It's 6:40 on a Tuesday and the fridge has potatoes, an egg, and half a bag of flour. That's the night these potato noodles happen in my house.
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You boil potatoes, mash them warm, work in flour and egg, roll the dough into ropes, and cut little pillows. Then you boil them for two minutes and finish them in a hot skillet until the edges go crisp and golden.
The first time I made these I added too much flour because the dough felt sticky. They came out dense and bouncy in a bad way. Now I add flour a spoonful at a time and stop as soon as the dough pulls away from the bowl.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
2 pounds (900g) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Russets give a fluffier mash; Yukon Golds hold a bit more moisture, so add flour slowly. In a pinch, leftover mashed potatoes work – use 3 cups and skip the boiling step.
1 large egg, lightly beaten
The egg binds the dough and adds richness. For an egg-free version, swap in 3 tablespoons of warm milk plus 1 extra tablespoon of flour.
1 1/2 to 2 cups (190g to 250g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Start with the smaller amount and add more only if the dough sticks to your hands. Bread flour makes the noodles chewier; cake flour makes them softer and more fragile.
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
Salt the boiling water generously and season the dough lightly. Kosher salt is coarser, so use 2 teaspoons if that is what you have.
4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
Butter gives the finish its nutty flavor. Olive oil works for a dairy-free version, but lower the heat slightly so it does not smoke.
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Fresh garlic is worth it here. Jarred minced garlic burns faster, so add it off the heat and let the residual warmth soften it.
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or pecorino
Parmesan adds salty depth. Nutritional yeast (2 tablespoons) is a good dairy-free stand-in with a similar savory punch.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for serving
Parsley brightens the buttery noodles. Chives or torn basil work just as well – add them at the very end so they stay green.
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crack it right before serving; pre-ground pepper loses its bite fast. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a nice warm kick.
Tips & Tricks
Dry the mash
After draining, return the potatoes to the warm pot for a minute to steam off extra moisture. Wet mash means you will need more flour, and more flour means heavy noodles.
Flour gradually
Add flour a quarter cup at a time and stop when the dough is soft but no longer sticky. You may not use the full amount, and that is fine.
Do not crowd the pan
Cook the boiled noodles in a single layer so they brown instead of steam. Work in two batches if your skillet is small.
Salt the water like pasta
The boiling water is your only chance to season the noodles from the inside. Use about a tablespoon of salt per large pot.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Boil the potatoes
Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat (212°F / 100°C), then lower to a simmer and cook 15 to 18 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain well and let them steam dry for 2 minutes.
2. Mash until smooth
Rice or mash the potatoes while warm until completely smooth with no lumps. Spread them on a plate to cool for 5 minutes – hot potatoes make the egg curdle.
3. Build the dough
Add the egg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the flour to the potatoes. Mix with a fork, then knead gently, adding flour a quarter cup at a time, until the dough is soft and just stops sticking to your hands, about 2 minutes.
4. Roll and cut
Lightly flour your counter. Pinch off handfuls of dough and roll into 3/4-inch thick ropes. Cut into 1-inch pieces and toss with a little flour so they do not clump.
5. Boil the noodles
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (212°F / 100°C). Drop in the noodles in batches and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until they float to the top and look slightly puffed. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain well.
6. Brown the butter
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat (about 325°F / 165°C). Add the garlic and cook 45 to 60 seconds, until fragrant and pale gold – do not let it brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
7. Crisp the noodles
Add the drained noodles to the skillet in a single layer. Cook 4 to 5 minutes without stirring, then flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the bottoms are golden brown and the edges look crisp.
8. Finish and serve
Return the garlic to the pan, add the Parmesan, parsley, and black pepper, and toss for 30 seconds. Taste, adjust salt, and serve hot straight from the pan.
Delicious Variations
Sour Cream and Dill
Skip the Parmesan and stir 1/3 cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons chopped dill into the pan off the heat for a tangy, Eastern European-style version.
Spicy Tomato
Toss the crisp noodles with 1 cup of warm marinara, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and torn mozzarella, then broil 2 minutes until bubbly.
Mushroom and Thyme
Brown 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms in the butter before adding the noodles, then finish with fresh thyme leaves and a squeeze of lemon.
How to Store Easy Potato Noodles
Refrigerator
Store cooked noodles in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the garlic and herbs separate if you can, and reheat gently so the noodles do not dry out.
Freezer
Freeze uncooked, flour-dusted noodles on a sheet pan for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Boil from frozen and add 1 minute to the cooking time.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat (about 325°F / 165°C) with a teaspoon of butter or water for 3 to 4 minutes, until hot and sizzling at the edges. The microwave works but softens the crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did my potato noodles fall apart in the water?
The dough was too wet, usually because the potatoes held extra moisture or too little flour was added. Return the dough to the bowl, knead in 1 tablespoon of flour at a time, and test one noodle in boiling water before cutting the rest.
Q: Can I make potato noodles without eggs?
Yes. Replace the egg with 3 tablespoons of warm milk and 1 extra tablespoon of flour, and the noodles will still hold together after boiling. They come out slightly softer, so handle them gently when draining.
Q: What kind of potatoes are best for potato noodles?
Russets are the classic choice because they mash fluffy and absorb flour evenly. Yukon Golds also work well but are moister, so plan to use a little less flour and taste the dough as you go.
Q: Can I use leftover mashed potatoes?
Yes, use about 3 cups of cold mashed potatoes and skip the boiling step. Leftover mash often has butter and milk in it already, so start with 1 cup of flour and add more only if the dough is sticky.
Q: How do I keep the noodles from sticking together?
Toss the cut noodles with a light dusting of flour and keep them in a single layer on a floured sheet pan. Boil them in batches and stir once right after they hit the water.
Boil one small potato's worth of dough tonight and see how the texture feels in your hands before you commit to the full batch. Go try the small version first.
Easy Potato Noodles
Easy Potato Noodles are pillowy, chewy potato dumplings tossed in garlic butter – a cozy pantry dinner ready in under an hour with no special tools.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900g) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups (190g to 250g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or pecorino
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
📋 Instructions
- 1Boil the potatoes — Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat (212°F / 100°C), then lower to a simmer and cook 15 to 18 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain well and let them steam dry for 2 minutes.
- 2Mash until smooth — Rice or mash the potatoes while warm until completely smooth with no lumps. Spread them on a plate to cool for 5 minutes – hot potatoes make the egg curdle.
- 3Build the dough — Add the egg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the flour to the potatoes. Mix with a fork, then knead gently, adding flour a quarter cup at a time, until the dough is soft and just stops sticking to your hands, about 2 minutes.
- 4Roll and cut — Lightly flour your counter. Pinch off handfuls of dough and roll into 3/4-inch thick ropes. Cut into 1-inch pieces and toss with a little flour so they do not clump.
- 5Boil the noodles — Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (212°F / 100°C). Drop in the noodles in batches and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until they float to the top and look slightly puffed. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain well.
- 6Brown the butter — Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat (about 325°F / 165°C). Add the garlic and cook 45 to 60 seconds, until fragrant and pale gold – do not let it brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- 7Crisp the noodles — Add the drained noodles to the skillet in a single layer. Cook 4 to 5 minutes without stirring, then flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the bottoms are golden brown and the edges look crisp.
- 8Finish and serve — Return the garlic to the pan, add the Parmesan, parsley, and black pepper, and toss for 30 seconds. Taste, adjust salt, and serve hot straight from the pan.
