15 Easy Noodle Recipes We Rely on for Speedy, Satisfying Meals

A white ceramic bowl holding lo mein with beef and broccoli on a purple colored stone surface. — Serious Eats / Mariel De La Cruz

If you ask us, even the most basic noodle dishes make for a satisfying meal or snack any time of day. There are numerous ways to prepare noodles, and best of all, many noodle dishes come together quickly, making them ideal when you're short on time but want something hearty. With so many noodle varieties on the market, they're great to keep stocked for quick use in all kinds of recipes. Below, you'll find our favorite easy, speedy noodle recipes, including Thai glass noodle salad, stir-fried lo mein, and cold Chinese noodle salad—all perfect for lunch, dinner, or even a midnight snack.

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Mie Goreng (Indonesian Fried Noodles)

Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

Tossed with vegetables and served with crunchy shrimp crackers, mie goreng is an easy, satisfying meal that takes just 15 minutes to make.

Mie Goreng (Indonesian Fried Noodles)
Stir-Fried Lo Mein Noodles With Pork and Vegetables

Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

This colorful dish—packed with noodles, meat, and plenty of vegetables—comes together in just about half an hour, making it perfect for a weeknight.

Stir-Fried Lo Mein Noodles With Pork and Vegetables
Yam Woon Sen (Thai Glass Noodle Salad With Shrimp)

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This spicy-sour Thai noodle salad features shrimp, ground pork, fresh herbs, roasted peanuts, and a punchy dressing. It's easy to make, too. Cooking the shrimp and ground pork in stages in the same pot of water used for the noodles is efficient and convenient—it also helps flavor the noodles, which act as a sponge and soak up the bright, punchy dressing.

Yam Woon Sen (Thai Glass Noodle Salad With Shrimp)
Pad See Ew (Thai Stir-Fried Noodles)

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Pad see ew is a classic stir-fried noodle dish made with chewy rice noodles, Chinese broccoli, egg, and pork, all coated in a savory soy-sauce blend. It’s a one-plate meal enjoyed as much in Thailand as it is in the US.

Pad See Ew (Thai Stir-Fried Noodles)

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Stir-Fried Rice Noodles With Eggs and Greens

Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

This flavorful stir-fry relies on pantry ingredients for a quick and easy dinner, perfect for any night of the week.

Stir-Fried Rice Noodles With Eggs and Greens
Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli

Serious Eats / Mariel De La Cruz

This Chinese-American restaurant staple loaded with beef and broccoli can easily be made at home. A balanced marinade tenderizes the meat while also providing superior browning and better flavor, and par-cooking the noodles gives them the optimal texture—firm and springy—when fried.

Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Beef and Broccoli
Pressure Cooker Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

Serious Eats / J. Kenji López-Alt

Pho bo—Vietnamese beef noodle soup—may be more popular in the states, but its cousin pho ga, made with chicken, is easier to make and just as delicious. Here, the pressure cooker cuts down what is typically an hours-long simmer into a 30-minute meal complete with tender chicken and full-flavored, gelatin-rich broth.

Pressure Cooker Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)
Chinese Cold Noodle Salad With Sesame Dressing

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

This recipe for cold sesame noodles from Serious Eats contributor Lucas Sin is a basic homestyle version of the dish, and features a velvety sauce, starchy noodles, and fresh vegetables.

Chinese Cold Noodle Salad With Sesame Dressing

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Vegetarian Mazemen With Beans and Egg

Serious Eats / Sho Spaeth

Soup-less ramen, or mazemen, is a delicious way to use up your dried beans, your bean-cooking liquid, and any leftovers you've got around.

Vegetarian Mazemen With Beans and Egg Recipe
XO Mazemen (Broth-less Ramen With XO Sauce)

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

This take on mazemen incorporates powerfully savory XO sauce to make a flavorful ramen that takes all of five minutes to prepare.

XO Mazemen (Broth-less Ramen With XO Sauce) Recipe
Classic Cold Soba

Serious Eats / Diana Chistruga

Cold, nutty soba noodles pair perfectly with a soy sauce and mirin dipping sauce for a simple yet satisfying meal.

Classic Cold Soba
Singapore Rice Noodles

Serious Eats / Shao Z.

Complete with shrimp and roast pork, this Singapore noodle stir-fry comes together in a matter of minutes. Cooking the stir-fry ingredients in batches allows the wok to maintain high heat, and quickly marinating the shrimp with fish sauce enhances the shellfish's depth.

Singapore Rice Noodles

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Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Charred Cabbage, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Chives

Serious Eats / Melissa Hom

While stir-fried lo mein typically consists of noodles with some vegetables for flavor and color, this version comes out with veggies and noodles in almost equal proportions. That means it's packed with more flavor: In this case it's cabbage charred until sweet, along with meaty shiitake mushrooms, and big stalks of chives.

Stir-Fried Lo Mein With Charred Cabbage, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Chives
Stir-Fried Chow Mein With Four Vegetables Recipe

Serious Eats / Shao Z.

Chow mein has long been a staple of Chinese-American takeout, but making it at home is a snap and, more importantly, super customizable. Throw some julienned vegetables in a wok to cook quickly and combine them with skinny chow mein noodles and a soy-based sauce. Adding more vegetables, tofu, or meat turns it into a meal.

Stir-Fried Chow Mein With Four Vegetables
Bukkake Udon (Japanese Cold Noodles With Broth)

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

The beauty of bukkake udon is how customizable it is to whatever toppings you have available. It's flavorful and filling but not heavy, with a quick, flavorful broth that consists of soy, mirin, sugar, and dashi.

Bukkake Udon (Japanese Cold Noodles With Broth)

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15 Easy Noodle Recipes We Rely on for Speedy, Satisfying Meals

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