Instant noodles are a blessing to humanity. They’re perfect for when you want to whip up a quick and delicious meal, and they also serve as a satisfying snack. However, there are only so many types of instant noodles you can try before you get tired of eating the same thing over and over again, so here are 6 ways to upgrade your instant noodles.
Ramen Carbonara
People often get the impression that they can only eat carbonara at fancy restaurants because it’s too complicated to make at home. While it’s true that authentic Italian carbonara involves a lot of ingredients that are difficult to find, those ingredients can easily be swapped with things from your pantry. It might not be as good as the restaurant experience, but it’s the next best thing!
Photo and recipe: https://tasty.co/recipe/ramen-carbonara
You will need:
- 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
- ⅓ cup of parmesan cheese (or any grated hard cheese)
- Ground black pepper
- 2 slices of bacon
- 1 pack instant noodles (ideally without broth like pancit canton)
- Parsley (optional)
Procedure:
- In a bowl, whisk together 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk, parmesan cheese, and black pepper until homogenous. This will be the carbonara sauce.
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of water that the noodles were cooked in. No need to add the flavor packets that came with the pancit canton.
- Cut the bacon strips into chunks and fry in a separate pan until the fat renders out.
- Add the cooked noodles into the same pan with the bacon and stir until the bacon fat coats the noodles.
- Turn off the heat and then pour the egg mixture along with the reserved cup of water over the noodles. The residual heat from the stove will cook the eggs, but be sure to stir vigorously to help it emulsify with the bacon fat instead of turning into scrambled eggs.
- Plate and top with parsley (optional) and extra cheese.
Tomato Soup Ramen
This might sound a little strange at first, but adding tomatoes to a spicy ramen broth would add another depth of flavor to the spice and make it taste like a hearty bowl of stew.
Photo and recipe: https://aaronandclaire.com/9-new-ways-to-enjoy-ramyunramen-ramyeon/
You will need:
- ½ tomato, diced (can be replaced with 1 tbsp. ketchup)
- ¼ onion, diced
- 1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)
- Sesame oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- Green onions, chopped (optional)
- 1 pack of Shin Ramyun
Procedure:
- Add a drizzle of sesame oil in a pot and saute onions, garlic, and tomatoes for 2 minutes.
- Add the amount of water indicated on the ramen’s package and bring to a boil.
- Add the flavor packet that came with the ramen.
- Mash the tomato chunks with a fork before adding the ramen noodles in.
- Once the noodles have softened, add the beaten egg into the broth.
- Plate and top with sliced green onions (optional).
Egg and Mayo Ramen
No, it’s not a sandwich, it’s ramen. And before you start a discourse about how eggs and mayo don’t belong in ramen, try this hack out first. It’s meant to imitate the creamy and luxurious texture of the ramen broth from restaurants, which is impressive given the fact that it usually takes 36 hours to make ramen broth. This recipe only takes about 10 minutes!
Photo and recipe: https://thishealthytable.com/blog/ramen-with-egg/
You will need:
- 1 tbsp. Kewpie mayo
- 1 egg
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 pack of ramen (any brand as long as it comes with a flavor packet)
- Green onions, chopped (optional)
- 1 Soft-boiled egg (optional)
Procedure:
- In a bowl, add Kewpie mayo, egg, garlic, and the flavor packet and whisk until homogenous.
- In a pot, cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions.
- Pour the noodles along with the water into the bowl that contains the egg and mayo mixture.
- Stir until the egg and mayo mixture emulsifies with the water and transforms into a creamy broth.
- Plate and top with half of a soft boiled egg (optional) and green onions (optional).
Tuna Jjapaghetti
You’ve probably heard of Ram-Don from the movie Parasite, which is made with a mix of Jjapaghetti and Neoguri noodles and topped with cubed steak. However, not everyone is willing to use an expensive cut of beef for a snack, so you might want to try this recipe instead.
Photo: https://futuredish.com/new-jjapaghetti-recipe-make-gourmet-jjajangmyeon-in-10-minutes/
You will need:
- 1 tsp. Chili flakes
- 1 tsp. Garlic powder
- Sesame oil
- 1 can of plain tuna (use only half)
- 1 pack instant Jjapaghetti noodles
Procedure:
- Drain the oil from the tuna and cook on a pan for 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate pot, cook the jjapaghetti noodles according to the package instructions.
- Add the cooked noodles along with the flavor packets to the pan that contains the tuna and mix together.
- Stir in chili flakes and garlic powder and allow it to cook for 1 minute.
- Plate and drizzle with sesame oil on top.
Kujirai-Style Ramyun
This recipe originated from a Japanese comic, but unlike most fictional foods that seem too good to be real, this one is actually easy to make. In addition, it’s also microwavable, which is ideal when you don’t want to wake up your entire family while cooking a midnight snack
Photo and recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe3Vr8Pz-DM
You will need:
- 1 pack Shin Ramyun
- 1 egg
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
- Green onion, chopped (optional)
Procedure:
- In a bowl, add the noodles and the flavor packets along with half the recommended amount of water.
- Heat the bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes.
- Crack the egg into the bowl and top with the cheese slices.
- Place a lid over the bowl and cook in the microwave for 1 minute.
- Plate and top with green onions (optional).
Dry Ramen
Photo and recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kawk6dVPSb8
If you’re tired of eating ramen with broth, this is just the hack for you! It transforms your Shin Ramen into a version of stir-fried noodles.
You will need:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp. Chili powder
- 1 tsp. Sugar
- Sesame oil
- Onions, julienned
- Green and red bell peppers, julienned (optional)
- Green onion, chopped (optional)
- 1 pack Shin Ramyun
Procedure:
- In a bowl, mix together the ramen flavor packet along with garlic, chili powder, sugar, and sesame oil until it forms a paste.
- Cook noodles according to package instructions and drain the water (reserving about ¼ cup).
- In a pan, saute the onions and bell peppers (optional) until softened before adding the cooked noodles.
- Add the paste along with the reserved water and stir together.
- Plate and top with green onions (optional).
Which recipe do you want to try?
