What’s the Difference Between Pasta and Noodles?

To my three-year old niece, everything is noodles. Spaghetti is noodles, pastina is noodles, mac and cheese is noodles. I generally don’t listen to the musings of a toddler, but in this instance, does she have a point? Are the words pasta and noodles interchangeable? Or is there enough of a difference between the two that they deserve their own terms? And, should I call my niece an idiot to her face? Let’s get into the pasta vs noodles discussion. 

What is pasta?

You might think I’m going to turn to Webster’s dictionary for a definition of pasta. Screw that, I’m turning to the pros: The National Pasta Association. Their definition of pasta is a dough consisting of durum wheat and water that is molded into different shapes. Pretty simple.

The word “pasta” is Italian in origin, referring to the dough. So, our tendency would be to connect the term to the typical Italian versions of the food. Imagine going to an Italian restaurant and ordering the “noodles and meatballs.” They’d probably dump a pot of minestrone soup on your head and chase you out of the place with meat cleavers.

Things get tricky in the modern food industry, which now caters to a variety of food allergies. Gluten-free pasta is often made from corn or rice flour. So, does that mean that it’s technically not a pasta and should be classified as something else? 

There are also pastas that are made from pea proteins, lentil flour, chickpea flour, and other non-wheat plants. Additionally, many homemade, fresh pastas will include eggs, while dried pasta often doesn’t. Does that mean that the pasta you make at home isn’t actually pasta? Because according to the NPA’s definition, it wouldn’t qualify, even though it is still clearly pasta to the naked eye.

What is the difference between pasta and noodles?

The term “noodle” is a much larger blanket category that includes dough made from a wide range of grains and a longer list of potential ingredients. Some noodles are wheat-based, but there are varieties made with rice flour, yam flour, buckwheat, mung bean starch, tapioca, and seaweed. This results in a wider variety of textures when compared to traditional pasta. No two noodle varieties are going to have the exact same mouth feel.

Noodles are often associated with East Asian cuisines. Foods like ramen, udon, shirataki, soba, and lo mein are extremely popular imports from places like Japan, China, Thailand, and beyond.  They appear in a larger array of dishes than pasta, too: soups, stir-frys, salads, and even just plain on their own.

If we are adhering to strict definitions, does all this mean that pasta made from chickpea flour is more noodle than pasta? Maybe, but you definitely wouldn’t make a big pot of ramen with those “noodles.” It just wouldn’t be the same.

Are noodles and pasta the same?

From an ingredient standpoint, noodles and pasta are pretty much the same. At their core, they both are doughs turned into shapes. 

But their cultural origins, their culinary uses, their flavors, and the small variations in ingredients account for massive differences. Noodles and pasta are absolutely not the same, and we should be celebrating their uniqueness. Because they all share one thing: They are all delicious.

Okay, time for me to call my niece and tell her she’s dumb.