Trader Joe’s Knife Cut Squiggly Noodles, the latest contender in the never-ending supermarket saga of “Let’s make carbs fancy.” Within the confines of its alluring packaging lie four individually portioned promises of ‘delightfully chewy dining experiences’. These noodles, with edges so ruffled they could compete in a Victorian fashion show, have been air-dried for a painstaking 18 hours – because, apparently, in the world of noodle couture, time is no object. But wait, there’s more! Each pack comes with its own Soy and Sesame Sauce, a duo so umami-laden it could mask the taste of even the most questionable cooking. Trader Joe’s assures us these noodles are perfect for an afternoon nosh or for elevating your culinary artistry. However, as I prepared to embark on this noodly journey, I couldn’t help but wonder if these squiggles were going to be a masterpiece on my plate, or a tangled mess reminiscent of my last attempt at knitting. Read on…
Nowadays, we have a large variety of high-grade dried, and even fresh ramen noodles to choose from. At my local Asian specialty grocery store, they literally have a whole grocery store aisle dedicated to dried and fresh noodles from all over Asia. Obviously Japanese-style ramen, soba, and udon noodles, but also Korean, Chinese, and Indonesian noodles. But I think most people are familiar with ramen style noodles so that is what we are going to base this on.
Trader Joe’s Knife Cut Noodles
You can buy fresh knife-cut noodles at almost any good Asian grocery store and I highly suggest that if you can. It’s like fresh pasta vs. dried pasta. The Trader Joe’s noodles are machine made and dried with ruffly or squiggly edges.
Trader Joe’s Knife Cut noodles are a pretty simple affair. They are just dried noodles and a sauce pack. These are not like ramen where you make a broth. You make the noodles and then put them in a bowl and pour the sauce packet over the noodles. Toss it all up and start eating.
The sauce is made out of soy sauce, sesame oil, shallots, and chili sauce. But they are not very hot. You will need to add some hot sauce to pump up the heat.
What are Knife Cut Noodles?
The Shanxi Province in China is known for its “knife-shaved noodles,” or “dao xiao mian.” The most traditional way to make dao xiao mian is to hold a sizable block of dough with one hand, angled downward at about a 30-degree angle. With the other hand holding a sharp knife (designed especially for this task), the noodles are shaved into a sizable kettle of boiling water. It takes years of experience to quickly shave the noodles; a good chef is said to be able to do 200 strands each minute.
Knife-cut noodles are thought to have been created for the first time at the start of the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), when the government seized all private weapons, including kitchen knives. Ten households could only share one knife instead.
When an elderly woman requested her husband to borrow the knife from their neighbor one day while making lunch, he discovered it had already been put to use. The elderly man picked up a small piece of iron on his way home. The spouse suggested shaving the noodles rather than cutting them while they discussed how to use it. In actuality, the method produced noodles that were tender at the edges but thick in the center. Since then, Shanxi has continued the practice of manufacturing shaved noodles.
Dao xiao mian can be enjoyed by coating the noodles in just the right amount of sauce, which is typically a rich meat sauce. The starchy and springy texture of the noodles can also be highlighted by eating them in a broth or stir-frying them.
Spicy Miso Instant Ramen Soup Trader Joe’s, How is it?
FAQ
Does Trader Joe’s make ramen?
How long to boil Trader Joe’s ramen?
What are ramen noodles so cheap?
Does Trader Joe’s Sell Wiggly ramen noodles?
Trader Joe’s newest product is called Squiggly Knife Cut Style Noodles, and upon one look at those wiggly noodles my mind went to Momofuku. If you’re not familiar, Momofuku is the restaurant group and brand of celebrity chef David Chang, who introduced his own version of instant ramen noodles back in 2021.
Are ramen noodles gluten free?
Ramen noodles are not gluten free as their main ingredient is wheat flour. The wheat based ramen noodles or refined wheat flour ramen noodles are cut into noodle strips from a dough of wheat. Wheat and its products contain gluten which are not suitable to ingest by individuals who have gluten intolerance. Gluten free ramen are now a days introduced into the market.
Are Trader Joe’s Ramen prices accurate?
All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. Watch out, Cup Noodle: Trader Joe’s has its own instant ramen now, and it sounds like dorm life is about to get more exciting. I love instant noodle cups. I remember the first time I saw one in fourth grade, when one of the cool girls in my class brought an instant noodle cup to lunch one day.
Is Trader Joe’s ramen soup vegan?
To this day, I can’t make a cup of instant noodles without lifting a forkful of noodles and thinking, “Tada!” The new Trader Joe’s Ramen Soup was spotted in a store by Instagram user Trader Joe’s Insider, who said the soup comes in two flavors: chicken and miso. In particularly exciting news, the miso version of the soup is vegan.