The Unexpected Ingredient That Will Majorly Upgrade Your Egg Noodles

Egg noodles, with their deliciously buttery flavor, make for a great, versatile base. They're more flavorful than rice and tend to be heartier than plain pasta. Egg noodles can help you stretch your homemade beef bourguignon — contrary to the fancy name, it really is a simple dish to prepare — or form a luscious bed to ladle vegetarian mushroom stroganoff over.

While most of us just open up a bag and shake them into a pot, here's some radical news: You can actually make your own egg noodles. Plus, they're simple and affordable to make. Like shockingly so. It only takes a handful of ingredients and less time than it takes to watch an episode of "Stranger Things." You might be surprised by the special ingredient that makes simple egg noodles a cut above store-bought (you'll get that one later). This secret twist makes these perfect for making the world's most luxurious take on apple kugel. But when you've made your own batch of these creamy, rich egg noodles, you may very well just want to top them with butter and pepper and savor every bite.

One of the best parts about our homemade egg noodle recipe, or any egg noodle recipe for that matter, is that all you need to make it are a handful of staple items out of your pantry and a clean countertop. In fact, you almost definitely have everything you need to make it right now. While many egg noodle recipes, such as The Kitchn's, only call for flour, salt, eggs, and water, you can kick that recipe up a notch by adding a few additional ingredients. Swapping water for milk is going to make for a richer, creamier flavor as well as boosting the protein content. Nutritious noodles? You bet your butt-er. Literally — adding butter also adds to the flavor of these naturally mild noodles. But the real secret ingredient here is honey.

Why honey? What does it bring to simple egg noodles? Well, for one, it brightens the flavor. All that dairy could come across like a lead cheese log, but with the help of bright, sweet, honey, the flavor is lightened. According to recipe creator Miriam Hahn, "[h]oney also helps the dough retain its moisture which helps the noodles taste even more fresh." Okay, we'll bite.