Homemade noodles, or egg noodles, are a simple mix of egg, milk and flour with seasonings. This delicious old-fashioned staple takes any soup that calls for a noodle next-level great!

Fresh egg noodles is one of those recipes that has a high reward for very little work. Homemade noodles have a rich flavor, a bouncy texture, and cook quickly. They’re the perfect addition to homemade chicken noodle soup, cozy noodle soups, or simply twirled with your favorite sauce.  

This guide walks you through how to make homemade noodles from scratch, expert tips for success, variations (including eggless recipes), and how to store them for later use—all optimized to help you find exactly what you need when you scroll to the main content on any food blog.

Why Make Homemade Noodles?

Homemade noodles (or homemade pasta) different than what you can get from the grocery store for three main reasons:

1. Texture: Fresh noodles have a tender, bouncy texture you’ll never get from boxed dried pasta.
2. Flavor: Simple ingredients—flour, eggs, salt—create a surprisingly rich flavor that’s a perfect addition to hot broth or a pan of your favorite sauce.
3. Customization: You control thickness, desired width, length (shorter noodles for soup, longer for twirling), and ingredients.

Once you make your first batch, these easily become one of those go-to recipes, so enjoyable to make and eat.

Key Ingredients for Delicious Noodles

The classic, easy homemade egg noodles recipe contains very few ingredients that are generally at the ready in your pantry.

• All-purpose flour:
  Start with a scant cup of flour—regular all-purpose flour—for a large egg. All-purpose flour yields tender, delicious noodles. An alternative is semolina flour which adds chew and structure. A blend of the two is another variation.
• Whole egg:
  My recipe and many use whole eggs. If you prefer not to use eggs, replace with a couple of teaspoons of baking powder for lift and bounce. 
• Salt:
  A little bit of salt in the dough boosts flavor as with any dough, as does a pinch of sugar, but know your salted water or chicken broth will add more seasoning later.
• Milk:
  A splash of milk assists in softening the dough and helps it come together. It is no problem to swap this out for water.

How to Make Homemade Noodles

How basic, how easy this dough comes together. I like to start by mixing all of the liquid ingredients together, then add the flower a spoonful at a time to incorporate it. 

The most challenging aspect of making this dough is how stiff it becomes as you knead it. Egg noodle dough does not have the same qualities as bread dough, so it requires one additional ingredient to assist in shaping: time! After kneading the dough with some elbow grease, cover it (I use the bowl I mixed the ingredients, overturned over the small ball of pasta dough). Allow the dough to rest here for 30 minutes and up to an hour or more. The gluten will relax and make it easier to roll the dough.

Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to a 10-inch circle on a well-floured surface. Again, elbow grease! If the dough resists rolling thin, cover it and let it rest for up to 30 minutes and roll again. Flip the dough over and turn it as you roll to keep it even. Look to roll to 1/8-inch thickness, quite thin. When the noodles cook, they become more substantial, so a thicker raw noodle will cook up too thick. 

Use a pizza wheel to cut the dough into noodles. For soup, a good size noodle is about 1- to 1 1/2-inches long by about 1/4-inch wide. 

To cook, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt it generously, then drop in the fresh noodles. They’ll float and become tender in 5–10 minutes, depending on thickness. Taste them for doneness and keep cooking until they are tender. For noodle soups, you can simmer them directly in the hot broth.

Expert Tips for Success

• Measure by feel, not just numbers: Start with about 1 cup of flour per egg. If the dough is sticky, dust with more flour; if it’s dry and won’t come together, add a few drops of cold water.
• Commit to kneading: Knead until smooth and slightly bouncy. When you press a finger in, the dough should slowly spring back.
• Don’t skip the rest: A 30-minute dough rest at room temperature makes rolling dramatically easier and helps prevent shrinking.
• Flour generously: Keep the work surface, rolling pin, and pasta sheets lightly floured to prevent sticking. Shake off excess so your fresh noodles aren’t dusty.
• Cut to fit the dish: For homemade chicken noodle soup or other noodle soups, cut shorter noodles; for hearty sauces, go for longer ribbons.
• Drop in slowly. Add the noodles just a few at a time to the broth so that they stay separated as they cook.

Variations

Homemade noodles are incredibly flexible. Try these great ways to switch things up:

1. Classic Fresh Egg Noodles
   Use in soups, or cook in salted water and toss with butter and herbs, or your favorite sauce.
2. Eggless Homemade Noodles
   For eggless recipes, omit the eggs and use baking powder instead. The dough is slightly less rich but still makes delicious noodles, especially for soups.
3. Semolina Flour
   Swap a portion of the all-purpose flour with semolina flour for a chewier bite, similar to traditional Italian homemade pasta.
4. Herbed Noodles
   Add finely chopped parsley, chives, or basil for extra flavor and color—particularly good with warmed olive oil and fresh garlic as a simple sauce. Whisk the herbs into the flour to disburse them before adding that mixture to the liquid ingredients.

Storage, Make-Ahead, and Later Use

To make the noodles ahead of time, spread raw cut noodles in a single layer on a parchment paper–lined cookie sheet. Let them dry at room temperature for a couple of hours, then transfer to an airtight container or zip-top bag. Refrigerate for up to 2–3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

For longer noodles, dust with a little flour, coil or nest them, and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once solid, move them to a zip-top bag or airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Cook from frozen directly in boiling water or hot broth; just add an extra minute or two. 

To store cooked noodles, cool and toss with a touch of oil. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pot of water or directly in sauce.

Try homemade egg noodles to make chicken noodle soup with your own stock. Here’s How to make Chicken Stock homemade. Use them in a wonderful Fragrant Lebanese Chicken Soup Recipe that is scented with cinnamon and cardamom.