Regardless of how you may feel about carbs, there’s no denying noodles are a tempting treat. From Italy’s cheesy pastas laden in rich sauces to the fried and soup-based versions found throughout Asia, noodle dishes are staples in cultures around the world. Here’s a tasty look at some of the world’s best noodle dishes.
Italy
No place in the world is more synonymous with noodles and pasta than Italy. From thin angel hair threads to large cheese-stuffed cannelloni rolls, noodles have come to define Italian cuisine. With dozens of noodle types, sauces and toppings, the variations of Italian pastas are endless. Noodle types like spaghetti, linguine and angel hair are some of the most well known, as are stuffed noodles like ravioli and tortellini. Of course, we can’t forget the flat noodle sheets that give us delectable lasagnas, either.
Japan
Noodles are a staple of Japanese cuisine. From casual restaurants selling cheap bowls of ramen to street-side carts frying up a fresh heap of yakisoba, you’ll find plenty of noodle dishes to dine on in Japan. One of the most popular dishes is udon, a soup made with wheat flour noodles and a mild dashi-based broth. Udon is typically served with fish cake, tempura shrimp and scallions.
Thailand
Thai cuisine offers a number of noodle dishes, the most well-known of which is pad thai. This popular plate is a stir-fried combination of rice noodles, eggs, tofu and vegetables. Pad thai can be found on street carts throughout Thailand, where vendors will fry up a fresh serving with your choice of meat within minutes.
Korea
Korean noodle dishes borrow heavily from their Chinese neighbors. Instant ramen has come into its own in the country, sold in dozens of flavors ranging from kimchi to cheese. One of the most popular noodle dishes is jajangmyeon, or black bean paste noodles, named for the dark sauce served on top of these hand-spun noodles. The noodles are so popular they even have their own holiday, Black Day, when unmarried people dine on bowls of jajangmyeon to mourn their single status.
Germany
Germany’s take on the noodle is spaetzle, a soft egg noodle that’s usually served as a side dish. Spaetzle can be topped with cheese, meat sauces or butter and sauerkraut.
Vietnam
The best bet for Vietnamese noodles is pho, a soup made with thin rice noodles, herbs and proteins like beef or chicken. In Vietnam, pho is one of the most common – and affordable – street foods you’ll find.
(Main image: avlxyz used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
