Best Noodle Dish

Guanciale, Pecorino Romano and black pepper give pasta alla gricia its concentrated savory character. Associated with Rome and the surrounding Lazio region, the dish uses cured pork jowl whose fat renders during cooking. That fat coats the pasta, while grated sheep's milk cheese and starchy cooking...

Fresh clams and their cooking juices give spaghetti alle vongole its distinctive maritime flavor. Closely associated with Naples and Campania, this Italian dish usually pairs the shellfish with spaghetti, though linguine is also used. Olive oil and garlic form the base, with white wine often added a...

Rooted in Genoa and the wider Ligurian region, pasta al pesto genovese centers on an uncooked basil sauce rather than a simmered dressing. Traditional pesto combines fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino and olive oil, crushed together in a marble mortar. Basil supplies the d...

Penang Asam Laksa is a traditional Malaysian noodle soup originating from the state of Penang. The dish features a sour and spicy broth made from mackerel fish that is poached and flaked directly into a base of tamarind, lemongrass, and chili. It is served over thick, round rice noodles and garnishe...

Taiwanese beef noodle soup is a prominent culinary dish in Taiwan, often regarded as the country's national food. It was developed in the mid-20th century by Chinese mainland immigrants and military veterans who adapted traditional mainland recipes using local Taiwanese ingredients. The soup consist...

Originating in Lanzhou in China's Gansu Province, Lanzhou beef noodle soup combines hand-pulled lamian with a clear, seasoned beef broth. Pulling and folding the dough repeatedly produces strands that can vary in thickness and shape. Sliced beef and white radish accompany the noodles, while cilantro...

Associated with Kagawa Prefecture, historically called Sanuki, Sanuki udon centers on thick wheat noodles with a firm, chewy bite. Kneading and resting the dough help create that texture, while cutting produces noodles with a generally squared cross-section. The noodle itself remains the focus acros...

Hakata ramen comes from the Hakata area of Fukuoka City and pairs thin, straight noodles with tonkotsu broth made from pork bones. Extended boiling produces a cloudy, milky soup as fat and other components disperse through the liquid. Its richness contrasts with the noodles' fine shape, making broth...

Sapporo ramen originated in Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, specifically in its capital city, where the cold climate inspired a heartier variation of the popular noodle soup. The dish is characterized by its rich miso-based broth, substantial curly noodles that maintain their texture in hot...

Bologna's traditional tagliatelle al ragù pairs flat ribbons of egg pasta with a slowly cooked meat sauce. Beef and pork, often including pancetta, are combined with a soffritto of finely chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Tomato and wine contribute to the sauce, which simmers for hours to develop a...

Chongqing noodles, often referred to as Xiaomian, are a spicy street food and breakfast staple originating from the Chinese municipality of Chongqing. The dish features fresh, chewy wheat noodles served in a complex, numbing and spicy broth created from chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and se...

Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa is a traditional pasta dish originating from the Apulia region of southeastern Italy. It features orecchiette, a distinct ear-shaped durum wheat pasta, served alongside cime di rapa, which are bitter turnip greens that have been boiled or sautéed. The ingredients are typ...

Associated with Rome, spaghetti carbonara uses guanciale, eggs, and grated Pecorino Romano to turn a small set of ingredients into a rich pasta dish. Rendered pork fat carries the savory flavor, while freshly ground black pepper provides a sharp contrast. Egg yolks can form the sauce's base, althoug...

Bak Chor Mee is a widely consumed Singaporean noodle dish of Teochew origin, typically eaten for breakfast or lunch. The dish primarily consists of flat egg noodles (mee pok) tossed in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and pork lard. It is topped with an assortment of pork ingredients, including minc...

Knife-cut noodles (dao xiao mian) are a traditional Chinese noodle variety originating from Shanxi Province in northern China. The distinctive preparation technique involves a chef holding a block of dough against the shoulder or body and using a specialized knife to shave slices directly into boili...

Dan dan noodles are a Sichuan street food of Chinese origin featuring thin wheat noodles in a spicy sauce of chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, sesame paste, and minced pork, named after the carrying poles vendors used to sell them.

Laghman is a traditional Central Asian dish consisting of hand-pulled noodles served with a savory stew. The topping typically features diced meat, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and other seasonal vegetables stir-fried or simmered together. It reflects the culinary heritage of the Uyghur people bu...

Inaniwa udon is a traditional Japanese wheat noodle originating from the Inaniwa area of Akita Prefecture. Produced using a hand-stretched method, the noodles are dried for extended periods, resulting in a distinctively thin, flat, and smooth texture. They were historically developed in the 17th cen...

Taiwan beef noodle soup is a Taiwanese dish considered the island's unofficial national noodle, featuring braised beef shank in a rich, spiced broth over thick wheat noodles, with an annual competition held in Taipei since 2005 celebrating it.

Char Kway Teow is a popular noodle dish widely consumed in Malaysia and Singapore, consisting of flat rice noodles stir-fried over high heat. The dish is traditionally prepared in a wok with ingredients such as cockles, Chinese sausage, prawns, eggs, and bean sprouts, often utilizing pork lard for f...

Beef brisket noodles (牛腩麵) is a Cantonese dish associated with Hong Kong and southern China. The dish consists of beef brisket braised for extended periods in a broth containing soy sauce, star anise, ginger, and other aromatics until the meat becomes tender. The brisket and broth are served over...

Khao Suey (also spelled khao suey or khaukswe) is a Burmese noodle dish consisting of wheat noodles served in a spiced coconut milk broth, typically garnished with an array of condiments including crispy fried onions, hard-boiled eggs, fried garlic, chili flakes, lime wedges, and chopped cilantro. T...

Lanzhou beef noodles are a hand-pulled noodle dish from Lanzhou, Gansu province, China, distinguished by clear beef bone broth, hand-stretched noodles available in seven thickness styles, and a rule-based preparation tradition dating back over a century.

Linguine alle Vongole is a traditional Italian pasta dish consisting of linguine tossed with clams, olive oil, garlic, and white wine. It is a staple of the cuisine of southern Italy, particularly the Campania region around Naples. The dish is most commonly prepared "in bianco," meaning without toma...

Cacio e Pepe is a traditional Italian pasta dish from Rome. Its name translates to "cheese and pepper," which are the primary ingredients alongside pasta and water. The dish is prepared by tossing hot pasta with grated Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground black pepper, and starchy pasta water to c...

Mee Goreng Mamak is a Southeast Asian street food dish consisting of stir-fried yellow wheat noodles. It originated from the Mamak people, who are Indian-Muslims residing in Malaysia. The dish is characterized by its savory, spicy, and slightly sweet profile, typically achieved through a blend of so...

Asam Laksa is a Malaysian noodle soup originating from Penang, distinguished by its sour and spicy tamarind-and-mackerel broth. Thick round rice noodles are served in a broth made from flaked mackerel, tamarind paste, lemongrass, galangal, and chili, typically garnished with mint, pineapple, cucumbe...

Pasta al nero di seppia is an Italian seafood pasta dish distinguished by its striking black color, which comes from the incorporation of cuttlefish ink. The ink imparts a mildly briny and earthy flavor to the dish, which is popular in coastal regions throughout Italy, particularly in Veneto and aro...

Pasta all'amatriciana, or sugo all'amatriciana in Italian, is a traditional pasta sauce originating from the town of Amatrice in the Lazio region of central Italy. The classic preparation uses guanciale (cured pork jowl), pecorino romano cheese, tomatoes, and chili pepper, served over bucatini or sp...