Like other reviewers I heard about the miracle noodles through Dr. Oz (Second hand as we don't have TV in our household) and decided to give them a shot.
I got the multipack of the 7oz bags of the Fettucini style noodles. I prepared a test pack for my wife and I of the noodles exactly as described on the bag. (No microwaving them for me.)
Opening:
First, I will say the noodles didn't have a pleasant aroma upon opening the pouch, but neither was really off putting. It wasn't especially strong or extremely fishy. The best I can do to describe the odor was close to that of a can of regular chunk tuna. But unlike opening that can of tuna and getting packing water on your hands the odor did all but disappear with the rinse, blanch, and a final rinse before drying on towels.
Trying a single dried noodle was like eating the number zero if you can imagine it. It just didn't even register other than something had been in the mouth, chewed, and swallowed. There was minimal remaining odor from the fermenting and I had to really try to pick it up.
Cooking:
While the noodles dried I heated a pan on medium heat with a half tsp of butter and added two or three cloves of minced garlic and cooked it until it was just browning and then tossed in the noodles. I followed this shortly with 1 1/2 Tbsp. or so of a teriyaki sauce. My wife is Korean so there is always crushed red pepper in the house, which I added three good pinches of to the mix and cooked while mixing for another couple minutes.
I noted when the noodles hit the pan how they immediately took up the remaining butter and also a good portion of the teriyaki sauce when added. The color of the noodle went from white/semi transparent to more brown and reminded me of rice noodles in Phad Thai. There was no trace of the slight odor from their raw state at this point.
Taste verdict:
Both my wife and I enjoyed them and plan to add them to other dishes as a substitute for other asian noodles. They picked up the flavor of garlic, salt, and pepper just how I wanted and expected. The next time I made them I added chicken to the mix for protein and some veggies which I felt the lack of made for a tasty but not entirely satisfying dish. (Though I did want to try them without the noodles competing with any other primary ingredients.) The next time I have left over kimchi jigae from a dinner out it will be getting a pack added to it rather than rice for my lunch.
As a snack food or small meal I think they are good and even with my preparation here they are better across the whole nutrition label than going for a package of the Nongshim Kimchi Ramyun my wife likes sometimes. (We usually add fresh kimchi, egg, and whatever else to bulk it up a bit though. I can easily imagine doing the same with the Shirataki noodles.)
Texture:
Ever had the Korean dish jabchae? The noodles give less resistance to biting than those cellophane noodles and so don't need the extra cutting with scissors before eating. Importantly it is not at all like wheat pasta. They also squeak a bit when you bite through which was unexpected but not unpleasant.
Would I recommend them:
Yes, for certain dishes. I took two packages to my parents to try since my Mom was the one who told me about them but I am waiting to hear back what she thought. I am going to order some of the other shape varieties and do a test with marinara but I am not expecting a great result. The texture of the noodle is substantially different from wheat pastas and this leads me to think it won't work well, but hey I could be wrong.
I heard about Miracle Noodles on Dr. Oz recently and couldn't resist trying them out, because they were touted as a delicious low carb alternative to pasta. Yes, I'd read the reviews and heard a lot of horror stories about how weird they tasted and smelled, but in spite of the negative reviews, I still got a pack of these because I'm a fan of all things Asian and figured that the poor reviews were from people not used to exotic food.
Well, I tried them and can now render my verdict. You know that saying, "The truth between two extremes lies somewhere in the middle?" Nowhere is this truer than when it comes to people's reactions to these noodles. They are neither what the haters make them out to be nor at all what the ravers claim that they are.
Let's talk about the negative reviews first. Contrary to what so many people are saying, Miracle Noodles do not have a pungent fishy odor or the texture of squid, calamari, or rubber bands. When I first opened the bag I had to really sniff for a "fishy" smell, since it was barely discernible. However, I did smell something else, a mild aroma not unlike that of sweetened soy milk. Not to worry, as these smells easily disappeared when rinsing and boiling the noodles.
As for the texture? Not at all "rubbery", but very... gelatinous. At first I thought it was similar to those chewy fruity bits you often find in Asian puddings and drinks. But after chomping on the noodles for awhile, the texture became unmistakeable-it was like cartilage. And no, this is not an exaggeration. The noodles had the exact semi-gelatinous, semi-crunchy consistency of cartilage. Did the texture make these noodles inedible or the worst thing ever? Not at all. Just very... jarring.
What about the rave reviews claiming that this product is a perfect substitute for fettucine or other types of pasta? No way, Jose. Because their texture has a "fleshy" quality to it, Miracle Noodles are more suitable as a vegetarian substitute for meat, fish, and poultry dishes, especially since they absorb flavors so well. (When I poured oyster sauce on mine, they really did taste like a seafood-like dish.) But as a replacement for pasta? Good Lord, no. Not in a million years. I can see someone hankering for these if they want to have something in lieu of meat, but there's no way someone would be craving these in lieu of pasta. There are no similarities whatsoever between the two.
So basically, don't believe the hype about this product, because it's definitely been mismarketed to the wrong eaters. Miracle Noodles do have some potential as a staple in the diet of someone either foregoing meat altogether or trying to cut down on it. But as a substitute for pasta or carbs? Not a chance.
Buy Miracle Noodle Pasta Now
I have been a customer of Miracle Noodle for several months. I have tried a variety of shapes of Miracle Noodles, including the fettuccini. All of the Miracle Noodles are the same product, in different shapes. I followed the instructions on the website, and did a little experimenting on my own. My family now consumes at least one package of Miracle Noodles each day. We started out with basic stir fries, but now, I try them in a wide variety of recipes, from soups to vegetable dishes to desserts. The fettuccini works very well with sauces and soups, and once mixed with the other ingredients, affords a taste and feel very similar to flat noodle pasta. I try to incorporate the noodles into everything I cook, because it provides filling, calorie-free fiber. During the day, when hunger strikes, I usually crave something sweet. The Miracle Noodles can be used to create sweet dishes that conquer the craving, filling me up without extra calories. I love this product!
Read Best Reviews of Miracle Noodle Pasta Here
I got these noodles delivered about a week ago (pack of 6). I ate the last one today, so basically I've been replacing one meal a day with these.
I really like them!
THE SMELL: Ok, these DO smell awful after you take them out of the package. I hate fish, so I was skeptical. But after rinsing for a full 2 minutes and patting dry with several paper towels, the smell was almost gone. The finished product was not at all fishy (see recipe at end of my review!).
The TEXTURE: They DO feel kind of gelatinous. Again, this goes away after cooking, and the texture is much more like a thin rice noodle.
I literally just finished eating my daily noodle bowlfilling and delicious! Here's the recipe I've been using!
Here's what I did:
Rinsed the miracle noodles for 2+ minutes, and patted dry on paper towels. Cut with large kitchen knife.
Sauteed half of an onion in pam no fat cooking spray.
Dumped the noodles in with the onions and let cook over low-medium heat for a few minutes.
Put in half a teaspoon of peanut butter (really, a very small amount), let it melt over the noodles.
Put in about 2 T of ginger soy sauce.
Put in about 1 Tablespoon of hot sauce.
Chopped up about 8 leaves of fresh basil and threw them on top.
Stir fried for about 2 minutes.
And then I ate it! It was really really goodtasted like drunken thai noodles. AND, I estimate the calorie content at about 100 calories. I also feel like a few pieces of chicken breast would have gone with it really well, to add protein.
Highly recommended!
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Well, I was worried after reading the reviews, but ended up pleasantly surprised with these "noodles." If you follow the instructions, which are very clear, they taste like asian celophane noodles.
Here is how these need to be prepared: first, you open the package and place the contents in a strainer. Now, at first, the smell of a preservative like substance is present, but that goes away quickly once you run the noodles under cold water for about 30 seconds. Rinse them well. Then you drop them in boiling water for about a minute before putting them on paper towels to dry. Now they are ready to cook with.
You must follow these directions, which are clearly printed on the package. Once you do, the consistency is not rubbery or like cartlidge as noted in other reviews. The noodles become much likecooked ramen noodles.
The one surprise to me was that these are packaged in a clear bag with a fluid. It was weird, but the fact that I can have these without fat, carbs or even calories is a huge bonus.
The granola itself is very good... but, it could be much better if the company used less cinnamon (at least half the amount}.
