For nearly 4000 years, noodles and pastas have been a staple food in the diets of people worldwide. Today noodles are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the fast casual sector, both on their own and as side dishes. Noodles are a trend, but they also offer a synergistic boost in sales by appealing to the healthy lifestyle trend.
As witnessed by the explosive growth of Noodles & Company, the rising popularity of noodles is seeing the spread throughout specialty quick service and fast casual restaurants. Recent successes with adding noodle options to menus, such as Panera Bread’s new noodle bowls, are causing chefs and restaurant owners to take a second look at adding noodle dishes and sides.
Marc Halperin recently made the case for noodles in QSR’s article, “What’s Noodle?” citing the seven properties that make noodles perfect for the quick service industry:
- Inexpensive
- Nutritious
- Filling
- Easy to prepare
- Easily transported
- Delicious hot, cold, or at room temperature
- Storable for years
Essentially, serving noodles or pasta is a total no-brainer. The trick lies in how you choose to serve them since the plethora of sauces, broths, dressings and condiments is endless. With their long history, there is a deep well of inspiration to draw on, as noodles can fit into a huge variety of themes. No matter what your menu, there’s an opening to add a noodle option. Asian and Italian styles are particularly popular, but innovative chefs are making noodle dishes into signatures dishes. Anything is possible with noodles, including using ramen as a hamburger bun!
Marzetti Foodservice offers a huge variety of noodles and pasta, including many pre-cooked and whole-wheat options. Search Marzetti Foodservice recipes and let them be your guide into a world of noodle options including Salmon Teriyaki with Sesame Scallion Soba Noodles, Thai Chicken Noodle Soup (shown) and even noodle recipes for Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding and Cherry Kugel desserts!
