Egg noodles are a great staple to have in your cupboard. They are cheap and go a long way. There are so many things you can do with them. Spice them up and add Chinese vegetables. Add them to a soup, and make chicken chow mein or beef noodle skillet.
However, it’s easy to make too many noodles so what can you do with the leftovers? If you’re going to eat them within the next couple of days, you can keep them in the fridge.
However, what if you don’t want to eat them until a later date? Can you freeze them? The simple answer is yes. you can freeze your leftover noodles (see also How To Freeze Rice Noodles). In addition, if you have opened a packet of noodles, you can freeze the rest of the uncooked noodles.
How To Freeze Egg Noodles
It’s very easy to freeze egg noodles. Just follow these steps:
1. Cool down the noodles.
You can obviously skip this step if you are freezing uncooked noodles.
You don’t want to leave the noodles out for longer than two hours as after this time, bacteria can start to form. To speed up the cooling process, transfer the noodles to a cold plate They should cool down within an hour. You don’t want to put them in the freezer while they are still warm as this can cause the temperature to rise. Other food in the freezer may start to defrost and then refreeze. This can ruin the taste and texture of the food and even cause bacteria to form.
2. Add a tablespoon of olive oil.
Put the noodles in a colander and add the olive oil. Shake it about for a few seconds. This will help to stop the noodles from clumping together in the freezer.
3. Divide the noodles into meal-size portions.
This means that you will only have to defrost as much as you need for a meal and it will avoid wastage.
4. Put the noodles into freezer bags.
Squeeze out the air from the freezer bags so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. Freezer burn ruins the taste and texture of food and even strips it of its nutrients. Put a label on the bags with the date frozen and the contents. You don’t want to keep the noodles in the freezer for longer than the use-by date.
5. Put the freezer bags in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing Egg Noodles
- Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
- Don’t freeze egg noodles with a sauce. They won’t freeze well because of the high moisture content and you will end up with mushy noodles. Most sauces freeze well so you can freeze them separately and mix the two together after defrosting.
- If you are dividing the noodles into meal-size portions and they contain meat, fish, or vegetables, make sure that you are putting an equal amount of the meat, veggies, or fish into each portion.
- If you plan to use the noodles within three days, you can keep them in the fridge but again don’t put them in with a sauce as they will go soggy. This is why it is best to cook the noodles and sauce separately in case you have leftovers.
- Egg noodle soup probably won’t freeze well because of the high moisture content. The noodles will become mushy.
- You can freeze uncooked egg noodles in the same way as cooked egg noodles.
For How Long Can You Freeze Egg Noodles?
Uncooked egg noodles can be frozen for up to five months. Cooked noodles can be frozen for three months although they will taste better the sooner you eat them.
How Do You Defrost Egg Noodles?
The best way to defrost egg noodles is slow and steady. Take them out the day before you want to use them and thaw them out in the fridge. Defrosting in this way helps the noodles to retain taste, texture, and nutrients. However, if you forget to do this and are in a hurry, you can defrost them in the microwave on the defrost setting. You will have to expect that they might go a bit soggy. Keep checking on them to make sure that they aren’t going too soft.
When it comes to reheating the egg noodles, use a frying pan for the best results. The oven also works but the microwave can be a bit dodgy.
Can You Refreeze Egg Noodles?
It is safe to refreeze egg noodles if you have defrosted them in the fridge and not in the microwave. They might, however, go mushy on the second defrosting. This is because ice crystals are formed every time you freeze food and to freeze twice means that this will happen twice. If you divide your egg noodles into meal-size portions, you shouldn’t have this problem as you will only defrost as much as you need.
Is It a Good Idea To Freeze Egg Noodles?
Yes, it is, whether they are cooked or not. Just remember to freeze cooked noodles without a sauce otherwise they will lose their texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing noodles but in case you are still curious, we have answered a few questions here.
Can you freeze homemade egg noodles?
Yes, you can. Just follow the instructions we have given in this article.
Can you freeze rice noodles?
You can freeze rice noodles in the same way as you would freeze egg noodles. However, they are more delicate so don’t leave them in the freezer for longer than two months.
Can you freeze egg noodles from a Chinese takeaway?
Yes, you can, but try and get them in the freezer as soon as possible as you don’t want bacteria to develop. Food shouldn’t be left out for longer than two hours at room temperature and you need to take into account the time taken for the noodles to get to you from the takeaway. If you’re not sure, throw away the leftovers. You don’t want to risk food poisoning. Again, avoid freezing noodles with a sauce.