Keeping noodles from absorbing all the soup
I cook in the summer for a week for about 30 people,and we serve buffet-style over the course of about an hour. This summer, my plan is to make lemon chicken orzo soup for one of the meals. However, I've found that if you put the noodles in the soup, they do what noodles do and absorb all the moisture. Because it's buffet-style, though, I'm having difficulty imagining putting the noodles in a separate bowl (which is what I'd normally do) for people to serve themselves, because I suspect they would turn into a starchy, uniform Borg of noodle. Any solutions?
Best Answer
If it were me, I'd cook the pasta seperately (possibly in some of the broth), and only combine them just before it was to go out in the buffet.
You might also want to take a look at How do canned soup companies keep their noodles from absorbing all the liquid in the can?
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Quick Answer about "Keeping noodles from absorbing all the soup"
Why do my noodles turn to mush in soup?
Add quick-cooking vegetables too soon, and they'll be overcooked and mushy by the time your soup is ready. \u2192 Follow this tip: Add hearty vegetables that take longer to cook, like carrots, early on, and toss in the quicker-cooking vegetables, like peas and corn, just a couple minutes before the soup is finished cooking.How do you stop pasta from absorbing sauce?
"Washing" your pasta before putting the sauce in it, as suggested, is a good method, but probably the most simple thing to do in general is to keep your sauce a bit more liquid, and mixing your pasta with a bit of olive oil just before you add your sauce.Is it better to cook noodles before adding to soup?
There is little worse than mushy, over-cooked pasta in soup. To ensure you get it just right, make sure the soup is nearly cooked before adding the pasta. Smaller pasta shapes soak up broth readily so ensure you serve the soup as soon as it's cooked.Should you cook noodles separately for chicken soup?
By cooking noodles in a separate pot, you're giving them the best chance to become the best version of themselves\u2014well salted and well cooked. After boiling the noodles, I like to drain them, add a portion to each bowl, and ladle broth (and whatever is in the broth) on top.Don't Nix Your Food, Fix it! | Food Hacks and Tips by Blossom
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Answer 2
Fairly impossible; noodles are thirsty. :)
Ever had a canned soup noodle that wasn't soggy?
Typically the closest you can get is what you mentioned;
- Cook noodles VERY al dente with salt and olive oil; 1-2 mins under typical al dente. Then wash with butter and salt (or olive oil).
- Serve on side with a light amount of butter and broth mixed in.
- Try to use a pasta with durumn or semolina flour.
Answer 3
I drain the pasta, then add one stick of butter to coat. Creates a barrier between the pasta and chicken broth.
Answer 4
Bake noodles in oven with butter until brown on a cookie sheet. Works good with a fine spaghetti noodle, does not swell when put in soup
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