
Spicy lamb and pak choi noodle stir-fry recipe
This fragrant and spicy noodle dish is on the table in no time.
Miso aubergine noodles recipe
This vegetarian meal is packed with rich umami depth. Store the rest of the miso in the fridge and add to stocks, stews and soups for an instant hit of flavour.
Recipe: Miso aubergine noodles recipe
Crispy duck noodles recipe
All the flavours of your favourite Chinese takeaway, in an easy noodle dish. Using ready-made duck confit is a handy shortcut, making it a perfect midweek meal option.
Recipe: Crispy duck noodles
Packet noodles with smacked cucumber recipe
You can use any packet of instant ramen noodles here, looking out for supermarket own brands as they are usually cheaper. If you have it in the cupboard, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil to the dressing for an extra boost of flavour.
Spicy prawn and peanut noodle salad recipe
This no-cook salad with spicy prawns and salted peanuts is super quick assemble, needing only 15 minutes.
Glass noodle stir-fry recipe
Different variations of this classic dish span almost all of East Asia, from South Korea, China and Thailand, all the way down to Singapore.
Recipe: Glass noodle stir-fry
Turkey Sichuan noodles recipe
You could also use shredded roast beef or chicken here. If you don’t have fresh sprouts, use leftover and fry alongside the meat.
Recipe: Turkey Sichuan noodles
Crispy tofu noodle recipe
Gochujang paste has a complex sweet, savoury and spicy flavour, making it an ideal base for a simple stir-fry.
Recipe: Crispy tofu noodle
Teriyaki turkey meatballs with soba noodles recipe
Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat, which gives the noodles a distinctly nutty flavour.
Vegan soba noodle and roasted aubergine salad recipe
This plant-based noodle salad is packed full of punchy flavours.
Salmon and noodle parcels recipe
You can mix up the vegetables in these speedy parcels to suit your preference, and what you have to hand. If you’re not a fan of pak choi, thinly sliced pepper or a handful of spinach would work well too.
Recipe: Salmon and noodle parcels
Pork and mushroom yaki udon recipe
This tasty stir-fry is filled with vegetables and just enough meat to satisfy.
Recipe: Pork and mushroom yaki udon
Beef and oyster sauce stir-fry recipe
Oyster sauce has a complex flavour, making it an ideal base for a simple stir-fry.
Recipe: Beef and oyster sauce stir-fry
Speedy spicy chicken and peanut noodles recipe
On the table in minutes and packed with flavour, this will be a recipe you turn to time and time again.
Peanut butter steak ramen recipe
If you can’t get hold of ramen noodles, you could use medium dried egg noodles instead. For a veggie version, swap the steak for cubes of fried tofu or a halved fudgy boiled egg.
Recipe: Peanut butter steak ramen
Grace is Good Housekeeping’s Former Senior Cookery Writer, serving up delicious food and drink content. Grace was trained at Leiths Cookery School and worked as a chef in some of London’s most exciting restaurants before starting at Good Housekeeping. When she isn’t eating and drinking her way through London's restaurants, you’ll find her attending music gigs and binge-watching the newest TV shows.
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