How To Store Egg Noodles

Egg noodles contain a lot more egg than any other type pasta, hence their name! The extra egg gives them a richer flavor, which is why they’re my favorite type of noodles.

Egg noodles are easy to make at home, but to save time, I often make more than I need and keep the leftovers for another day.

So how do you store egg noodles? You can store fresh egg noodles in the fridge for 3-4 days. For longer-term storage, it’s best to either freeze or dry the egg noodles. Dried egg noodles will last for several weeks at room temperature in an airtight container. In the freezer, the egg noodles will last for up to 6 months.

In this article, we go into detail on how to store your egg noodles in whatever state you have them: fresh, dried, or cooked.

How to store homemade egg noodles

You can store homemade noodles in a variety of different ways. The best way for you to store them depends on how long you want to keep them for.

If you only want to keep them for a few days then you can store them fresh, but if you want to keep them for any longer then it’s best to dry them or freeze them. 

Related: How To Store Rice Noodles

How to store fresh egg noodles

To store fresh egg noodles follow these simple steps.

1. Dust the noodles with a light coating of flour to stop them sticking together in the fridge.
2. Let the egg noodles air dry for half an hour. The best way to do this is to lay the strands out on a baking tray or hang them over something like a broomstick.
3. Once the noodles feel dry to the touch, put them in an airtight container. The airtight container helps make sure the pasta doesn’t dry out and start cracking, as well as protecting it from absorbing odors from other things in the fridge such as onions or garlic.
4. Make sure not to place anything heavy on top of the noodles if you’ve stored them in a bag (or they’ll turn back into a ball of dough!)

Fresh egg noodles will last for 2-3 days in the fridge but are best eaten within 18 hours. If you’ve added extra ingredients to your noodles like spinach or beetroot, these can have an effect on how long the noodles last. Flavored egg noodles are best eaten within 1-2 days of being made.

Why are my egg noodles turning grey?

If you notice the pasta has taken on a green or grey tint, this is a sign that that pasta has oxidized. In the fridge, the noodles will absorb water which causes the iron and sulfur in the egg yolks to oxidize and turn grey. It’s the same thing that happens in hard-boiled eggs when the outside of the yolk turns grey.

While it might not look that appetizing, the oxidized pasta is still totally safe to eat and will taste the same. However, if you’re serving the egg noodles to guests they might question your cookery skills! To stop your pasta turning grey the best thing to do is freeze it – that way it can’t absorb any moisture. The cold temperatures also slow down any chemical reactions.

If you have store-bought fresh egg noodles these shouldn’t change color even after 3-4 days. The store-bought stuff has a slightly longer shelf life because it’s packaged in a special protective atmosphere with less than 1% oxygen. The limited oxygen prevents any oxidation. 

How to freeze egg noodles

To freeze egg noodles follow these steps:

1. Dust the noodles lightly with flour and air-dry them for half an hour or until they feel dry to the touch
2. Prepare the noodles in the shape you’d like to freeze them in (i.e flat or in nests). To make nests grab a few noodles strands and wrap them around your hand
3. Freeze the noodles for 15-30 minutes until the strands don’t stick together anymore, or the nests don’t fall apart when you pick them up
4. Transfer the egg noodles to a bigger airtight container for storage

The egg noodles will last for up to 6 months in the freezer, but I would try and consume them within 3 months for the best quality. Always date your storage containers so you know how long something has been in the freezer. 

There’s no need to defrost the egg noodles as you can use them straight from frozen. They just take a few more minutes to cook. 

Fresh egg noodles from the store can also be frozen in the same way. Freeze them as soon as possible after you bring them home, and always by the use by date shown on the package.

If freezing isn’t an option for you, another way to preserve your egg noodles is to dry them.

How to dry fresh egg noodles for storing

To dry fresh pasta you don’t need any special equipment (although it can help), but you do need a bit of space!

Here’s how to dry pasta for storing:

1. Coat the egg noodles in flour to stop them sticking to anything, including each other. Semolina flour is best for this
2. Lay the noodles on a baking sheet or hang them up for 24-48 hours until they’re completely dry. The strands should snap when you twist or bend them. If you want to shape the noodles into nests for storage do this after the noodles have been drying for around an hour and feel dry to the touch.
3. Store the dried egg noodles in an airtight container for 4-6 weeks. Flavors like spinach or beetroot will reduce the life of the dried pasta to 2-4 weeks.

How long you need to dry your noodles depends on a variety of things like the temperature, humidity, and how thick your strands are. Also, adding wet ingredients like spinach will increase the drying time. If you’re tight on space then you might need to get inventive with how you hang the noodles up. Some ideas include:

• Use a noodle drying rack
• Hang them on the back of a chair
• Hang them on your clothes drying rack
• Hang them on a broomstick
• Lie them on a baking tray and put them in the oven (just don’t forget about them and turn the oven on!)

Basically anywhere you can find that’s suitable for draping a noodle over, you can use! Because I make egg noodles quite a lot I’ve invested in a noodle drying rack.

The drying rack I use is from Norpro. It’s easy to store and you can assemble it in seconds when you want to use it.

It’s best to choose a cooler day with lower humidity to dry the noodles. But if this can’t be helped then a good trick is to use a fan, this keeps air circulating and cools down the area.

Is it dangerous to keep egg noodles at room temperature?

As the name suggests noodles contain egg which is an ingredient that according to the FDA should be refrigerated to prevent the growth of salmonella, a well-known bacteria that can cause food poisoning. 

So it can seem counterintuitive that your noodles can be left out at room temperature for so long.

The reason it’s safe to do so is to do with moisture. Bacteria need moisture to survive and the process of drying removes moisture from the egg noodles. Egg noodles are so thin that within two hours there won’t be sufficient moisture left for any bacteria to use your noodles as a host.

However, if you’re concerned about leaving your egg noodles out then you can always use a dehydrator to dry them. 

I use this dehydrator from Cosori because the rectangle shelves are the perfect shape for laying out noodles.

Dry the noodles for two hours at 135 degrees Fahrenheit and they’ll be dry enough to put in your chosen container. This is also super useful if you’re limited on drying space. 

It’s important to make sure that your egg noodles are completely dry before you store them because once they’re in an airtight container moisture can’t escape and can cause mold. If you’re not completely sure the pasta is 100% dry then you can leave the container half sealed for a day or two before sealing it completely.

Can I freeze dried egg noodles?

Yes, you can freeze dried egg noodles. Dried egg noodles will last for 4-6 weeks at room temperature, but up to 6 months in the freezer, so freezing is the best option if you want to keep your pasta for more than a month. 

Simply transfer the dry pasta to a suitable container for freezing, label it with the date and pop it in the freezer.

Freezing vs Drying

Freezing and drying are two different ways to preserve egg noodles, but which one is best for you?

Space

Freezing takes up space in your freezer for however long the pasta is in there. Drying the pasta requires space in your home to hang the pasta up for around a day.

If you’re running low on freezer space, then it’s probably best to dry the pasta because you can then store it at room temperature. But if you have plenty of freezer space, freezing is a good option.

Time

Freezing the pasta is much quicker and less involved than drying the pasta. To dry the pasta takes a whole day, but freezing can be done in a few hours.

Storage length

Egg noodles will last up to 6 months in the freezer but will be at their best quality for about 3 months. Dried noodles will only last for 4-6 weeks depending on the temperature and humidity of your house.

Excess humidity can introduce moisture into the egg noodles, which can then lead to mold.

Therefore, if you live somewhere particularly humid I’d go for freezing over drying.

How to store cooked egg noodles

Cooked egg noodles can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You need to cool the pasta down before you store it, but also make sure that you don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours. After two hours harmful levels of bacteria can start growing on the noodles.

If the egg noodles aren’t in a sauce then it’s a good idea to toss them in oil to stop them clumping together in the fridge.

If the egg noodles are in a sauce then there’s no need to coat them in oil. But be aware that the longer you leave the noodles, the more sauce they’ll absorb and this can make them a bit soggy. I’d advise eating leftover noodles and sauce within 2-3 days if you’re storing them in the fridge. 

Freezing cooked egg noodles

Cooked egg noodles are also good candidates for freezing. The noodles should be completely cool before you put them in the freezer but should be put away within two hours to prevent harmful bacteria from establishing themselves in the dish.

You can freeze egg noodles with or without sauce. Transfer the noodles to a freezer-safe container and you can leave them there for up to 6 months.

If you know you’re going to freeze the egg noodles, try to cook them slightly al dente. The more moisture in the egg noodles when you freeze them, the more likely it is they’ll become mushy when you thaw them. If you have a choice between freezing the noodles raw or cooked, always chose raw for this reason.

How to store egg noodle dough

You can also just store the dough as it is without shaping it first. This way, you can make different shaped noodles each time.

To store the egg noodle dough in the fridge wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. You can leave it for 2-3 days. Just like with freshly rolled pasta, the dough can oxidize in the fridge. You’ll be able to tell it’s oxidized because the dough will take on a greeny-grey color. The dough is still good to use but won’t look as appetizing.

You can also freeze the dough for up to two months (with no oxidation problems). Before you freeze the dough I recommend portioning it out and wrapping each individual portion a double layer of plastic wrap. The double-layer helps to protect against freezer burn.

To thaw the dough place it in the fridge for a few hours until its soft enough to roll out.

How storage time affects cooking time

Pasta can be tricky to get right. If you cook it for a minute too long it will be overdone and mushy. And when you’ve got some pasta that’s in the fridge, some that’s frozen and some that’s dried it can get confusing knowing how long to cook each type for.

So here’s a guide.

The thicker your pasta is, the longer it will need to cook. Also, consider your personal preferences, if you like your noodles al dente then take a minute off the cooking times. To be extra careful, cook one or two strands first and time how long it takes to get them perfect.

How long do egg noodles last?

Fresh egg noodles will last 2-3 days in the fridge, and 6 months in the freezer. Cooked egg noodles will also last 2-3 days in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. If you dry the noodles then you can keep them in the pantry for 4-6 weeks.

Any fresh ingredients you add to your dough such as vegetables will shorten the life of the egg noodles slightly.

How to tell if egg noodles have gone bad

If you are unsure whether something has gone off or not always follow the rule: if in doubt, throw it out. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to food poisoning.

It’s usually pretty easy to tell if egg noodles have gone off. They’ll be slimy to touch and smell bad. Also, if there are any visible signs of mold then the egg noodles should be thrown away.

Never taste raw egg noodles to see if they’ve gone off. Raw egg isn’t safe to eat because it could contain salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning.

Recipe ideas for leftover egg noodles

Egg noodles are a versatile ingredient and you can add them to pretty much any dish you want. But if you’re struggling for ideas here a few ways I like to use up my leftover egg noodles.

• Add them to a frittata
• Use them to bulk out a bowl of soup or use them in a laksa
• Bake them in a casserole with lots of cheese and tomato sauce
• Eat them cold in a salad
• Get creative and make spring rolls
• Fry them with all of your favorite ingredients (mine is anything with lots of garlic)

How To Store Egg Noodles

You can store fresh egg noodles in the fridge for 3-4 days. For longer-term storage, it’s best to either freeze or dry the egg noodles. Dried egg noodles will last for several weeks at room temperature in an airtight container. In the freezer, the egg noodles will last for up to 6 months.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 1 person

Calories 100 kcal

Equipment

• Noodle drying rack
• Airtight container

Ingredients

  

• 1 portion egg noodles

Instructions

 

Storing Fresh Egg Noodles

• Dust the noodles with a light coating of flour to stop them sticking together in the fridge.
• Let the egg noodles air dry for half an hour. The best way to do this is to lay the strands out on a baking tray or hang them over something like a broomstick.
• Once the noodles feel dry to the touch, put them in an airtight container. The airtight container helps make sure the pasta doesn’t dry out and start cracking, as well as protecting it from absorbing odors from other things in the fridge such as onions or garlic.
• Make sure not to place anything heavy on top of the noodles if you’ve stored them in a bag (or they’ll turn back into a ball of dough!)
• Fresh egg noodles will last for 2-3 days in the fridge but are best eaten within 18 hours. If you’ve added extra ingredients to your noodles like spinach or beetroot, these can have an effect on how long the noodles last. Flavored egg noodles are best eaten within 1-2 days of being made.

Freezing Egg Noodles

• Dust the noodles lightly with flour and air-dry them for half an hour or until they feel dry to the touch
• Prepare the noodles in the shape you’d like to freeze them in (i.e flat or in nests). To make nests grab a few noodles strands and wrap them around your hand
• Freeze the noodles for 15-30 minutes until the strands don’t stick together anymore, or the nests don’t fall apart when you pick them up
• Transfer the egg noodles to a bigger airtight container for storage

Keyword egg noodles, noodles, pasta