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The era: Freshman year of college, circa 2005. The scene: The college town grocery store.
I vividly remember strolling through the aisles on a mission to snag as many budget-friendly and easy-to-prep snacks as I could fit in a couple of bags—a reasonable amount to carry across campus and back to my dorm room. In addition to the microwave popcorn, fruit leather, jerky, and granola bars, you better believe that I stocked up when a promotion sign boasted that 10 packages of ramen were just $1.
For years, I linked instant ramen with that time of life, viewing it as a cheap and efficient—yet far-from-remarkable—meal. That is, until I tried my first spoonful of handcrafted ramen at a Japanese restaurant. Featuring a complex and creamy broth, delightfully bouncy noodles, a jammy egg marinated in soy sauce, tender pork belly, and earthy mushrooms, it was as close to a food hug as I could imagine.
Ever since, I’ve been on a quest to master how to make the ramen bowls I build at home taste a little more like that restaurant version—and a little less like the lackluster packs I squirreled away next to my microwave and mini fridge.
Photographer: Jen Causey / Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
6 Chef Tricks to Make Instant Ramen Taste Homemade
I was relieved to learn from George Formaro, chef-partner of Orchestrate Hospitality restaurants in Des Moines, Iowa, that I don’t need to start entirely from scratch. “With just a few thoughtful bonus ingredients, you can transform instant ramen into something that feels like your own and a little bit special, without ever losing its core identity as comforting, no-fuss food,” says Formaro, who just launched pop-up restaurant Kaiju Ramen. “It’s a reminder that even the simplest things can be exactly what you need.”
I couldn’t agree more. So, I tapped Formaro and some other culinary pros for tips on how to take an inexpensive college staple and transform it into something soul-warming and scrumptious. Whether you stock up on Shin Black ramen in bulk, reach for a packet of trendy Momofuku noodles, or stick with the tried-and-true Nissin or Maruchan brands you’ve relied on since you were enrolled in Psych 101, here’s how the pros say you can make instant ramen taste even better.
Start With an Egg Yolk
“If the broth is super-thin and I’m going for a creamy-base, I’ll add an egg yolk to the bottom of my bowl before slowly whisking in the hot broth,” explains Lauren Grant-Vose, recipe developer and founder of Zestful Kitchen in Minneapolis. The heat from the broth will temper the egg yolk and thicken the ramen so it’s luscious, she explains.
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Add Fat
Another way to make it full-bodied? Fat. “Whether it be butter, cheese, or just a dash of sesame oil,” you can’t go wrong by bolstering your bowl, says Sammy Mila, recipe developer, food stylist, and owner of Crème Bakery in Des Moines, Iowa. She’s particularly fond of topping her hot bowl with a slice of American cheese. (Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!)
Spike It With Sauce
If you find that the ramen broth is a bit shy in flavor, both Grant-Vose and Formaro suggest spiking it with soy or fish sauce, or stirring in a spoonful of miso paste or some bouillon.
Toss in Some Greens
Although it’s not traditional, Grant-Vose is keen on adding a dose of green veggies to her ramen. “I like to add frozen peas because I always have them stocked in the freezer,” she says, admitting it’s an old habit from her middle school days.
Go Wild With Garnishes
Lawrence Weeks, executive chef and owner at North of Bourbon in Louisville, Kentucky, prefers to keep things simple by adding chopped green onions and crispy shallots and garlic. Formaro is wild about sprinkling on cubes of crispy tofu. As for Grant-Vose, she’ll crown her serving with sautéed mushrooms, a soft-boiled egg, or chili crisp.
Allrecipes
Transform It Into Something Else
On Formaro’s nights off, he likes to bust open a package of instant ramen and turn it into Budae Jjigae (Korean Army Stew). “The combination of ingredients might sound unexpected to some, but trust me—try it, and you might fall in love with it,” he says. “There’s something about the working-class roots of this dish that really speaks to me. It’s the kind of food that represents the people and the regions they come from—the food that shapes culture.”
To recreate Formaro’s rendition, start with the ramen base and broth, then add a spoonful of gochujang (Korean chile paste) for depth. Toss in sliced hot dogs, Spam, tofu, kimchi, and corn. Boil for a minute, then season to taste. Top it off with a boiled or fried egg and sliced green onions.
7 More Ways to Remix Your Ramen
Now that the chefs have spoken, I was left wondering, “What do creative home cooks do?” The Allrecipes Allstars never leave me hanging, and they, along with other global community members, have even more ideas to help us upgrade our instant ramen.
- Toss the crunchy noodles with shredded cabbage, sliced almonds, and a zippy dressing for Ramen Coleslaw.
- Use par-cooked noodles as the foundation for Ramen Scrambled Eggs.
- Skip the bread and use your noodles for makeshift “burger buns” (Ramen Burger) or “sliced bread” (Ramen Grilled Cheese).
- Top uncooked noodles with jarred Alfredo sauce and rotisserie chicken for a cozy and Easy One Pan Ramen Chicken Alfredo.
- Jazz up cooked ramen with gochujang, soy sauce, sliced veggies, and chicken for baked Spicy Korean Chicken and Ramen Noodle Packets.
- Round up chicken broth, cooked chicken, veggie odds and ends, and ginger to stir together a family-friendly Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup with Honey Sriracha Crackers.
- Combine cooked ramen with cream cheese to act as the filling for Spicy Ramen-Stuffed Jalapeños.
Whether you try one of these unconventional approaches or simply top your bowl with a little something extra, exploring these pro tips will graduate your instant ramen to the next level.
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