How to Make Instant Ramen Noodles More Interesting Than Just Adding Hot Water

Back when I was an inept college student cook, I was quite an instant ramen connoisseur. I dabbled in all sorts of different brands and flavors from various Asian countries. Some of them came with dehydrated veggies and meats and fancy sauces - the larger the number of packets of stuff included, the better tasting (and more expensive) it was. Finally, in the name of frugality, I settled for buying cheap no-frills ramen and adding my own veggies and meats. This article presents some of the things I came up with.


common grocery store brands of instant ramen

Frozen Veggies

Frozen vegetables are an easy addition to any pot of instant ramen noodles. They come in a wide variety in the frozen food section of any grocery store. Corn, peas, carrots, broccoli, green beans, onions, all of these come pre-chopped for added convenience - and because they're frozen, they keep for a long time. Pour out just the amount you need, tie the rest of the bag closed with a twist tie, and put it back in the freezer until next time. Buy the economy-sized packs to save money in the long run. If you have time, you can also chop up your own veggies (such as celery or mushrooms) and freeze them in a single layer in a heavy-duty plastic bag, then break off pieces as you need them.

To use vegetables, start by boiling plain water - a little more than what the ramen's packaging suggests. Add the vegetables when it's boiling and let it come to a boil again before adding the ramen noodles and the seasoning packet(s) that came in the package. If there is a packet of dried vegetables, add those in at the same time as the noodles so they have time to rehydrate. Then let it cook for three more minutes until the noodles are soft. Add any remaining packets of stuff, stir, serve, and eat.


ramen with spinach and sliced mushrooms

Pre-Cooked Meats

A variety of easy, already-cooked meats go well with instant ramen. Hot dogs sliced into small pieces are cheapest of those - one hot dog goes a long way to provide flavor for otherwise-bland noodles. Also good are thick-sliced plain ham, boiled chicken, boiled turkey from the grocery deli; these can be chopped into smaller pieces, or in some cases may come already packaged that way for salads (but that makes them more expensive). Leftover meats from a previous meal may also work well.

In all cases, because the meats are already cooked, it won't need any longer cooking time than the ramen noodles themselves. Put them into the pot of boiling water at the same time as any frozen vegetables, or all at once with the noodles.


ramen with sliced hot dogs, corn, and peas

Eggs

Try adding an egg. Break the egg into a small bowl and beat it vigorously with a fork until yolk and white are completely mixed together. When the ramen noodles are almost done cooking, slowly dribble the egg into the pot while stirring as fast as possible. This will create small, thin strands of egg like the kind found in egg drop soup.


ramen with broccoli and beaten eggs

It is also possible (though more complicated) to cook an egg into ramen noodles with a microwave. Start by beating the egg with a fork as before, in the microwave-safe container. Add about a quarter inch of water to the container, mix well, cover, and microwave on high for a minute or so. If it's still more gooey than solid and filmy, stir well and do it again. Be sure to scrape the cooked parts away from the edges and put those in the middle. After the second time, add the noodles and the rest of the water (enough to cover the noodles), cover, and cook on high for two minutes. Turn the mass of noodles over, break them up if they've softened enough, and add any vegetables. Microwave for another two minutes, or until the vegetables are heated through. Leave it alone in the microwave, covered, for a few more minutes, until the noodles are fully softened and ready to eat.


ramen with broccoli and a poached egg

Alternately, you can poach it. Just drop the whole egg into the pot near the end, then carefully stir the whites away from the yolk so they cook through. Take it off the heat when the yolk is to your liking (less time if you like it runny, more time if you want it solid).

Plain Couscous Instead of Ramen

A lot of these will also work well with plain couscous - which would eliminate the high fat content of ramen if that's of concern. Cook the couscous in some broth instead of water, and add other things as desired.

Final Note

As a general rule, the more seasoned the ramen already is, the less other things you need to add. Be careful that the various meat additions won't clash with what's already there.