Three six-ingredient noodle dishes to throw together to rescue dinner

The versatility of noodles makes them a last-minute dinner champion. This pantry staple can be dressed up with a wide variety of flavours to create a quick and satisfying meal.

I’ve leaned into the idea of weeknight ease, keeping the recipes to a maximum of six ingredients to minimise both your shopping list and your time in the kitchen. It’s proof that dinner can be delicious even with a tight shopping list and low motivation.

Note: I haven’t counted staples such as noodles or cooking oil in the six ingredients, as these are things you probably have on hand.

Each recipe serves between two and four people.

Taiwanese sesame paste, made from toasted sesame seeds, gives this dish a deeper, nuttier flavour.Katrina Meynink

Easy-peasy sesame noodles

This recipe is a true workhorse, versatile enough to be lunch, a quick snack, or even a satisfying dinner. And it always tastes like you put in more effort than you did.

I used Taiwanese sesame paste for this dish, but you can substitute it with a mix of half tahini and half smooth peanut butter for a closer flavour match. If you only have tahini, don’t worry – the recipe will still taste excellent, just with a slightly different, less roasted flavour.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x 270g pack of dried udon noodles
• 2 tbsp sesame paste
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp smoked soy sauce (or use soy sauce if unavailable)
• 3½ tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• ⅓ cup chicken stock
• spring onion and/or toasted sesame seeds to serve

METHOD

1. Add all the ingredients except the noodles and the spring onion or toasted sesame seeds to a large bowl and whisk with a fork to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
2. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving about a cup of the hot, starchy cooking water.
3. Add a splash of the starchy water to the sauce mixture, along with the noodles, and gently turn to coat. If the sauce seems quite thick, add more cooking water, a tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.
4. Turn into bowls, top with sliced spring onion and or sesame seeds. These are best eaten immediately, but they’re still pretty good cold from the fridge a few hours later.

Old Bay seasoning adds an instant jolt of flavour to a simple noodle dish.Katrina Meynink

Old Bay noods

My love affair with Old Bay seasoning is as strong as ever, and it’s the secret to this dish’s big flavour. It delivers a perfect one-two punch of “oomph” and seasoning to the sauce. While you’re shopping, grab some smoked garlic. It’s easy to find these days and adds a deep, savoury note that makes the whole dish taste incredibly complex – it’s like a shortcut to gourmet.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g packet of pasta (any shape will do)
• 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning, plus extra to serve
• 4 smoked garlic cloves
• 3 store-bought roasted capsicums
• 140g tomato paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150ml pouring cream
• 3 tbsp finely chopped herbs to serve (whatever you have; I used basil and parsley)

METHOD

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce by combining the Old Bay seasoning, garlic, roasted capsicum and tomato paste in a blender. Blitz until the mixture forms a smooth paste.
2. Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and scoop in the capsicum paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until the paste is fragrant and a deep, rich red colour.
3. Pour in a ladle of pasta water (about 1 cup) and the cream, stirring to combine everything into a smooth sauce. Simmer the sauce while you drain the pasta.
4. Finally, add the cooked pasta to the sauce in the pan, stirring to coat. Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and finish with the remaining Old Bay seasoning and the finely chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

Hoisin and lemongrass add impact to this low-effort, high-reward dish.Katrina Meynink

Hoisin and lemongrass kinda crispy pork noodles

This recipe is a perfect example of a meal that delivers maximum flavour with minimum effort. If you have an air fryer, use it to cook the sausage while the noodles are in the oven for an even faster dinner.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g of Japanese-style fresh noodles
• 200g hoisin sauce
• 4 tbsp finely grated lemongrass (white part only)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 450g pork sausages, skins removed, meat roughly chopped
• 1 cup mixed herbs, roughly torn (I used mint and coriander)
• ½ cup salted roasted peanuts to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional) and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. Combine the hoisin and lemongrass in a large bowl with enough of the oil to loosen the mixture. Reserve ¼ cup of the sauce in a separate bowl and set aside.
3. Soften the noodles in boiling water, then strain them and add to the bowl containing the sauce. Turn the noodles with tongs until they are coated in the sauce.
4. Spread the noodles across the tray and bake for 15-20 minutes. The goal is for the sauce to caramelise and for some noodles to become crisp while others remain soft.
5. While the noodles are cooking, add the remaining oil to a frying pan and place over medium heat. Cook the sausage until golden and crisp, using a wooden spoon to break the meat up. Add the fried sausage to the bowl with the remaining hoisin and lemongrass sauce and toss to coat.
6. Add the noodles to a large serving plate. Top with the crispy sausage, herbs and peanuts and serve.

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