Step One: Hit the Notes
You only need to hit a note in each of the following four categories to make your noodle bowl better: spicy, sweet, sour (and/or acidic), and salty (and/or umami). You definitely have some of the options in your pantry! I’ve included a ton of options in each category below!
Salty or Umami Flavor
A flavorful broth always has a salt or umami flavor – or, preferably, both. (Salty is not the same as umami, but American palates often conflate the two. Read more about umami flavors here.)
- Nori (seaweed)
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Fish sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Miso paste
- White fish paste
- Black garlic oil
- Red pepper paste
Add a few of these crunchy toppings to your hot noodle soup, or feel free to add your own and let me know what you think!
- Sesame seeds
- Fresh green onions
- Bonito Flakes
- Crispy fried onions
- Sambal Crunchy Fried Shrimp
- Chopped peanuts
The simplest and fastest method to elevate your ramen is to substitute broth for water. Be cautious because commercial broths, even those with low sodium content, usually contain a lot of salt. Choose homemade broths whenever possible. Choose a homemade ramen seasoning instead of the packet, which is also loaded with sodium, by combining ingredients from the lists below.
- Vegetable Broth (or Mushroom Broth)
- Chicken broth
- Beef broth
- Seafood broth
Truthfully, creamy isnt really the goal of ramen noodle bowls. But since there are a growing number of creamy ramen recipes on the internet and social media, I thought I’d include a few here, if that’s what you’re looking for. You can find of the best recipes here.
- Peanut butter
- Coconut Milk
- Tahini sauce (in Japanese style bowls)
- Kewpie Mayo
Serve this with eggs, meat, or plant-based protein to make it a hearty meal. A little goes a long way!.
- Beautiful Narutomaki (Fish paste)
- Crab sticks (also made from fish paste)
- Soft-boiled egg (4-5 minutes)
- Hard-boiled egg (up to 10 minutes)
- Poached, scrambled, or fried egg
- Pork belly
- Chicken breast / Chicken thigh
- Shrimp
- Tofu
- Black lentils
- Mongolian beef
- Ground beef, turkey, or pork
- Chicken – thinly sliced breasts or grilled thighs
Simple Add-Ins to Boost Your Ramen Experience
The simplest and fastest way to make an instant noodle bowl seem better is to use ingredients that don’t need to be cooked further. Im talking simple sauces and condiments like:
This is especially simple for me to do because I am a condiment hoarder (I have a whole double-layered shelf in my fridge, in addition to the entire door and a full pantry cabinet devoted to them). It’s important to avoid using too many competing flavors at once. This is a common error I make after spending a long night out: I think that the more hangover remedies there are, the better. Not the case. Keep it simple. Remember that part of the seasoning packet should be left out if you are using a salty sauce. You can also add:
- Try adding a cinnamon stick, star anise, and coriander seeds to the simmering broth (be sure to remove them before serving!) or adding spices like white pepper, sichuan pepper, or chile flakes to the finished dish!
- fats such as chile oil, toasted sesame oil, or animal fat (duck, chicken, or pork are all fantastic options)
- Citrus juices: Squeezing a little lemon or lime just before serving can greatly enhance the flavor.
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 as follows: simply crumple the noodles in the bag, rip off a corner, add the seasoning packet, shake it up while holding the ripped corner, and then eat. Lick your fingers clean after this one. It tastes like Cheetos, but instead of orange cheese, you’re eating “Oriental flavor” fingers. “.