Do egg noodles have gluten?

Egg noodles are most often used in comfort food recipes, as we see them in chicken noodle soup, casseroles, or hearty pasta dishes. They add a layer of comfort to any dish.

However, if you’ve recently been told you have to go gluten-free, you may be wondering if egg noodles fit those parameters.

Following a gluten-free diet can be complicated and confusing. With a name like egg noodles, you might think you have no problem since eggs are gluten-free… but is that really the case?

So are egg noodles gluten free?  Unfortunately, because traditional egg noodles are made from flour, eggs, and salt, they contain gluten and are therefore not suitable for a gluten-free diet. However, there are gluten-free noodle options from various brands, such as Manischewitz’s Gluten-Free Egg Noodles.

Read on to find out more about egg noodles and gluten, how egg noodles are used, alternative methods of making gluten-free egg noodles at home, as well as which pasta brands make gluten-free egg noodles.

What are egg noodles?

Egg noodles are a thick-shaped flat pasta that has a much darker yellow color than traditional pasta.

While traditional pasta is made with the same ingredients—egg, flour, and salt— what makes egg noodles unique is the number of eggs used. 

While traditional pasta uses about one egg per batch, egg noodles can use up to 2 eggs and two egg yolks. Some other recipes may also include milk and/or butter.

The addition of eggs is what gives them a darker yellow color, but also gives them a richer, denser flavor than traditional pasta.

How do you use egg noodles?

Egg noodles have many different uses.

Traditionally, and more commonly, they are used in chicken noodle soup. However, they are a great addition to any soup that calls for noodles.

Egg noodles are often found in casseroles such as tuna casserole or chicken noodle casserole. 

They are used in beef stroganoff, with meatballs, and as a substitute for almost any pasta dish. They’re even delicious mixed with a little butter and Parmesan cheese. 

Egg noodles are also a good choice for making a pasta salad.

What is gluten and why can it be a problem?

Before we look at whether egg noodles have gluten, let’s look at what gluten is and why it can be a problem for some consumers.

Gluten is the name of a specific protein found in wheat-based foods , such as wheat, barley, rye, semolina, farrow, and bulgur.

Gluten acts as a binding agent to help these foods maintain their shape. It’s found in many different foods, even those you wouldn’t expect to find it in.

The biggest places you might see unexpected gluten are in salad dressings, store-bought sauces, cereals, and soups.

Gluten can be a problem for people in two ways: some people have an intolerance, or some people have a more serious problem like celiac disease, an autoimmune digestive disease. 

Since gluten can be a slippery ingredient, if you’re on one of these boats and have a problem with gluten, be sure to always double check labels, as it tends to be in foods you least expect.

Are the egg noodles gluten free?

Most traditional egg noodles are not gluten-free because they contain flour, which is a product of wheat. 

You can try to find egg noodles at the grocery store that are made with gluten-free flour, or you can try making them at home with gluten-free flour.

Are chinese egg noodles gluten free?

Unfortunately, Chinese egg noodles are exactly the same as regular egg noodles; therefore, they contain gluten.

The only difference between the two is usually the shape: Chinese egg noodles are more like spaghetti. 

Almost all the noodles used in Chinese cooking, such as wontons or chow mein, contain gluten, since they are all made with flour.

Brands That Have Gluten Free Egg Noodles

There are some brands that have gluten-free egg noodles.

These brands use alternative flours and starches, such as rice flour, potato flour and starch, and tapioca starch, instead of wheat flour. However, they still use eggs to maintain the rich flavor of the noodles.

1. Manischewitz Gluten-Free Wide Egg Noodles

The first brand of gluten-free egg noodles is Manischewitz.

These gluten-free egg noodles are made with tapioca starch, potato flakes, and potato starch instead of regular flour.

They also include xanthan gum, which is a binding agent that helps the noodles hold together without the presence of gluten.

They have the same shape and texture as traditional egg noodles and are a great gluten-free substitution.

2. Jovial Tagliatelle gluten-free egg pasta

Another great brand of gluten-free egg pasta is Jovial.

These gluten-free egg noodles are made with organic brown rice flour, water, and organic eggs.

These Jovial noodles are the closest thing to home-made noodles, since they only have three simple ingredients. They are also the most natural, since they do not contain a binding agent like xanthan gum.

They look almost identical to traditional egg noodles, both in shape and color.

Jovial is also a great brand for other gluten-free pasta options, like fusilli, penne, and spaghetti.

3. High Fiber Double Yolk Gluten Free Egg Noodles

One last gluten-free egg noodle option is Double Yolk.

Double Yolk noodles are made with rice flour, tapioca starch, millet flour, dried egg yolk, and xanthan gum.

As you can see, of the three brands, Double Yolk noodles have the most ingredients, making them the closest to traditional egg noodles.

They also differ in their width, as they are slightly thinner than traditional egg noodles.

Although Jovial and Manischewitz are options whose ingredients are more like traditional egg noodles, Double Yolk is still a good option if you need gluten-free egg noodles.

How to make gluten free egg noodles

If you’re having trouble finding any of the store-bought, pre-made gluten-free egg noodles, you can try making your own.

The process is not necessarily difficult, it just requires a little time and patience.

First of all, the ingredients you will need are gluten-free flour, eggs, and salt . You also have the option of adding butter and milk, depending on the recipe you choose to follow.

Regardless of whether you use butter and milk or not, the first step is to mix the flour and salt together. For 1 cup of flour, you need about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt.

Once mixed, if you’re not using milk or butter, make a well in the flour and beat two eggs right in the center, then combine the flour and egg.

If you’re using milk and butter, mix together 1 egg, milk (about 1/4 cup, but more if the dough is dry), and butter (½ tablespoon), then mix them into the flour-salt mixture. 

For both types of dough, knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and not sticky. If it is too dry, add milk or water. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour.

Let the dough rest in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Once the dough has rested, stretch it with the rolling pin until it reaches the desired thickness. Make sure you have a floured surface.

The best thing about egg noodles is that you don’t need a pasta maker as they are meant to be thicker. Roll them to about ?-¼ inch thickness.

A trick to roll them faster is to fold the dough and cut it into slices.

Once cut, add them to a pot of boiling water with a lot of salt and cook them between 2 and 10 minutes. It will depend on the thickness of the noodle and the consistency you want.

Now you have the cooked egg noodles! Throw them into chicken noodle soup or make them into a tuna casserole.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over egg noodles and figured out if they’re gluten-free, let’s take a look at some related questions!

Are egg noodles dairy free?

Although most store-bought egg noodles are not gluten-free, they are often dairy-free. However, if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy, always be sure to check labels to make sure they are safe for you.

Are the egg noodles vegetarian?

Fortunately for all vegetarians, egg noodles are safe.

They do not contain any animal products, only flour, eggs and salt, so they are consumable for vegetarians. Even egg noodles made with butter and milk are safe for vegetarians.

Are egg noodles vegan?

Unfortunately, egg noodles are not safe for vegans.

What makes egg noodles unique and set apart from other noodle options is the use of eggs. Eggs are not appropriate for a vegan diet.

Vegans cannot consume both types of egg noodles, those with milk and those without butter, because they contain animal products.