Pasta & Noodles

Turkey soup may be the end of the line for turkey leftovers, but it doesn't have to be boring and predictable. The hearty essence of the roasted holiday bird is concentrated into a deeply satisfying broth, thick with noodles and laced with garlic, rosemary, and tomatoes. This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser whether it's just the family or a last minute gathering of friends. And thanks to the ready availability of turkey wings, executive food editor Kemp M. Minifie bets you won't want to wait until next Thanksgiving to make it again.

Grandma also serves the rich, spicy soup with cucumber salad and scallion pancakes.

The Original: Any old canned tuna mixed with cream of something (chicken, celery, mushroom) soup. Our Version: Oil-packed albacore in a roux-thickened sauce flavored with leeks, dill, and Gruyère. Our one old-school concession? A crunchy, crushed-potato-chip topping.

A Japanese-style noodle soup that's full of healthful things: mushrooms, yams, carrots—and even salty, savory, vitamin-and mineral-rich seaweed. For details on the ingredients used in this dish, see "Ingredient Tips" at the end of the recipe.

It does not get cozier than this hearty dish. Yes, you’ll make your own gnocchi. And yes, it’s totally worth the effort.

This is a mash-up of my French and Japanese influences, with a very American meat-and-pasta sensibility. "Scaloppini" refers, of course, to a thin cut of meat, which here is Gardein, a vegan substitute that's a great transitional food for meat-eaters. Instead of European wine, this sauce calls for sake, and shiitakes are swapped in for traditional button mushrooms. The udon noodle cakes and pea shoots are another Asian touch, but the overall complexity and lushness of the dish give it a French feel.

Look for Asian noodles in natural foods stores as well as in the Asian foods section of well-stocked supermarkets.

If you are looking for something a little different to accompany a stir-fry, try panfried Chinese noodles as crisp vehicles for umami-loaded Asian sauces.

Noodle kugels, or baked puddings, abound in Ashkenazic Jewish cookery, and this particular version makes an outstanding dessert or brunch dish. You'll find that the mild sweetness of coarsely grated Gala apples perks up the hearty richness.

You'll need a big wok or two skillets to hold this large stir-fry. Here's a recipe where you can put that very dense, baked tofu to good use. Choose tofu that's been flavored with star anise or five-spice powder, available in natural food stores. It has an entirely different texture than fresh—it's quite meaty, actually. I find it tastes best if you slice it thinly and stir-fry it with the ginger and garlic.

A huge hit for us: spicy, sour, sweet, and herbaceous. This is among the greatest noodle dishes ever.

Frying sage leaves is easy and provides a real wow factor. The sage and chestnuts make an ideal foil for these pillowy gnocchi.

During the summer you can grill the asparagus outdoors. The smoky flavor of a wood charcoal fire adds complexity to this substantial meal. While I call for green asparagus, try making the dish with a colorful array of asparagus—green, white, and purple. White miso, which is called shiro-miso in Japanese can be found in health food stores. Smooth rather than grainy miso is preferable for this recipe.

This cold sesame noodle dish is one of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants. My family recipe is simple, made with readily available ingredients. It's a great blank canvas for adding all sorts of leftover proteins. I have made the dish with shredded roast chicken and duck, as well as sliced pork and beef. Sesame paste, often referred to as tahini, can be found in health food stores or the international foods aisle of your supermarket. If you can't find it, try unsalted 100 percent pure peanut or almond butter, which will give you different, but equally tasty, results.

Singapore-style noodles are a favorite in Chinese-American restaurants and are traditionally made using leftover Cantonese roast pork. The dish is lightly seasoned with Indian curry powder, giving the thin rice noodles a beautiful yellow hue. The curry flavor explains the dish's name: Singapore cooking exhibits a significant Indian influence. Stir-fried with small shrimp and peas, this colorful dish can be made ahead of time and very successfully reheated. Cantonese roast pork can be found in Chinese markets. You'll recognize the long and thick reddish-golden meat strips hanging in the window to entice passersby.

These "gnocchi" are more like baked polenta cutouts. For a pretty presentation, cut the gnocchi with a three-inch-square scalloped cookie cutter.

Cold noodle dishes are a great way to cool off, and since both calamari and rice-stick noodles require little cooking, the combination makes for an excellent lunch or dinner on a hot, lazy day. With its generous amount of fragrant garden herbs, this salad even smells refreshing.