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    Home » Side Dishes » Farfel Garlic Egg Noodles - You'll Love This Fun Side Dish

    Published: Aug 20, 2020 · Modified: Feb 26, 2022 by Nancy · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Farfel Garlic Egg Noodles - You'll Love This Fun Side Dish

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    These farfel garlic egg noodles are absolutely addictive! Hot spoonfuls of tiny egg noodle pasta in a garlic butter sauce are a bit of heaven on earth.

    This traditional Jewish farfel garlic egg noodles dish makes a tasty complement to any meal.

    This side dish is seriously addictive. No matter how much we make, our family finds a way to consume it all.

    Who can resist a dish with a name like farfel? The name is fun, the tiny noodles are fun -- and to top it all off, it's incredibly delicious!

    What is Farfel?

    Farfel is a traditionally Jewish pasta side dish consisting of a small egg or matzah noodle. The word farfel (farfl) is Yiddish and comes from the German word varveln, meaning "small noodle." It is similar to the German egg noodle dish, spaetzle.

    Woman enjoying a large spoon of farfel.
    Our family LOVES farfel!

    This particular recipe was introduced in my family in the 1940's by my dad's sister, my Aunt Lucille. She and her husband were members of the Club International at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, and this dish was served at a dinner they attended. Lucille enjoyed it so much that she asked the chef to come to the table. She paid her compliments and asked if he would be willing to share the recipe. He obliged, and it has been a family favorite that has been passed down through generations ever since. My family seriously loves this dish. Just take a look at my niece Tracy over this massive crockpot of farfel at Thanksgiving last year!

    Just 5 Easy Ingredients

    Farfel is so simple to make and takes only 5 ingredients:

    • Box of tiny egg noodles
    • Can of sliced mushrooms
    • Butter
    • Garlic
    • Salt

    Use The Proper Egg Noodles

    Make sure you use a very small egg noodle. I like to use Acini di Pepe because is very tiny and pretty in the dish. Orzo is small and works well too, but I don't think it looks as attractive.

    Mushrooms are a Must

    Mushrooms chopped very finely

    If you are not a mushroom fan, put the mushrooms in this dish anyway! Almost everyone in my family dislikes mushrooms, but leaving them out really leaves it lacking something important. It doesn't have a mushroom flavor or texture because you chop them so finely, and they add an important element to the dish. Trust me, mushroom haters will gobble it up and not even know they're there. The secret is to chop the mushrooms into very fine pieces. This helps enhance the flavor of the farfel garlic noodle recipe, and the mushroom haters won't even notice. If they ask what those tiny flecks are, just say "seasonings!"

    This recipe should be made several hours or a day in advance of serving, therefore I usually make it in the morning to serve with dinner. This allows the noodles to absorb the flavors, making it even tastier at dinnertime. My sister has a large family and usually doubles or triples the recipe. She makes it in the morning and leaves it in a warm crockpot all day until serving time which saves space in the refrigerator. But f you do that, remember to stir it often so it doesn't stick or burn on the bottom.

    Tips for Making Garlic Farfel Egg Noodles

    1. Watch the butter carefully when you're melting it in the skillet because it burns easily, and if that happens there is no saving it.
    2. Taste as you salt. Noodles tend to need salt, and everyone likes a different amount. Therefore after you have mixed in the initial teaspoon of salt taste it, and if necessary add more to your liking. I usually add two or more teaspoons.

    Farfel Garlic Egg Noodles

    Nancy Blackstone
    Farfel Garlic Egg Noodles are a delicious side dish to meat entrees, and are a must-have on a holiday buffet. Easy to make ahead and keep warm in a crock pot until serving.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Jewish
    Servings 8 Servings
    Calories 359 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 box acini di pepe pasta
    • 16 tablespoons butter
    • 5 cloves garlic chopped
    • 6.5 ounces canned sliced mushrooms
    • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste, if necessary

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare noodles in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water.
    • Grease casserole dish with butter and set aside.
    • Mince garlic cloves and chop mushrooms as finely as possible.
    • Melt butter over low heat in a large skillet. Add minced garlic, mushrooms and one teaspoon of salt to melted butter and cook on low heat, stirring constantly for one minute.
    • Place drained noodles in a large bowl and pour garlic/mushroom/butter/salt mixture over the top; mix thoroughly.
    • Put noodles in casserole dish greased with butter. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to set in.
    • Before serving, bake in a covered casserole dish at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

    Notes

    If you want to make this dish ahead and keep it warm in a crockpot, after noodles are combined with butter mixture put them into the crockpot. Set crockpot on the lowest setting and stir noodles frequently so they don't burn or stick to the bottom.
    If you're using minced garlic from a jar, use 2 - ½ teaspoons.
    After mixing the butter mixture into the noodles, taste for salt and add more to your liking. Noodles absorb a lot of salt. It may need 2 or more teaspoons.
    Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 589mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword 5 ingredients, Christmas side dish, Farfel, Garlic Noodles, Holiday dish, holiday side dish, Jewish side dish, Side Dish, Thanksgiving side dish
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carrie says

      February 25, 2023 at 4:00 pm

      Omg so my Baba used to make “farfel” pasta to put in her homemade chicken soup. I was starting to think I was nuts and this didn’t actually exist until I saw your post!
      I still haven’t found a recipe to make the pasta at home but at least i know I didn’t make it up!
      Thanks!

      Reply

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    Nancy and Bentley

    Hi, I'm Nancy! Welcome to Flourchild where I share classic mid-century recipes from the 1940's - 1970's. I feature many vintage handwritten recipes, and provide modern shortcuts and a variety of healthy and special diet-friendly versions whenever possible. Join me in exploring the delicious flavors and from-scratch cooking techniques of our past!

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