Amish noodles are the opposite of fussy — flour, egg, salt, and water transform into something that tastes and feels nothing like dried pasta. There’s no gluten development, no resting dough, no special equipment. Two styles exist: the flat, delicate egg noodles that roll and cut in minutes, and the softer drop dumplings that you stir into broth instead of boiling separately. Both are faster to make than you’d expect.
The real revelation is the texture. Homemade Amish noodles are tender enough to break between your teeth, not chewy. They absorb broth differently than dried pasta does — they soften without losing structure, and they never taste like cardboard no matter how simple the dish. Once you’ve made them, dried noodles feel wrong by comparison.
Flat Egg Noodles
These are the classic version: thin, silky ribbons that nest together loosely. A single batch takes 15 minutes from start to finish, and serves 4 to 6 alongside braised chicken, beef, or vegetables.
Ingredients for 4–6 servings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2–3 tablespoons water (as needed)
- Extra flour for dusting
How to Make Them
- Mix the dough. In a bowl, fork-beat the eggs until well combined, then add salt. Add the flour gradually, mixing with a fork until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass. It should be soft and slightly sticky — somewhere between a pie dough and a biscuit dough. If it’s too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it’s supple.
- Knead briefly. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 1–2 minutes, just until smooth. The dough doesn’t need development like bread does — you’re not trying to build gluten, you’re just making it workable.
- Roll thin. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a very thin sheet, almost transparent — you should see your hand through it. This takes patience but no strength. Aim for 1/16-inch thick (the thickness of a dime). If the dough springs back, let it rest for 1 minute and try again. Dust with flour as needed so it doesn’t stick, but brush off any excess before cutting.
- Let it dry slightly. Leave the rolled sheet on a floured surface for 2–3 minutes. It shouldn’t be bone-dry, just dry enough that it won’t stick to itself when you fold it. This is the key step most people skip — it makes cutting clean and fast.
- Cut into noodles. Loosely roll the dough sheet into a cylinder from one long edge, then slice crosswise at about 1/4-inch intervals with a sharp knife. Unroll each strip gently and toss with flour. They’ll look crumpled and loose — that’s correct.
- Cook immediately or store. Use fresh within an hour, or spread on a baking sheet to dry completely (3–4 hours at room temperature, or overnight). Once fully dried, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Drop Dumplings
These are softer and thicker — more dumpling than noodle. They’re dropped by spoon directly into simmering broth, which means no separate boiling step. They cook in 2–3 minutes and are done as soon as they float.
Ingredients for 4–6 servings
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk or broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional but traditional)
How to Make Them
- Mix the batter. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in flour until you have a thick batter — thicker than pancake batter, thinner than cookie dough. It should fall sluggishly from a spoon, not flow like water. Let it rest for 2 minutes.
- Prepare your pot. Bring a pot of salted broth (or water, though broth is better) to a gentle simmer — you want active bubbles but not a rolling boil. The temperature matters: if the water is too cool, the dumplings sink and become gummy; if it boils too hard, they break apart.
- Drop the dumplings. Using a teaspoon or a small ice-cream scoop, drop walnut-sized spoonfuls of batter into the simmering liquid. Don’t crowd the pot — drop in a batch, let them cook, then add the next batch. They’ll sink at first, then float to the surface as they cook.
- Cook until they float. Once they bob to the surface, let them cook for 1–2 more minutes. Fish out a test dumpling and bite into it — it should be tender all the way through, not gummy in the center. They should feel light and airy, almost spongy.
- Drain and serve. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon directly into your broth and chicken dish. They’re best served fresh, but you can make them ahead and reheat gently in broth for 1–2 minutes.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Fresh flat noodles will keep, loosely covered on the counter, for up to 1 hour. For longer storage, spread them on a baking sheet and let them dry completely at room temperature (3–4 hours), then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them: freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Cook frozen noodles straight from the freezer — they’ll only add 1–2 minutes to the cooking time.
Drop dumpling batter can be made 1–2 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered. The batter thickens slightly as it sits, so add a tablespoon of milk if it becomes too thick. Don’t make the batter more than a few hours ahead — the eggs will start to break down. It’s better to make drop dumplings fresh, but the batter keeps the process quick enough that freshness rarely matters.
Notes
- The dough should be soft. It’s a common mistake to make it too stiff. If it looks too dry, it probably is — add water a teaspoon at a time until it’s supple. The final dough should feel almost like a soft earlobe: firm but not crumbly.
- Rolling thin is non-negotiable for flat noodles. Thick noodles turn gummy. Thin noodles stay tender. If rolling by hand feels tedious, use a pasta machine set to its thinnest setting, running the dough through 3–4 times.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Unlike bread, this dough doesn’t benefit from kneading. Handle it gently — you’re aiming for tender, not tough.
- Drop dumplings need simmering broth, not boiling water. The gentle heat keeps them light and airy. Boiling water makes them dense and tough, breaking them apart if you’re not careful.
- Nutmeg in drop dumplings is optional but traditional. It’s barely perceptible — just a whisper of warmth. Try it once with, once without, and make your own call.
- These taste nothing like dried pasta. Fresh Amish noodles are intended to soften and absorb broth, not maintain a firm bite. They’re the texture vehicle for chicken and broth, not the star. If you want al dente pasta, use dried. These are meant to be tender.
Want to see these noodles in action? Try them in Chicken and Noodles, braised chicken thighs and vegetables served over mashed potatoes.
