How to Make Buttered Noodles

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 23, 2021 References

Buttered noodles are inexpensive, delicious, and easy to make. First, boil the noodles in salted water until they're soft and flexible. Next, stir some butter into the hot noodles until it melts completely. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want to get creative, consider seasoning the noodles with parmesan, chopped parsley, or garlic powder. These noodles can be served alone, with meatballs and gravy, or with chicken.

Ingredients

Yields about 4 servings

1/2 pound (226 grams) of dried egg noodles
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of salt (for the water)
Salt and pepper to taste

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Cooking the Noodles

1
Bring some water to a boil. Fill a deep saucepan with about two quarts (two liters) of water. Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the pot has large bubbles rising rapidly to the surface, the water is boiling.
- For more flavorful noodles, use chicken broth instead of water.^{[1]
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2
Season the water with salt. Pour a tablespoon of salt into the boiling water and stir it with a long spoon.^{[2]
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Research source} Continue stirring until all of the salt has dissolved into the water.
- If you're using chicken broth, don't add salt. Chicken broth has a high sodium content.
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3
Add the dried egg noodles. These noodles can be found in the pasta section of your local grocery store. However, egg noodles are not the same as pasta. These noodles are made from a mixture of wheat or rice flour and eggs, while pasta is made from semolina dough.^{[3]
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- You can substitute pasta or other noodles for this dish. However, the flavor of the dish will change dramatically.
4
Boil the noodles until they're soft. Let the noodles sit in the hot water for six to eight minutes, or until they're soft and flexible.^{[4]
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Research source} If you want to test the noodles, use tongs to pull a noodle out of the water and let it cool on a paper towel. Eat the noodle to see if it's ready.
- Avoid overcooking the noodles. They will become mushy and flavorless.
5
Drain the noodles. As soon as the noodles are ready, remove the saucepan from the heat. Place a sturdy metal or plastic colander in your sink. Pour the noodles and water into the colander, allowing the water to drain away.
- Once the noodles have drained, immediately place them in the serving dish.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Adding Seasoning

1
Stir butter into the hot noodles. Cut two tablespoons of butter into small pieces. Next, add the pieces of butter to the hot noodles. Use tongs or a large spoon to stir the noodles until the butter has completely melted.
- Don't wait too long to add the butter. If the noodles are cool, the butter won't melt.
2
Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the butter has melted, sprinkle salt and pepper over the noodle dish. ^{[5]
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Research source} Use tongs or a large spoon to toss the noodles, coating each one in seasoning. Taste a noodle to see if you need to add more salt or pepper.
- Add less than you think you'll need. You can always add more salt or pepper.
3
Consider getting creative with seasoning. Buttered noodles are delicious all on their own. However, many people like to add additional seasonings to take the dish to the next level. For example:
- Sprinkle in garlic powder to create a buttery garlic noodle entrée.
- Mix in a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley to give the noodles an herbal flavor.^{[6]
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- Grate some parmesan over the noodles to give the dish a strong, cheesy kick.^{[7]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Serving Buttered Noodles

1
Serve buttered noodles as an entrée. Even though the recipe is simple, this noodle dish is decadent and filling. Additionally, the ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find at most grocery stores. Therefore, many people like to serve this dish by itself, without any side dishes or toppings.
2
Top buttered noodles with meatballs and gravy.^{[8]
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Research source} The delicate flavors in buttered noodles pair wonderfully with meaty brown gravy and tender meatballs. To serve this dish, place a pile of noodles in a bowl. Top the noodles with a ladle of gravy and a few juicy meatballs.
- Make your own Italian-style meatballs or find precooked meatballs in the freezer section of your local grocery store.
- Use homemade brown gravy made from pan drippings or quickly mix up a store-bought seasoning package.
3
Add chicken to buttered noodle dishes. Any kind of chicken pairs wonderfully with buttered noodles. You can use sliced chicken, shredded chicken, or whole chicken breasts. Additionally, serve the chicken and buttered noodles dry or with a sauce. For example:
- Dice some grilled chicken and mix it into the buttered noodles for a protein boost.
- Serve a filet of parmesan-crusted chicken over a pile of noodles.^{[9]
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- Sautee small cutlets of chicken in lemon and butter and mix them into the buttered noodle dish.^{[10]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can oil take the place of the butter?

Community Answer

Yes, olive oil is great or you can add a little butter to olive oil if you are watching the cholesterol (or cost) but want the buttery taste. Just make sure to use a light oil that tastes good on its own and not something like a cheap vegetable oil. Toasted sesame oil is great on noodles for an Asian flair; it has a nice nutty flavor.
Question

I don't have garlic salt. What should I do?

Community Answer

You don't need garlic salt. The only necessary seasonings are butter, salt, and pepper.