5 Delicious Noodle Recipes for Holiday Dinner Parties

You might think of the festive season as a time of turkey and nut roast, followed by pudding, cake and of course lots of chocolate. The holiday season is a long one though, with lots of opportunities to eat, so there is also time to do something a bit different. If you buy noodles, you can add some interesting variation to your celebrations.

Soup to start

Soup is a common starter at dinner parties, so noodle soup could make an interesting variation. Use plenty of chicken or vegetable stock if using chicken as your protein, or you could use tofu as a vegan option. Vegetables could include mushrooms (thinly sliced), sweetcorn (fresh or frozen) and spring onions. Miso flavours are popular in Asian-style noodle soups. Add some ginger to warm your guests during the cold weather.

All the trimmings

Part of the reason that noodles are so popular is that they can be combined with nearly any combination of ingredients. Why not create a traditional pasta-style dish with a cream sauce, then add some cooked chestnuts and even some shredded Brussels sprouts? It will be all the seasonal flavours but with a unique twist.

Something light

With so many of the meals at this time of the year being on the large side, occasionally you need some lighter dishes to help you recover. A basic noodle dish can be a healthier alternative to ordering a takeaway. Just choose your favourite vegetables, add some garlic, chilli and ginger and fry them all together with the cooked noodles in a wok or large frying pan. Meat eaters can add strips of chicken, beef or pork, seafood lovers may want prawns, vegetarians may use egg as their protein and vegans might choose tofu.

Buy noodles for specialist diets

Noodles are popular with vegetarians and vegans as, when made with rice or buckwheat, they are completely free from animal-derived ingredients. They are also gluten free, meaning they are suitable for those with allergies. With these factors in mind, a stir fry with assorted vegetables and perhaps tofu as the main protein source will enable you to feed even guests with the trickiest dietary restrictions. Add extra flavour with soy sauce.

Comfort food

Spaghetti and meatballs is a warm, comforting, sustaining dish that is perfect for the chillier months of the year. Noodles are very similar in size, shape and consistency to spaghetti. This might not be the most refined meal, but it is certainly a crowd pleaser. There is also some flexibility as to the recipe. Meatballs are generally made using mince, onion, breadcrumbs and egg, but you can also add your preferred herbs, spices and seasonings. Similarly, a tomato-based sauce is most common, but you may choose to add mixed herbs, oregano, basil, garlic or other ingredients. If you want it more Asian-style, use a broth instead. The trick to ensuring the meatballs hold together is not to make them too big.

These are just some of the meals you can create when you buy noodles. They will allow for some exciting dinner parties where you serve a diverse range of guests with different tastes and dietary needs. It will brighten up the holiday season.