Origins

Noodles have a rich and varied history that dates back thousands of years. The earliest known evidence of noodles comes from China, where a bowl of 4,000-year-old noodles was discovered in a Neolithic site near Lanzhou. These noodles were made from millet and likely resembled a form of pasta.

unsplash noodles by Jakub Dziubak

Noodles likely spread along trade routes, leading to variations in different cultures. In Italy, for example, the introduction of durum wheat led to the development of pasta as we know it today. Meanwhile, in other regions, local ingredients and techniques resulted in diverse noodle types, such as ramen in Japan and pho in Vietnam.

Noodles have a rich and varied history that dates back thousands of years. The earliest known evidence of noodles comes from China, where a bowl of 4,000-year-old noodles was discovered in a Neolithic site near Lanzhou. These noodles were made from millet and likely resembled a form of pasta.


Noodles likely spread along trade routes, leading to variations in different cultures. In Italy, for example, the introduction of durum wheat led to the development of pasta as we know it today. Meanwhile, in other regions, local ingredients and techniques resulted in diverse noodle types, such as ramen in Japan and pho in Vietnam.

Chinese Academy Of Science / Reuters
Chinese Academy Of Science / Reuters

Overall, noodles are a testament to the ingenuity of various cultures in creating versatile and satisfying food from simple ingredients!