How To Improve Ramen Noodles?

I love Instant Ramen. Since I can remember, I’ve been making instant noodles. My parents used to keep cans of Maruchan instant ramen in the pantry, and even as a young child, I was able to make the dish without much difficulty. Without any upgrades, that traditional package of crispy fried noodles and flavor dust is incredibly affordable and quite tasty. But over time, I’ve discovered a few tricks that have improved my noodle slurping experience, such as what to add to instant ramen.

My Favorite Quick Fix Upgrade Combo

Although the bowl in these photos is sort of the ultimate example of how to improve instant ramen, on an average day I kind of vacillate between the plain and the ultimate version. Here is how I usually upgrade my instant ramen:

Then, based on the other items I have in my kitchen, I might add some other fun items, like what you see in the pictures. :).

Upgrade your instant ramen with these quick and easy hacks.

Ramen in the U. S. has come a long way. High-end real ramen shops are opening up left and right on both coasts and everywhere in between. Ramen was previously only known in its 10-for-a-dollar instant-lunch form, which was a staple of offices and dorm rooms throughout the 1980s and 1990s. I grew up eating instant ramen at least once a week as a half-Japanese child in the 1980s, and it still has a special place in my heart. Although the add-hot-water pack sometimes suffices, the real stuff is still great.

Having said that, my tastes have significantly evolved over the years, and sometimes that tiny flavoring packet just isn’t sufficient. As a result, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking of simple, inexpensive ways to improve my ramen. Ghetto gourmet, if you will.

As a card-carrying member of the Greater New York Ramen Transmogrification Society*, it is my duty, my honor, and my privilege to share some of our techniques and recipes with you.

Please scroll through this slideshow for comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on any of these dishes.

*Our membership is pretty thin right now—care to join?

With ingredients that don’t need any additional cooking, upgrading a bowl of instant noodles is the quickest and easiest. Im talking simple sauces and condiments like:

This is especially easy for me to do because I am a condiment hoarder (I have a whole double-layered shelf of my fridge, plus the entire door and a full pantry cabinet devoted to them). The key is to avoid using too many flavors that compete with one another. I frequently commit this error following extended nights out, thinking that more is always better when it comes to hangover remedies. Not the case. Keep it simple. Keep in mind that you should omit some of the seasoning packet if you’re using a salty condiment. You can also add:

But imagine this scenario: youre in college, the power went out in your dorm room, and you obviously had no choice but to finish all the beer in the fridge rather than let it warm up. Youre hungry, but you cant use the water kettle. Keanu Reeves pops up in your brain and asks: What do you do? What do you do?

The solution is to simply break up the noodles in the bag, rip off a corner, add the seasoning packet, hold the ripped corner, and shake it up before eating. Lick your fingers clean after this one. It’s similar to eating Cheetos, but with delicious fingers that have “Oriental flavor” rather than “orange cheeze.” “.

Lets face it: Ramen aint health food. But adding some roughage to your starch is fairly easy.

Ramen consists primarily of starch and fat; in the majority of low-cost varieties, the noodles are deep-fried to remove moisture. Eggs are inexpensive, delicious, and, in most cases, can be cooked directly in the same pot as the noodles or the broth, so why not add some extra protein? Here are a few simple ways to do it. Ramen-eggs are divided into five levels by the World Society for Ramen Egg Cookery, which I founded, chair, and am the only member of. It is not advisable to attempt a higher level process until all lower level processes have been completed.

**Not really. Its still pretty darn easy.

What to Add Instant Ramen? So Many Tasty Things!

The only ingredients in a plain pack of instant ramen are noodles and broth. However, there are many ingredients you can add to ramen to make it heartier. I enjoy adding some protein-packed mix-ins to ramen, which can help make instant soup feel more like a meal. First, check your freezer. Instant ramen is great with frozen meatballs; simply toss them in the boiling broth. While they cook, the meatballs will flavor your soup base.

Additionally, I adore frozen fish balls, which I can always find at my neighborhood Asian grocery store. Wontons are a different freezer find I like to add to my ramen. When I find them, I always purchase a bag to put in my ramen.

We smoke a lot of meat on our Big Green Egg during the summer, and we freeze leftovers in little zip-top bags. These leftovers make for tasty ramen mix-ins. I adore how the flavorful broth is enhanced by the smokiness of the barbecued meat.

If nothing else add some leftover chicken. Alternatively, you could chop up some raw bacon into pieces that are about 2-3 inches long and add them to your broth as the cooking process comes to a close.

Scallions are a non-meat ingredient I like to add as my broth is coming to a boil. In particular, I like to season the broth with slices of the heartier scallion ends while reserving the green ends for garnish—oh wait, this is foreshadowing!

Flavor doesn’t have to stop with stock and your seasoning pack. I like to supercharge my flavor pack with some condiments I keep on hand. Try one of these add-ins. Whisk in sesame paste or peanut butter to give your instant ramen a nutty flavor and the broth a richer mouthfeel. Or make a miso ramen soup by stirring in some miso into your broth. For a little Korean spice, whisk in a dollop of gochujang.

I also like the umami that a bit of instant dashi powder brings to the party. Just remember, if you’ choose to add some of the more sodium-heavy options, hold back on the seasoning pack until you can taste your soup. You can always add more seasoning but not take away.

And I like to add a little heat to my ramen when it’s served: sambal, Sriracha, or Chinese hot oil are some of my favorite ways to add some spice to my bowl.

Tasty toppings are the last step to a souped-up bowl of instant ramen. When I was younger, I would whisk an egg and drizzle it into the hot broth to make what was essentially egg drop soup. These days, I prefer a jammy egg on top. I use the Instant Pot to cook my eggs for five minutes at high pressure with a cup of water for the best results.

I also enjoy eating chopped cilantro, nori squares, and the green parts of my scallions.

FAQ

What to add to ramen noodles to make it taste better?

Add a ton of tasty toppings to your bowl of ramen to give it flavor, color, and texture. Here are some creative suggestions: sriracha, kimchi, sesame seeds, bacon bits, fresh herbs (cilantro, Thai basil, chives), nori (dried seaweed), toasted sesame oil drizzle, crushed chiles, furikake, or a wedge of lime.

How do you pimp up instant ramen?

Simple Add-ins. Add miso paste, chili bean sauce, Thai curry paste, Japanese curry powder, fish sauce, or vinegar to any bowl of ramen to instantly improve the flavor. If the condiment is salty, leave out roughly half of the seasoning packet.