Noodles are a beloved staple in many cuisines around the world, and their deliciousness often comes down to one key ingredient: noodle flour.
But what exactly is noodle flour, and how does it differ from other types of flour?
What is noodle flour?
Noodle flour, also called pasta flour, is a blend of flours specifically designed for making noodles. The blend typically includes unbleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, durum flour, and semolina flour.
The process starts by cleaning and conditioning the wheat, which involves removing impurities and adjusting the moisture content to achieve optimal milling conditions. Next, the wheat is ground into flour using specialized mills and sifted to produce a fine powder.
What’s the difference between noodle flour and regular flour?
The main difference between noodle flour and regular flour is the type of wheat used to make them. Noodle flour is made from hard wheat varieties that are high in protein and gluten, while regular flour is typically made from hard and soft wheat, which has a lower protein and gluten content.
So, noodle flour is a specialized flour meant for making pasta, while regular all-purpose flour can be used for most things, including pasta and baked goods.
Benefits of noodle flour
Noodle flour combines the versatility of all-purpose flour, the golden color of semolina flour, and the elasticity and chewy texture of durum wheat flour – making it ideal for rolling out and shaping into noodles or dumplings. Plus, it holds up well in boiling water and goes well with any type of sauce.
Made from a blend of wheat flour, noodle flour is a good source of iron and B vitamins. For the nutrition table below, we used King Arthur’s pasta flour blend, which contains unbleached flour, durum wheat flour, and semolina flour.
Noodle flour nutrition facts
| Flour (¼ cup) | Calories | Carbs | Fiber | Sugar | Fat | Protein | Glycemic Index |
| Noodle flour | 110 | 22 g | 1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 4 g | Likely high |
| All-purpose flour | 120 | 24 g | 1 g | 0 g | 0.5 g | 4 g | 85 |
How to bake and cook with noodle flour
While noodle flour can be used to make bread and other baked goods it’s specifically designed for pasta, which is what it should be used for.
Making homemade pasta is worth the extra effort! And noodle flour makes it easy to make any noodle recipe, from homemade spaghetti, chicken noodle soup noodles, ravioli, ramen, and soba noodles. For a basic pasta, all you need is noodle flour, eggs, and water!
In a pinch, you can swap in 100% noodle flour for 100% all-purpose flour since they are both wheat flours. However, noodle flour absorbs more water than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to achieve the right consistency.
Popular noodle flour baked goods and dishes
Noodle flour can be used for making bread, pizza crust, and of course, oodles of noodles!
- All types of pasta noodles (ravioli, lasagna, fettuccine, etc.)
- Udon noodles
- Ramen noodles
- Dumplings (such as gyoza or potstickers)
- Bread
- Pizza crust
- Stir-fry noodles (such as chow mein or lo mein)
How to make noodle flour at home
If you can’t find noodle flour at the store, you can make your own at home by combining 80% high-gluten wheat flour and 20% all-purpose flour. Here’s a list of which flours have the highest gluten content. For making homemade pasta, semolina flour is the best.
When you’re ready to make your noodles, gradually add water until a dough forms, then knead it for several minutes. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then roll it out and cut it into your preferred shape!
How to store noodle flour
Store noodle flour in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or cupboard. Keep it away from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight, as exposure to these elements can cause the flour to go bad.
Noodle flour can last for up to 6 months or more, depending on the type of flour and the storage conditions.
What are the best substitutes for noodle flour?
If you’re looking to make homemade pasta and don’t have access to noodle flour, you have plenty of other options.
Because noodle flour blends typically contain all-purpose flour, durum wheat flour, and semolina flour, any of these flours will work on their own. Specifically, semolina flour is the best substitute that will give you great results every time because it has a higher gluten content, a coarse texture that helps bind the pasta dough together, and provides a rough surface for sauces to cling to. However, durum flour is also a good choice that brings the same flavor as noodle flour.
There are so many different types of noodles that use different types of flour. For rice noodles (pad thai and pho), you’ll need white rice flour, and for soba noodles, buckwheat flour.
FAQs
Noodles can be made from a variety of flours, but the most commonly used flours are wheat flour, rice flour, and mung bean flour. The type of flour used depends on the type of noodle being made and the desired texture.
The most commonly used flour is wheat flour, which is high in gluten and gives the noodles their characteristic chewy texture. Rice flour, mung bean flour, and potato starch may also be used for some types of Chinese noodles.
White noodle flour refers to refined wheat flour that has been specially processed to remove the bran and germ (in contrast to whole-wheat flour).
