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13 Of The Best Ways To Upgrade Instant Ramen, According To Chefs

Ditch the flavor packet if the ramen isn't from an Asian grocery store. Some instant-ramen flavor packets don't have the right spices. Knet/Shutterstock

Instant ramen usually includes a spice packet that adds umami flavor to your noodles. But Anna Rider, a food writer, chef, and recipe developer, told Business Insider they're not all created equally.

"Popular brands at conventional grocery stores come with lackluster spices and seasonings," she said. "You're better off cooking your noodles in chicken or vegetable broth and serving them with chili oil, sriracha, or sesame oil with red-pepper flakes."

But keep the packet if your instant ramen is from an Asian grocery store — it's more likely to include authentic spices that are worth adding to your meal.

Don't cook your ramen for as long as it says on the package. Rinsing the noodles after you cook them keeps them from getting mushy. Thalang Itsaranggura/Shutterstock

Instant ramen is meant to be served piping hot, but allowing the cooked noodles to sit in the warm broth may cause them to be mushy by the time you're ready to eat.

To avoid this, Rider suggested shortening the cooking time listed on the package.

"Undercooking your noodles by one to two minutes makes them perfect by the time you're ready to enjoy them," she told BI.

You can also prevent mushy ramen by draining the noodles immediately and rinsing them under cold water.

Cook your noodles separately to make them less gummy. Cooking your noodles in a separate pot can improve their texture. Shutterstock

Deanna Kang, a chef and recipe developer at Agile Test Kitchen, told BI that cooking your noodles separately could improve their texture.

"Though not totally necessary, cooking your noodles separately before adding them to ramen stock washes away extra starch and makes the broth and noodles less gummy," she said.

Save some of the uncooked noodles to use as a topping. They add a nice crunch. Carloxluix/Shutterstock

Romain Devanneaux, a chef at Chez Muffy in Quebec City, told BI that he never cooks the whole portion of noodles in a pack of instant ramen.

"I always keep a small amount of the uncooked noodles to place on top when it's ready," he said. "This brings a little crunchy texture to the dish."

If you'd rather cook all your noodles, you can top your ramen with raw shredded carrots, tortilla chips, or even croutons to add a crunch.

Add cheese or mayonnaise to your ramen if you want it to be creamier. Cheese will make ramen noodles super creamy. Irene Jiang/Business Insider

Chris Riley, a cook and founder of The Daring Kitchen, told BI that cheese and instant ramen are an excellent pairing.

"Add a couple of cheese slices, Parmesan, or crumbled feta after cooking the ramen for a few minutes," he said. "You can also add some mayo to make the dish even creamier."

Keep frozen herbs around to use as easy flavor bombs for ramen. You can freeze herbs into cubes with oil so they're fresh when you need them. Teresa Kasprzycka/Shutterstock

Devanneaux said adding frozen herbs to ramen noodles is a quick and easy way to introduce flavor.

"When you see that herbs in your fridge have lost their freshness, mix them with olive oil and a dash of lemon juice and freeze them in an ice-cube tray," he told BI. "These cubes are great when added to ramen noodles."

Cook your instant ramen noodles in canned soup for a richer meal. Adding ramen to a can of soup can make a heartier meal. Greentellect Studio/Shutterstock

If you want to turn a package of instant ramen into a more substantial meal, a simple can of soup may do the trick.

"Boil some canned soup on the stove and cook the ramen in that," Riley said. "Any vegetable or Italian soup will do the trick, and you end up with a savory bowl of ramen."

It may be easier to cook the noodles in broth-based soups, but don't be afraid to experiment with creamier flavors.

Instant ramen is a great way to use up leftovers. Leftovers can add spice, flavor, and substance to instant ramen. Shutterstock

One easy way to add some flavor and substance to instant ramen is to raid your fridge for leftovers.

"You can use leftovers like sliced ham or a fried egg from breakfast to make instant ramen a more complete meal," Rider said.

Instant ramen is also a great way to make use of wilting herbs or garnishes, such as leftover basil or chopped green onion.

Add some seaweed for a traditional flavor. Ramen is often served with seaweed at restaurants. Piotr Milewski/Shutterstock

For an authentic twist on instant ramen, Rider suggested adding some seaweed.

"A square of salted seaweed can really improve instant ramen," she told BI. "Serve with a soft-boiled egg split lengthwise and lightly fried shiitake mushrooms cooked with garlic."

For extra toppings, opt for pickled carrots, fresh cilantro, or green onions sliced on the diagonal.

Up the umami flavor by adding soy sauce. Adding soy sauce is a simple way to boost instant ramen's flavor. Ffolas/Shutterstock

For the fastest and simplest way to boost the salty, savory flavor of instant ramen, add a splash of soy sauce.

"Soy sauce can enhance the flavor and complexity of the instant ramen," Riley said. "If you prefer spice, throw in some chili sauce as well."

Turn your instant ramen into a full breakfast by adding bacon and eggs. When you're craving something special in the morning, upgrade your instant ramen with some breakfast staples. Irene Jiang/Business Insider

"Add bacon and eggs for a great breakfast take on ramen noodles," Riley told BI. "I love this because it's fast, easy, and delicious."

You can poach an egg directly in the ramen as it cooks, or whisk the egg in while cooking to create a rich, creamy broth.

Boil your noodles in stock instead of water. Cooking ramen in broth will deepen the flavor. Madeleine Steinbach/Shutterstock

Kang told BI that cooking instant noodles in broth instead of water makes for a more flavorful meal.

"Start with anything except water, like chicken or vegetable stock," the chef said. "Even adding powdered chicken bouillon will help the soup taste less like the Styrofoam cup it came from."

Turn your instant ramen into a salad or stir-fry. Ramen noodles work well in a stir-fry. Pixabay

If you're not in the mood for a noodle soup, you can transform instant ramen into a vegetable-packed stir-fry or salad.

"Stir-fry the cooked noodles with vegetables and sauce, or chill the cooked noodles and add a simple sesame-oil and rice-vinegar dressing with some shredded vegetables," Kang said.

This story was originally published in May 2020 and most recently updated on August 28, 2024.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

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Nourishing, aromatic and deeply flavourful, this deceptively simple chicken soup makes the perfect family supper – best of all, there's hardly any washing up.

Method

Place the coriander stalks, chicken thighs, five-spice, soy sauce, shiitake mushrooms, half of the grated ginger, half of the spring onions and 1.2 litres/2 pints cold water into a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. There is no need to open the lid and stir during the cooking time.

By the end, the chicken should be cooked through and tender with a rich and flavourful broth. Remove the chicken and replace the lid. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the bones and shred the meat before returning it to the slow cooker.

Around 5–10 minutes before you want to serve, add the remaining spring onions, coriander leaves and ginger, along with the garlic, sesame oil and chilli, if using. Stir well and check the seasoning, adding another splash of soy sauce if more salt is needed.

Add the noodles, submerging them evenly. Cook for a further 5–10 minutes with the lid on, checking after 5 minutes, until just cooked through.

Stir through the pak choi cover with the lid and leave to stand for a further minute before serving.

Quick Hot And Sour Noodle Soup

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Make your own version of this Chinese hot and sour noodle soup. It's a generous main course with noodles and chicken.

Ingredients For the soup For the noodle 'pot' Method

For the soup base, heat the oil in a wok, then fry the ginger and shiitake mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.

Add the chilli, Shaoxing rice wine, vegetable stock, bamboo shoots and the seasonings. Bring to the boil, then add with the cornflour paste, stirring well, until thickened. Keep warm over a low heat.

For the noodle pot, layer the cooked egg noodles, beansprouts, sliced baby corn and spring onions in a plastic pot or serving bowl. Top with shredded chicken, then spoon the soup over the ingredients. Give the noodle pot or bowl a good stir and serve immediately.

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