From thick udon in Japan to macaroni and cheese in the US to baby fine capellini in Italy, favorite pasta and noodle dishes can be found all over the world. But is pasta really vegan? And are noodles and pasta the same thing? Here’s what you need to know.
Pasta vs Noodles
The terms “pasta” and “noodles” are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. Pasta is usually defined as a product made from durum wheat and water flour and is derived from the word paste, which refers to unleavened dough formed into dozens of shapes.
Noodles of Asian origin can be made with a variety of flours, such as whole wheat or buckwheat, as well as gluten-free varieties made with rice, sweet potato starch, and shirataki made from the konjac plant.
The History of Pasta and Noodles
While they are celebrated around the world, the first recorded noodles—approximately 4,000 years old—were found in northwest China. Because they are so close in taste and texture, many believe that the Italian classic, pasta, was made from these noodles. But many historians believe that this is not actually true.
Ashley McLaughlin
“Noodles are one thing, pasta is another,” says food historian Anna Maria Pellegrino. today. “They reflect two separate culinary cultures and identities that have developed in parallel, the only combination being the need for nourishment and, above all, sharing the same table feelings and daily life events.”
“The way they are cooked, the pots, types of cereals used, preparations, ingredients and toppings are completely different and specific to each civilization,” he added. Another food historian, Giorgio Franchetti, agreed, calling the idea that noodles and pasta were related “pure nonsense”.
Franchetti notes that, long before the Venetian explorer Marco Polo traveled to Asia and brought noodles with him (one of the long-held myths surrounding the introduction of pasta to Italy), research suggests the ancient Greeks and Romans cooked with flat pasta sheets called laganones.
Is pasta vegan? And what about noodles?
But enough about the history, and on to the important part: Can vegetarians eat pasta and noodles? The answer is: sometimes.
Jessica Randhawa
European-style pasta and Asian noodles can be made with egg flour, which usually only uses animal products. When shopping at the grocery store for Italian pasta, remember that most brands of fresh, refrigerated pasta contain eggs unless otherwise noted. While boxed, dry pasta is less likely to contain eggs than fresh, it’s still a good idea to check the ingredient label.
Also note that when eating with fresh pasta at an Italian restaurant, there is likely to be egg in the dough. So, unless you know otherwise, ask your server. With Asian noodles, be aware that wontons, chow mein, and lo mein noodles often contain egg.
Types of pasta
When it comes to pasta, there are many varieties to explore. In fact, it comes in at least 350 different shapes! It can be short, it can be long, it can be stretched, it can be filled, it can even be mixed with potatoes and flour to make gnocchi! Here’s a little more about some of the tastiest varieties you can find on store shelves today.
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1 Spaghetti
Spaghetti, which comes from the Italian word spaghetto (meaning “thin string”), originates from Sicily. It consists of long, thin strands of durum wheat pasta. But it can also be made gluten-free with rice or bean-based noodles.
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2 Fettuccine
Popular in Rome and Tuscany, fettuccine is long like spaghetti, but the noodles are flat and dense and ribbon-like. They are usually combined with cream, butter and parmesan cheese to make the dish “fettuccine alfredo”.
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3 Linguini
Linguine is similar to spaghetti, but it comes from the Liguria region of Italy. It’s a little wider than spaghetti but thinner than fettuccine, and is perfect for rolling around your plant-based meatballs.
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4 Tubular pasta
As the name suggests, tubular pastas are shaped like small tubes. Rigatoni, cannelloni, penne, and gti are examples of pasta that is hollow in the middle. They also hold up well in heavy sauces and light dairy-free cream sauces.
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5 Tortellini
Round stuffed pasta, tortellini, which comes from the Emilia region of Italy, usually contains ricotta cheese, but can also contain prosciutto or pork. Because of that, it’s usually not vegetarian, but there are plant-based versions available. Or you can make your own by following this vegan cheese tortellini recipe!
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6 Ravioli
Like tortellini, ravioli comes from northern Italy. But it’s not exactly the same thing. Ravioli has a more dumpling-like appearance and texture and is usually more square.
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7 macaroni
Although it is usually served with a cheesy sauce to form the American favorite “mac and cheese”, macaroni most likely originated in the Campania region of Italy. It consists of small tubes of dried pasta, which are either straight or slightly curved.
Foods that taste like pasta, but aren’t actually pasta
As we have already established, food historians are very clear that noodles and pasta evolved separately from each other, so they are not the same thing. But noodles are still delicious and versatile in their own right. Plus, we’ve also included dumplings in this list, as they have the same flavor and texture as the Italian classic, ravioli.
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1 Wheat noodles
Chinese-style wheat noodles are traditionally made with kansui, a type of alkaline mineral water. Add them to ramen, of course, but they’re delicious anywhere you want to use them.
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2
udan
These thick, soft wheat noodles originated in Japan. They can often be found in ramen and other Asian dishes.
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3
Rice noodles
Varying from very thin to very thick, these naturally gluten-free noodles are common in Asian cuisine.
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4 Dumplings
Cuisine around the world has its own dumplings, which are made of dough and often wrapped in fillings such as potatoes, vegetables and tofu. It can be Italian ravioli, Polish pierogies and, of course, all kinds of Asian dumplings.
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5 Shirtaki
Made with konjac yam starch, these noodles are thick and opaque and often served as rice noodles.
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6
soba
A nutty, dark-colored noodle, soba is made with buckwheat (a seed) and is naturally gluten-free.
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7
Glass noodles
Also known as cellophane, these clear, thin noodles are made with starches from sweet potato to mung beans and are naturally gluten-free.
Vegan pasta and noodle brands to try
Ready to dig into a bowl of noodles or pasta? Start here. All of these brands have vegetarian options. The only question is what do you top your bowl with?
eden food
1 eden food
Try soba, udon and whole-grain pasta made with US-grown, organic grains. Enjoy Eden Foods 100% Buckwheat Soba with soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, scallions and seared tofu for a filling meal.
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Colavita
2 Colavita
This global brand based in Italy sells only pasta without eggs or other animal products. Colavita’s pappardelle nest pasta tossed with a vegan pesto is the definition of comfort food.
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tinkyada
3 tinkyada
Tinkyada makes 18 varieties of Italian-style dry pasta, all gluten-free and vegan. Try brown rice spirals with a marinara sauce, roasted veggies and fresh basil.
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Barilla
4 Barilla
An international brand started in 1912, Barilla’s wide range of pastas are made mostly without animal products, including its gluten-free and protein+ ranges.
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De Cecco
5 De Cecco
Widely available in big box stores across the country, all of De Cicco’s wheat-based pastas are plant-based, including spinach fusilli. Red lentils also have a high protein range, like spaghetti.
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whole foods
6 365 by Whole Foods Market
Classic pasta varieties like linguine and spaghetti are vegetarian, made only from durum wheat semolina flour. Make your favorite vegan mac and cheese with elbow macaroni pasta.
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Trader Joe’s
7 Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has a full range of organic, conventional, and gluten-free pasta options that are vegetarian, including tightly-rolled organic fusilli corti buccati for fun and unusual shapes, and gluten-free brown rice penne, perfect for marinara. sauce or vegan pesto.
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priano
8 priano
Aldi US’s bronze-cut pastas are made without animal ingredients in shapes like rigatoni, casereux and conchiglie shells and bring authentic Italian flavors to affordable prices.
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Nonsense
9 Nonsense
Made with protein-packed chickpeas, banger pastas in shell, penne and rotini form are gluten-free, vegetarian and sturdy enough to stand up to any sauce.
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the target
10 Good and collection
Target’s home brand Good & Gather offers a variety of vegan pastas, including whole wheat spaghetti and rotini.
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to learn
11 to learn
Maker of exclusively vegan ramen noodles, try Asian Vegetable or Garlic Chili for a convenient bowl of flavorful soup.
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nisin
12 Nissin Top Windows
The name synonymous with instant ramen noodles comes in two vegetarian flavors, soy sauce and chili.
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