Difference Between Noodles and Spaghetti

Noodles vs Spaghetti

Noodles and spaghetti are two commonly used terms when it comes to food cuisine. It is difficult to distinguish one from the other since they are used interchangeably. However it can be found useful knowing that both have their own history wherein the oldest known noodles were found in China and spaghetti has its roots in Italy.

Noodles

It is very convenient to associate noodles with Asian cuisine. In fact a lot of dishes prepared with it are mostly Asian dishes. Although its origin is China the word “noodle” is derived from a German “Nudel.’ Noodle is made from unleavened dough that is cooked in a mixture of boiling water and oil and can either be dried or refrigerated before cooking, depending on the type of noodles.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti is one of the most famous types of pasta being used today especially in the West. It is made of semolina or flour and water and is normally cooked in a salted, boiling water sometimes with olive oil which is brought to a boil. There are also types of spaghetti that differs in thickness such as spaghettoni which is thicker spaghetti and takes more time to cook. Spaghettini and vermicelli, otherwise known as angel hair spaghetti because they are very thin, take a lot less time to cook.

Difference between Noodles and Spaghetti

One thing that determines a noodle from spaghetti is how one is shaped. Noodles are thin and elongated while spaghetti is usually long, both thick and thin and cylindrical in shape. One can note that noodles are more versatile when used in cooking compared to spaghetti. Asian cooking usually makes noodle menus that are either made of dried or cooked noodles. Fried, chilled, and noodle soup are the most common. Spaghetti, on the other hand, is normally cooked in a pot of boiling water after which the menu differs with the type of sauce used to make the dish. Most frequently, it is served with tomato sauce with various herbs and spices with cheese, meat and vegetables.

Regardless of the difference, noodles and spaghetti have made significant contribution to the food world. They have given variety in preparing noodle or spaghetti dishes, reinventing all the time.