Shirataki Noodle - Anyone try it? Like? Dislike? Ideas?

shoomai1227
shoomai1227 Posts: 83 Member
edited October 20 in Food and Nutrition
I've seen these noodles in the store and it seems that their claim to fame is free from calories, net carbs, soy, gluten, fat, sodium, and preservatives.

Of course I don't expect it be as great as pasta or the Chinese noodles I'm used to...but how are they really?

Ideas on how to prepare them...

Any and all input welcomed!!
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Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I tried them. I'd rather eat regular pasta.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    I've looked for them and can't seem to find them.

    Where would they be? In the health food aisle? In the asian aisle?

    And does the packagage actually say "Shirataki"? I'm always looking for it but haven't seen them once.
  • mirandamayhem
    mirandamayhem Posts: 772
    I haven't tried them but I did get an email the other day from a UK health food company advertising a brand called "Miracle" noodles.
  • LoriBeMe
    LoriBeMe Posts: 165 Member
    They are refrigerated. In the stores in my area they can be found near the tofu & bagged salads. Personally, to me, they're slimy & weird so I don't eat them.
  • fitnotfluffy
    fitnotfluffy Posts: 213 Member
    Haven't tried them yet, but I also can't find them here. May have to order them!
  • msemejuru
    msemejuru Posts: 229
    They are slimy no matter what I do to them. Very low in calories but I'll only eat them in soups to combat the texture.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
    I've had them and I really like them actually. I would not use them as a traditional "pasta" substitute, but for me, they're very similar to other asian noodles. I actually really enjoy them. Just toss them in with a stir fry of veggies, a bit of garlic, sesame seed oil and low sodium soy sauce and voila! Instant asian-y goodness
  • danger_kitteh
    danger_kitteh Posts: 301 Member
    I bought a package at the Asian grocery store 2 weeks ago, they're still in my fridge waiting to be tried.
  • jenniferbwalker
    jenniferbwalker Posts: 1 Member
    I prefer buckwheat (soba) noodles. Half the calories of regular pasta but still tastes good
  • Z_I_L_L_A
    Z_I_L_L_A Posts: 2,399 Member
    Had the Linguini and as long as you rinse well they are great. If you want pasta but on a low carb diet, use them. Tofu noodles.
  • LemonsAndCoffee
    LemonsAndCoffee Posts: 313 Member
    I've tried them - twice. I can't deal with the texture or the smell (they smell fishy to me). I'd rather just have a high-fiber pasta and be happy.
  • mangoduck
    mangoduck Posts: 35 Member
    Shirataki noodles, Miracle noodles, whatever. Some varieties have tofu in them, so they do have more calories, but I prefer the texture a bit better. Typically in the section by the tofu or in an Asian market, in the general refrigerated aisle. Some varieties aren't kept cold.

    First warning: they smell horrific when you open the package. Keep washing them. And washing them. And then wash them some more. Most of the smell will go away,

    Dry fry them until they're, well, dry. They get less slimy and a tiny bit less rubbery.
  • kashmirdreamer
    kashmirdreamer Posts: 31 Member
    They taste initially like noodles but chew like rubber. They have a rubber plastic-y texture when you chew that ruins them.

    I found them at all grocery stores in my area in the refrigerator tofu section (near salads).
  • sazzyp1973
    sazzyp1973 Posts: 517 Member
    I use them, they are good but they really are just a bulker and need lots of flavour to accompany them
  • mrykyldy2
    mrykyldy2 Posts: 96 Member
    I personally have not tried them myself. But I do hear that they are supposed to take on the flavor of whatever you cook them in.
  • LuckyAng
    LuckyAng Posts: 1,173 Member
    I love them and buy them regularly. I have 3 bags of them in the fridge now. I get them at Clark's Nutrition.
  • jess7386
    jess7386 Posts: 477 Member
    If you're interested in buying them i JUST saw a deal on groupon for them (funny you should post!) I'm happy to send you the link if you send me a message.
  • mrsmerrithew
    mrsmerrithew Posts: 74 Member
    I just got a groupon email regarding these:

    http://www.groupon.com/deals/dc-bst-gg-nooodle-shirataki-0-calorie-noodle?c=dnb&p=6

    I'm not sure if it's a good deal or what... I've never bought them. But maybe someone can use it..lol.
  • torrmairi
    torrmairi Posts: 64 Member
    They're kind of rubbery and crunchy - if you've had Chinese radishes or anything like that you might have an idea of what they're like. Sort of like thick rice vermicelli, but not as soft. You can buy them as loose noodles or little bundles from Oriental grocers (I work at one) - you can unravel the bundles, so it doesn't make much difference, and they're almost always cheaper.

    Traditionally you stick them into Chinese-style soups and hotpots, though I like them with curry - if you want them to absorb any flavour, you have to add liquid and heat them. They're pretty good mixed into salads with vinaigrette, though.
  • reenasamaan
    reenasamaan Posts: 66 Member
    I use them, they are good but they really are just a bulker and need lots of flavour to accompany them

    I completely agree with this. They don't really have a lot of flavor but can be added to a dish to fill you up a little more. I don't really use it in meals but in snacks. I just had some today with vegan chili (I'm from Cincinnati so chili over spaghetti is super common). And it was great! They work great in soups and Chinese food as well.
  • stxfuneral
    stxfuneral Posts: 32
    i actually liked them. I bought them at Sprout's (my husband calls it the Hippie store), it is a health food grocery store like sun harvest and whole foods. Anyway, they were in the refrigerated area where you get the yogurt and tofu. You have to rinse them in water after taking them out of the package. After getting over the whole mind game thing that it wasn't pasta I found it to be good. It has a soft, silky texture? You have to try it to understand. I searched asian stores to find them and had no luck. They were hard to find for me, and I live in a big city. Best of luck!
  • LeslieC1970
    LeslieC1970 Posts: 160
    I have tried them. In the Toronto, Ontario area you can get them online at the Low Carb Grocery site.
    Overall, I wasn't a fan. They are tasteless and a little firmer than regular pasta. I am happier using a low carb spagetti.
  • livityliv
    livityliv Posts: 110 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/536767-let-s-talk-about-shirataki-noodles

    Above is a great post about them. Finally found a store near me that carries them so I'm going to pick some up...
  • torrmairi
    torrmairi Posts: 64 Member
    Also, Just Bento has a couple of recipes for shirataki/konnyaku.
    http://justbento.com/bento-no-43-a-low-calorie-high-fiber-tons-vegetables-adjustment-bento
    http://justbento.com/bento-no-3-spicy-korean-flavor-noodles-under-300-calories
  • SyntonicGarden
    SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
    They're kind of chewy. I love em. Rinse them and cook them before you eat them. Otherwise, they stink. The cooking gets rid of the fish smell.

    - drain, rinse, microwave in a bowl for 2 mins

    or

    - drain, rinse, pan fry 2 minutes.

    Add a wedge of laughing cow and some sazon. : ) Pretty tastey.

    or add some sauce. :)
  • thejackswild79
    thejackswild79 Posts: 102
    I actually quite like them, particularly stir fried or in Asian style soups. Here are a couple other recipes that turned out pretty well:

    Pasta Carbonara
    http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1441

    Thai Curried
    http://www.mygarlicloveaffair.com/2010/04/shirataki-curry-noodles.html

    Pumpkin Fettucine
    http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/968

    I do have to rinse them really well because the smell fresh out of the package is a little odd to me. I don't care for them with red sauces (but then, I don't care for red sauces anyway) but I love flavor packed foods and these take on the flavor of what they are cooked with. I always keep 3-4 bags in the fridge. I love that I can make them into a HUGE between meal snack with very few calories. ;) Give them a try a couple times before you decide you don't like them.
  • Kina_
    Kina_ Posts: 7
    I like them when I'm feeling lazy and because of this I haven't experimented with many recipes, beyond just adding some vegetables to sauce I usually have already made and stored . The texture takes some getting used to, but I've found that the thinner noodles like the spaghetti and angel hair varieties are easier to handle. And yeah, the package is going to smell awful and vaguely fishy, so just make sure to wash them. A lot.
  • eviltwinkie
    eviltwinkie Posts: 153
    I like them, but they will never replace real pasta. They're a good filler. And actually pretty darned good with a strong, spicy sauce to be eaten cold.

    I rinse and dry cook them first in a wok, until they 'pop'. Then use them in whatever dish. Strong sauces are good - the noodles have no flavor of their own.

    Last night I used a package along with a small amount of fresh non-fried yakisoba in my stir fry. It was wonderful in that it added a nice amount of bulk to be filling, but no real extra calories. Sauce was chicken broth, curry powder, hot soy sauce, and peanut flour.

    I usually buy the angelhair variety, Konjac brand online. Or from Uwajimaya locally. I've not liked any of the thicker noodles I've tried. More noodle to 'bite' means you notice the texture difference more.
  • becca_21
    becca_21 Posts: 100 Member
    I LOVE them. I'm a huge fan of pasta, but pasta is obviously not something you should eat a lot of. I use the Shirataki noodles as a noodle substitute, and it's perfect. I understand that they are strange when you first take them out of the package, but once you cook them, you can't really tell much of a difference. My personal favorite is to use them in fettuccine alfredo. I use the Classico light alfredo sauce, add one light Laughing Cow swiss cheese wedge, and a little bit of garlic. It's delicious, super filling, and low calorie!

    PS- You can usually find it around the salad/tofu section of a grocery store. I always find them on sale 2 for $5.
  • ocean26
    ocean26 Posts: 122 Member
    i thought they would be a good substitute, but they smell like raw fish and made me almost vomit when I tried to eat them. It felt like i was eating fish strings, yuck.
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