Can you just add noodles to soup?

Q: Can you put uncooked noodles in broth?

If youre using pasta made with semolina and egg -- in other words, what most Americans think of as traditional pasta -- adding it to your soup uncooked for the last eight to 10 minutes of cooking time is perfectly acceptable.

Q: Do egg noodles need to be cooked before adding to soup?

➜ How to cook egg noodles If youre going to use fresh noodles right away, always cook them before adding to the soup. Boil them separately in a pot of salted water for two minutes (photo 1).

Most noodle soup recipes that I see call for boiling and draining the noodles separately, then adding them to the broth already cooked. Is there any reason that I can't just add the dry noodles 10 minutes before the soup is done, and add a little extra water or broth to compensate for that the noodles take? Doing it this way would allow the noodles to take up some of the broth's flavor, and also save dirtying an extra pot and a colander.

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Can I cook noodles directly in soup?
Is it better to cook noodles before adding to soup?
Can you put uncooked noodles in broth?
Do egg noodles need to be cooked before adding to soup?

Martha F.

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asked Aug 18, 2010 at 6:01

Matthew ScoutenMatthew Scouten

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similar to what julio said, the main reason is that typical wheat-based noodles release a lot of starch into the water, which changes the consistency of the soup. the starches can add a dirty colour to the water, but more than that, they can also thicken the soup undesirably (think of making a roux). Finally, if there are leftovers, the noodles can sometimes become completely water logged, making eating it the next day a bit of a soggy experience.

That said, with all these considerations there are times when you might add the noodles directly in-- non-starchy noodles (eg. like rice noodles) seem to do ok. also parboiling regular pasta before hand seems to help a lot with the starch and can still help you achieve the flavour integration you mentioned.

answered Aug 18, 2010 at 11:47

Some people prefer to cook them separately because when you do so, you can see the water changes color a little and they don't want that (mainly flour) in their soups.

Another advantage is that you can have your soup ready and just cook the noodles on demand. The noodles go to boiling water, the soup is just very hot, but not boiling. That's what restaurants do.

If those reasons are not important for you, do as most of us do and cook them together :)

answered Aug 18, 2010 at 9:48

JulioJulio

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That's how I cook noodle soup. And yes, it does give them a nice flavor. Just be sure you don't add them too soon: it's easy to over-cook the noodles by leaving them too long in the hot broth.

answered Aug 18, 2010 at 6:25

Shog9Shog9

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With a cream-based soup the added starch adds desired thickness. It isn't worse for the soup than adding corn starch or extra flour, and color change would be indistinguishable. Same for a tomato-based soup, or an egg-flower soup.

I like robust soups in general, and I think throwing the water out in general is a terrible thing to do to a food product. Any soup that calls for discarding more nutrients and flavor from a product already 'enriched' out of the crop's natural value isn't one I'd be interested in cooking. Cooking flavor into the noodles beats wringing more out.

answered Jul 8, 2015 at 21:04

I suppose it you prefer a clear light soup, it would preferably be better to cook the noodles separately and then pour broth over to maintain the clearness of the broth and texture of the noodle.

answered Nov 5, 2016 at 0:49

In my opinion, just no. Lol it changes the clarity and viscosity of a carefully crafted broth/sauce. If you have leftovers the noodles will have absorbed most of the liquid by the next day, leaving you a gelatinous pile of goop. It takes minutes to boil them separately and you can add to your serving bowl as needed. You will enjoy the end result far more. Do add a bit of the noodle's cooking liquid to your broth/sauce, but don't over do it. Every time I see a recipe advising cooking noodles on the main dish, I keep on scrolling. That's just lazy.

answered May 30, 2021 at 19:36

Well first of all, any sauce you make that'll have pasta in it, must have at least 1 to 2 tablespoons of pasta water in it, i.e. 1 to tbsp of the water you boiled the pasta with.

Second of all, it's all about the amount. If let's say you're adding a 1/2 cup of rigatoni or fussili then you're fine, add'er up; but be advised when reheating, pasta will break easily on you. If you're putting let's say skinny noodle type pasta, then don't put it from the start. What you can do is half boil the pasta in the normal water, drain it, and then add it to your soup 5 / 10 minutes before it's done.

answered Aug 18, 2010 at 12:01

dassoukidassouki

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Any soup I cook that requires noodles gets put in the same pot as the other ingredients. The noodles will have more flavor and it helps thicken up the soup for a heartier meal. I have been doing this for quite a while and it is the ONLY way I cook noodles when they are going in a soup. It really doesn’t have a different taste.

answered Feb 19, 2020 at 1:53

I will add uncooked noodles to soup that have been soaked for 1 hr. As for thickeners, I prefer potato flour that keeps the broth a clear and translucent look. Potato flour goes a long way as a thickener~go for 1/4 normal & add more if required.

answered May 6, 2020 at 19:47

I would say NEVER cook noodles at the same time for all the reasons the smart friends above suggested. But my adamant reason is that it makes the soup look and taste like dishwater!

answered Oct 19, 2014 at 6:05

Can I cook noodles directly in soup?

→ Follow this tip: Adding noodles to the soup should be the very last thing you do before taking the pot off the heat. Wait until the soup is just about finished, mix in the noodles, and simmer until the noodles are about halfway cooked. The residual heat from the soup will continue to cook the pasta.

Is it better to cook noodles before adding to soup?

The outlet suggests waiting until the soup is nearly finished, adding the noodles, and simmering them until they're only about halfway cooked. The residual heat of the hot broth will cook the noodles through, and they won't go mushy even through several heatings and re-coolings of the soup.

Can you put uncooked noodles in broth?

If you're using pasta made with semolina and egg -- in other words, what most Americans think of as traditional pasta -- adding it to your soup uncooked for the last eight to 10 minutes of cooking time is perfectly acceptable.

Do egg noodles need to be cooked before adding to soup?

➜ How to cook egg noodles If you're going to use fresh noodles right away, always cook them before adding to the soup. Boil them separately in a pot of salted water for two minutes (photo 1).