Get the Recipe: Cafeteria Noodles (without canned soup)
These quick and easy cafeteria noodles are a great side dish for so many meals. They cook up quickly in a skillet on the stovetop and use no canned soup! The noodles simmer right in the creamy chicken broth, so no separate boiling is needed.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, DIVIDED
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups no-yolks egg noodles, 6oz or any egg noodle
- 1 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste, or 1/2 a bouillon cube, crumbled (optional) *see Note 1 below
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 Tablespoon butter, optional
- salt and pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Tip! These noodles are best served immediately after cooking. If they need to sit a bit, cover the pan, then reheat with a Tablespoon or two of broth or milk to loosen.
- Melt the butter in a medium to large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour has absorbed the butter and the mixture is clumpy. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add 1 cup of the chicken broth, whisking as you go. Add the milk and spices to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Add the egg noodles to the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly. Stir in the additional chicken bouillon (if using) and continue cooking the noodles, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened (but is still loose and creamy) and the noodles are just tender, about 10-15 minutes. *Taste test the noodles to be sure they are tender. Don't overcook the noodles or they may become mushy. If the sauce becomes too thick before the noodles are cooked, add a splash more chicken broth, as needed to thin the sauce.
- When finished, stir in the parsley and additional butter, if using. Taste and add additional salt as needed, and plenty of freshly ground pepper.
- These noodles are best enjoyed freshly cooked. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet with a splash of broth or milk to loosen the noodles.
Notes
This recipe will serve 5 as a side dish or 2 or 3 as a main.
Note 1: I like to stir in a bit more chicken bouillon paste to up the chicken flavour a bit more. You can use bouillon paste, such as Better than Bouillon or a crumbled cube.
Tips!
This type of noodle dish relies on salt to round out the flavours. How much you'll need will depend on how salty your chicken broth is, and maybe if you substituted garlic salt instead of powder, for example. That's why it's important to taste at the end of cooking and see if you need to add additional salt. I typically will add at least another 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Different noodles will need a bit different amount of liquid to cook through. This recipe was tested using No-Yolks Large/Broad noodles. If you're using a different type or brand of noodle, you may need to add a bit more broth to the skillet if the sauce becomes too thick before the noodles are cooked. Start with a few Tablespoons more and go from there, as needed.
The spicing, as written, is what I would consider minimal. Feel free to add a bit more if you like, to taste.
Variations to try
Stir in a bit of lemon juice.
Stir in a bit of Parmesan cheese.
Stir in a bit of Parmesan and a lot of pepper for a Cacio e Pepe-style noodle.
Stir in a bit of sour cream and chives or green onions.
Stir in some frozen peas toward the end of cooking.
Stir in a bit of Parmesan cheese.
Stir in a bit of Parmesan and a lot of pepper for a Cacio e Pepe-style noodle.
Stir in a bit of sour cream and chives or green onions.
Stir in some frozen peas toward the end of cooking.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 197kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 423mg, Potassium: 214mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 303IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 1mg
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