Takeout sounds great until you’re stuck waiting an hour for overpriced, lukewarm noodles. Making them at home is faster, cheaper, and actually hot when you sit down to eat. These noodle bowls come together quickly, packed with bold flavors and none of the mystery ingredients. Spicy, garlicky, drenched in a rich sauce—whatever vibe you’re going for, there’s an easy option here that gets the job done.
Spicy Udon Noodle Stir Fry
Thick, chewy udon noodles soak up a bold ginger-garlic sriracha sauce in this quick stir fry. Ground beef adds richness, making it a solid meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. Skip the takeout and make this instead—you won’t regret it.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Udon Noodle Stir Fry
Soba Noodle Pasta
Simple, budget-friendly, and ready fast. Soba noodles, sautéed onions, and a soft-boiled egg make a no-nonsense meal that hits the spot when you need something quick. A solid option for when you’re hungry and don’t want to wait.
Get the Recipe: Soba Noodle Pasta
Korean Sweet Potato Glass Noodles
These glossy, chewy noodles are coated in a sweet-savory sauce and tossed with beef strips and stir-fried vegetables. It’s fast, packed with flavor, and ready in 15 minutes—faster than delivery and way better than another frozen meal.
Get the Recipe: Korean Sweet Potato Glass Noodles
Sweet Potato Noodles
Sweet potato noodles bring a little extra to the table while still giving you that classic pasta feel. Coated in a creamy sauce, they’re a great way to shake up dinner without overcomplicating things.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Noodles
Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Cream Sauce
Light, fresh, and ridiculously simple. Zucchini noodles tossed in a creamy avocado sauce make a great side dish or a quick dinner. Want to bulk it up? Throw in some grilled shrimp or chicken.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Cream Sauce
Garlicky Butternut Squash Noodles
Butternut squash noodles meet garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and toasted pine nuts in this easy one-pan meal. A scoop of ricotta on top brings everything together for a great vegetarian dinner.
Get the Recipe: Garlicky Butternut Squash Noodles
Sweet & Spicy Pork Ramen Stir Fry
This stir fry comes loaded with flavor—sweet, spicy, and packed with vegetables. It’s ready in 20 minutes, which means you can skip the takeout menu and get straight to eating.
Get the Recipe: Sweet & Spicy Pork Ramen Stir Fry
Shrimp Lo Mein
Skip the takeout and make shrimp lo mein at home in just 20 minutes. Egg noodles, juicy shrimp, and vegetables get tossed in a bold, savory sauce that tastes just like your favorite restaurant version—minus the wait.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Lo Mein
Italian Drunken Noodles
Wide pappardelle pasta, spicy Italian sausage, fresh veggies, and a splash of wine make this a bold, satisfying meal. It’s fast, full of flavor, and proof that noodles aren’t just for takeout.
Get the Recipe: Italian Drunken Noodles
Beef Pan Fried Noodles with Garlic and Cabbage
Thick noodles, tender beef, and shredded cabbage come together in a sweet soy-based sauce. It’s simple, quick, and packed with flavor—exactly what you need when you want dinner to taste like you actually put in effort.
Get the Recipe: Beef Pan Fried Noodles with Garlic and Cabbage
Thai Drunken Noodles
These noodles bring the bold flavors of Thailand to your plate in under 30 minutes. Fresh basil, wide rice noodles, and a punchy sauce make this a fast, flavor-packed dinner.
Get the Recipe: Thai Drunken Noodles
Hibachi Noodles
All the great flavors of Japanese steakhouse noodles, minus the expensive bill. These noodles are buttery, garlicky, and easy to make at home, so you can skip the restaurant and still get what you’re craving.
Get the Recipe: Hibachi Noodles
Spicy Rice Paper Noodles
Rice paper turns into chewy, spicy noodles in this creative dish. Tossed in a bold, fiery sauce, this is the one to make when you need something different but don’t want to put in too much effort.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Rice Paper Noodles
Beef Yaki Udon Noodle Stir Fry
Thick udon noodles stir-fried with tender beef and a rich, savory sauce make for an easy, filling meal. Everything comes together in one wok, so cleanup is just as easy as cooking.
Get the Recipe: Beef Yaki Udon Noodle Stir Fry
Mongolian Beef Noodles
This dish delivers the bold flavors of Mongolian beef with the bonus of slurp-worthy noodles. The savory-sweet sauce clings to every bite, making this an easy win for dinner.
Get the Recipe: Mongolian Beef Noodles
Cantonese Style Chow Mein
Crispy egg noodles, stir-fried vegetables, and a deeply flavorful sauce make this Cantonese classic hard to beat. It’s quick, comforting, and exactly what you need when a big plate of noodles sounds like the right move.
Get the Recipe: Cantonese Style Chow Mein
Easy Shrimp Mei Fun
Thin rice noodles, shrimp, and vegetables come together in a light, flavorful dish that’s easy to throw together. It’s fast, simple, and exactly what you’d want from a takeout order—except this one’s homemade.
Get the Recipe: Easy Shrimp Mei Fun
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.