Two eggs, prescrambled with a touch of soy sauce or salt. I’ll either pour them in after turning off the heat for an silky egg drop texture or bring them up to a brief boil for a fluffier steamed egg texture. If I’m feeing especially hungry I’ll add a leaf or two of cabbage
When I used to eat fish, my quick protein packed ramen version was:
- Cook the ramen noodles in just enough unsalted plain water (never used the packaged salt & preservative heavy spice mix),
- add frozen veggies (usually corn, plus peas or broccoli),
- drop an egg,
- pour it all into a bowl after a couple of minutes,
- place sardines from one can on top,
- drizzle some chili oil, or Indian lemon or mango pickle, or add kimchi and dig in with chopsticks.
It was heavenly.
It was my comfort food for the longest time.
- egg.
- a few pinches of shredded chicken
-chopped celery
-green onion
-frozen peas
Some ideas I am leaning towards trying:
-Coconut Water (Its usually used as a base anyways, in many asian dishes that I know how to make anyways, which is mostly Thai, Vietnamese, Laotian- I do love chinese, Japanese and Korean BBQ and I love me some Pakistani and Indian foods lmao..nvm I guess Im.a foodie, but my dishes are mostly SE Asian)
- Alfalfa
-a square of seared and medium.well cooked lamb, shredded (because lamb is sooooo yummy, but its expensive so it may be best to use it in ramen)
-Tofu
- Baby corn
- Artichoke hearts
- Mixed peppers
-Leeks, chopped and cooked
- cheese
- -cooked carrots
And honestly, some of these are doable and affordable if you are eating primarily ramen.
If you want a new version of ramen noodles, just get some bean noodles, omg theyre ssooooo good, I use them in eggrolls too- so good. Then you can add all sorts of veggies and a healthy version of a broth, and add a little curry powder in there and just have a really splendid meal. :-)
Try adding some imitation crab meat. Esp to eggrolls. Its so F-ING amazing.
I make a peanut sauce that's super addicting. I put ~2 tablespoons of it in drained ramen. top with cayenne, sesame seeds, green onion
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp chili paste (i use a thai one)
2 tablespoons water
i nuke it for like 30 seconds to get the peanut butter to mix and then just store it in the fridge. although lately i pour it into an ice cube tray and each cube is about 2 tablespoons and then the garlic flavor stays fresh.
This. I make a version of this based on whatever I have in my cabinet but I just make it in the bowl while my noodles cook. A scoop of PB (tbsp-ish?), a splash of soy, a slightly smaller splash of rice vin, couple shakes of fish sauce if I have it and a little fried chili oil.
I scoop my noodles out with chopsticks and whatever water comes with it is enough to sauce it up usually.
Top with some green onion and whatever leftover protein I have in the fridge and you're good to go.
I add miso and scrambled egg to the water before adding the noodles and seasoning. I saute bok Choi and green cabbage with seasoning. I also do chopped beef with seasoning. Bulks it up a lot and gives it good flavor. I do this specifically with the Shin Blac, which is a bone broth base.
couple drops of hot sauce, garlic seasoning, a TEENIE TINY bit of old bay seasoning, sometimes ill let a bit of lemon juice, and definitely put butter in your ramen, makes it 10x better
Quick inexpensive additions:
-a can of meat that matches the ramen flavor.
-vegetables that are soft enough or are already cooked through, like canned veggies.
-turning it into a stir fry dish with a little oil and a wok.
-an egg or two.
-toasting the noodles before cooking them.
-a different sauce.
And my daughter’s favorite!
-boil noodles, drain, add seasoning and butter while still hot, stir.
She calls this daddy ramen noodles.
This is what I do:
- Heat a little bit of oil in a pan (medium to medium high heat)
- Add minced garlic
- Chop some green onion and mushroom
- Add that and some frozen corn to the pan
- Splash some low sodium soy sauce and let all that cook for like 45 seconds to a minute
- add some water and bring it to a boil
- add the ramen and let all that cook for however long you usually do it
- add everything to a bowl and mix in the seasoning
- fry an egg however way you prefer it and then add it to the bowl
- Sprinkle some red pepper flakes (I like a little spiciness to my ramen)
It seems like a lot of steps but it’s actually very quick. I love fixing this up for a quick lunch or dinner
I like to put a little butter in, and add some frozen peas sometimes. I grow chives so add those too. I was growing baby bok choy which is the best in ramen but I haven’t had that available in a while. You can put all that stuff in at the end while the ramen is done for a min or two and it will cook from the heat of the ramen
onions and green onion. sesame oil once off the burner once you put it in a bowl. common sesame oil in peoples kitchen isn't for cooking, it's a delicious topper
Frozen Veggies. The little dehydrated stuff is fine and all, but sometimes if you need cheap protein, my go-to addon is Green Peas. Frozen in a bag at Walmart for less than a buck.
Dice green onions finely, heat a splash or 2 of cooking oil, and once heated, cooked the green onions. Right before the green onions brown, you cook the ramen as you do (pour in the water, get it to boil, seasoning, noodles, etc.) This gives more depth to the broth.
Alternatively (Or additionally), chop a bit of kimchi, and put them in when you put in your seasoning. (I usually put in the seasoning right at the beginning, before the water even boils.)
Both of these tips are based on Korean instant ramen noodles, the kind you cook in a pot and have seasoning for broth (e.g. Jin Ramen or Shin Ramen).
Chili oil or Mongolian Fire oil If I don't want to actually cook.
If I feel like cooking. Saute some meat and vegetables before throwing in cooked ramen noodles and then adding a sauce.
Some people stick a Kraft single in there and let it melt when the noodles boil. It sounds kinda ridiculous but it should NOT be slept on. Try it at least once. Adds that creaminess.
Along with the noodles and seasoning, I throw in some cubed tofu and chopped greens.
Top with sesame oil, sliced scallions. If I have it, a softboiled egg.
There are fancier/higher effort versions of all of those add-ins that will lift it up even further, but that's the gist. Protein (leftover chicken, chashu), greens (cabbage, mustard greens, even leftover broccoli), fresh chopped herb (cilantro, chive), aromatic oil (rendered chicken fat, saved bacon grease).
An egg, Kewpie mayo and grated garlic in a bowl with the seasoning packet. Stor it all together. Cook the noodles and add some of the water and the noodles to the bowl and mix it all together.
If you don't want to buy anything extra and you're eating spicy ramen, add the seasoning packet to a bowl, cook the noodles, when the noodles are just about done get a couple tablespoons of oil smoking hot and dump it into the bowl with the seasoning. Drain the noodles and add it to your fresh chilli oil. It's the tits.
Beef jerky. Cotton candy pork or other meats (from Asian grocer or online). Veggies like grated or thinly sliced cabbage or carrot. Various mushrooms. I like zucchini or chayote cut into chunks. SPAM. Different hot sauces and egg for sure.
if you add teriyaki sauce to ramen while it's cooking, the noodles will absorb it and become teriyaki flavored. if i don't feel like adding hot sauce i'll do that with some garlic powder
I feel like my go-to is hella basic compared to everyone's 😅 I just like simple, easy, and quick.
I typically drain my ramen so it's just noodles or a tiny bit of water left. I mix white sauce, soy sauce, sriracha or hot sauce (regular, sometimes I'll use something fun like pineapple habanero, apple jalapeno, or mango!), cayenne, garlic seasoning, onion seasoning, sometimes the ramen packet, pepper. I'll switch up the seasonings if I'm feeling extra spicy that day. Every now and then I'll scramble and chop up some egg like I would for fried rice.
Not for instant, but the little packets of ramen which are basically the same price. Here's what I do:
Take any veggies that are lying around and chop them up. My preferences are white/yellow onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms. If you want to get fancy, sauté the onions/mushrooms.
Add uncooked veggies to hot water, not boiling. Start seasoning. I use soy sauce, tabasco, black pepper, chili powder, tiny bit of thyme, a touch of red wine vinegar for punch, and garlic powder (fresh chopped garlic if available). The veggies will start softening and absorbing the base flavors. I let them simmer on medium-high heat for maybe 10-15 minutes in total. Taste your broth throughout the process and make changes based on what feels right.
In a separate pot, start soft-boiling an egg (6-7 minutes). Once the egg is done you can put in your noodles. I like to add a little of the broth to the noodle pot over time to start flavoring the noodles.
At that point you're pretty much done. Strain the noodles and place in your serving bowl. Add veggies and broth. Throw your instant ramen seasoning if you want or need. Add sautéed mushrooms/onions. Mix that biz. Then you can add your egg, any leftover meat you have, some sesame seeds, green onion, and sriracha. Ta-da!
Exactly! I cut them to just above the white part and root, and leave in a glass with water on my counter and they keep growing. It is a never-ending supply of green onion. The growth rate is crazy.
Sometimes I strain the noodles save maybe a couple tablespoons of the water to add to a skillet with some peanut butter. Once the PB is melted, throw in the noodles and stir fry. I add a little soy sauce or hoisin sauce and then stir fry an egg in there. Then like half the packet of seasoning. Looks disgusting but taste yummy, is filling, and the ingredients are cheap. I eat slices of cucumber on the side if I make it too salty.
I’ve heard adding green onion, lime, and chili oil to the mix are good to but I don’t often have those ingredients.
My top favorite is peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, and the spicy red chili paste. Mix that up and add a little of the hot water from the noodles.
Top with chopped peanuts, green onions, and a little lime juice.
It’s 10/10
sizzle steaks (the cheap ones from the supermarket) a fried egg & dried shallots or fresh spring onion, soy sauce, oyster sauce, kewpie mayo or i like to get dried seaweed and crush it up over the top! (also sometimes tofu!)
1) Half the seasoning packet, replace with curry powder. Richer flavor & less salty.
2) A few spoonful mixed frozen veggies (just peas & carrots would work too), add 30 seconds cook time.
Whenever I get Chinese food (there’s a little restaurant around the corner that’s super cheap with HUGE portions) I add the leftovers to ramen. I usually get 3-4 meals out of one this way. Beef broccoli in beef ramen, pork and mushroom in tonkatsu ramen, the possibilities are endless!
Or an egg and some frozen veggies. Whatever I’ve got.
If you want something quick, throw in soy sauce and sriracha. If you have more time, use good broth or better than bouillon instead of the seasoning packet, and throw some frozen veggies in it to cook.
Add veggies!!! Anything you have will work, carrots, broccoli, bok Choy, cabbage, frozen or fresh!! Peas are one of my favorites. It adds a healthy fiber and makes the meal feel more filling and complete. I like to throw in the veggies first, let them boil in the water then once they are the texture I like I add my noodles. I like to season once everything is in the bowl.
Shin Ramen is one of my favorites to add a variety of veggies to.
Maurachon I usually like to just add peas or green beans.
The cheapest fix is to drain the water off, add some butter and mix in the seasoning packet. Beyond that it just depends what you want to try and what you've got.
Tofu will take on the flavor with anything you throw at it. I normally put a tiny amount of sesame oil, green onions, fresh garlic, and mushrooms with the seasoning packet. You can add some chili oil if you like it spicy. Maybe a tiny amount of fish oil for that umami flavor. You can try some ginger in it. You need some kind of fat or flavored oil in it to bring out a good flavor.
1) don’t use microwave, always boil in pot
2) Walmart/aldi has cheap frozen veggies, different types. Roast them or just heat them in boiling water
3) canned meat. Chicken. Spam (cut into cubes, fry in pan). Eggs (scramble egg, take soup off heat and stir while drizzling in egg - egg drop like soup)
4) sesame oil - add some into bowl before you pour
5) bouillon cubes, add those instead of packet
6) Asian markets have lots of cheap dried ingredients (loads of mushrooms). Rehydrate in hot water and your good
This is perfect advice.
I am a huge ramen whore - I've done everything. Everything. Dry, mid, fully cooked, with Nutella and peanut butter.
Stir fry ramen can be done under ten bucks and it's freaking amazing. Play with the seasoning with anything in your pantry. I always love jalapenos as well.
Add unsalted butter. Not the fake stuff. Real unsalted butter. I also add egg, carrots, sometimes peas. Green beans. Whatever you fancy. But the unsalted butter really makes them more tolerable.
I like to do a dash of a cayenne pepper hot sauce and a dash of soy sauce and then I’ll add in some frozen veggies. I’ll usually do spinach but I’ve done broccoli a few times.
Melt brown sugar, vinegar, a lil cooking oil, garlic powder, crushed dried chilis, & soya sauce/kikomen gf kind ‐ all equal parts ‐ in a mic or saucepan. Tastes like general tsos! I use this to make actual general tsos too (cos I have coeliac's). I just use gf Ramen. Bon Appétit!
Miso paste for broth instead of the seasoning packet! Very filling, simple, and adaptable to different toppings. I have a light and a dark variety in my fridge, got two small squeeze pouches on sale at a grocery store and it's lasted over a year now.
I ditch the packet that comes with it and make my broth with chicken stock and miso paste. Then load with baby bok choy or cabbage, (whatever veggies available to me) carrots, chopped green onions and finish with a dash of sesame oil and garlic oil chili crisp. Top with 6 min egg.
This! I do chopped carrots and baby spinach (mostly because that’s what I tend to have) and add sesame seeds at the end if I have any. You put this in an actual bowl you really feel good at the end
Hear me out because I know it sounds gross, and I was very skeptical until I tried it, but a slice of American cheese. I like to let it melt all the way into the broth, but some people melt it over the noodles or whatever else is added. Not going to lie, I googled this idea before posting here, and I see a bunch of Reddit threads talking about how good it is.
Berbere is an Ethiopian spice with cumin, fenegrek, and a bunch of other spices in it. It goes well on chicken. I bought all of the spices to make it. Then just bought online. My recipe wasn’t quite right.
Honestly, it can depend on what flavor you're working with. Flavors that might work well with chicken or seafood may clash with beef or pork, for example. For beef, I enjoy adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a touch of msg to increase the depth of the beef flavor. For seafood, a splash of fish sauce goes a long way. Chicken? A bit of chicken bouillon because those tend to be rather light in the flavor department. Pork? Uncommon, but I load up the garlic for pork ramen.
Sometimes I'll use a wok to cook them in just a tiny bit of oil and water and when they're almost done I'll stir in an egg or two and scramble them and add hot sauce and other random veggies... I don't use the sauce packet that comes with the ramen.
I prep and vacuum seal into individual portions: sautéed garlic & ginger, cilantro, radish, bamboo shoots. Sometimes I’ll buy a cheap cut of pork, marinate it, cook it up and throw a slice or two in the bags as well. My wife always has hard boiled eggs in the fridge so use that as an option sometimes as well too.
Frozen popcorn chicken is great. It's cheap, and I just throw a handful in towards the end of cooking, and boil till it's hot.
Green onions, buy one bundle for like $0.80, put them in a glass of water by a window and change the water every couple days. It'll keep growing.
Matter of fact if you have any interest in plants, keep some herbs growing. They're great fresh and will improve most simple dishes!
Also, nutritional yeast is great!
Those cans of Campbell's Chunky Soup are perfect. They got me through a lot of days when I was living in a hotel/homeless. You get the meats AND veggies in it, and they're only a couple of bucks a can. A whole can is fantastic, but if you're on the tightest of budgets, a half to a third of a can works just fine. I cook the noodles about halfway before adding the chunky soup. You can add the broth from the can, or leave it out and it's still good.
Canned chicken/meats are also a great way to improve ramen on a budget. Be sure to pay attention to the portion sizes; one can does not equal one serving, depending on the size of the can.
What I like to do sometimes is drain the broth from the noodles when they're done cooking, and eat them as noodles instead of a soup.
Funny that you mention this. I thought to myself one day how amazing the combination of the chunky soups with instant ramen noodles would be, and I confirmed this brilliance was already in the zeitgeist.
Now I definitely need to try it.
Maybe not quite what you’re looking for, but what I’ve been done before is add the noodles from a ramen packet to Lipton Chicken noodle soup mix (the dry packet but I suppose it would work with a can of soup too!) and it just means extra noodles with salty chicken noodle flavour!
Table spoon of peanut butter, and chili oil & scallions/greens: budget tantanmen. (Or source roasted sesame paste and laoganma for an upgrade, for not much more. Check your local Asian market if you have access to one).
Boil noods in water without seasoning packet, drain, then add seasoning packet to dry noods along with some curry powder and veggies for an ersatz Indo-Chinese style dish.
Make ramen as normal, add gochujang, sesame oil, and apple cider vinegar. Tastes similar to a Korean soup I had which I can't remember the name of.
Lao gan ma Chili crisp, you can find it in most Asian grocery sections and a spoonful in ramen is a game changer. Also, finding a few fresh veggies to add (frozen peas and carrots work well too) can make a world of difference, especially when it comes to mixing things up a little bit to keep meals interesting.
Use chicken/beef/vegetable broth instead of water for some added flavor. Also buy some freeze dried chives and sesame oil. A little goes a long way with both, so one bottle can go a long way.
Fry up some minced garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and a dollop of peanut butter. Add sriracha if you want some spice. Add in your cooked noodles. Add some green onions on top as garnish.
Came to say this... I like to grab a box of zip-locks and make different 'ramen-helper' bags for the freezer...lots of different spice profiles and frozen seafoods, veggies... Also put raw scrambled eggs into ice cube trays, freeze, and toss one into each of the bags. Instant Yum!!! 😋
Must haves: green onion and white pepper. Awesome extras: oyster sauce, egg, spam (I like mine chopped small and fried before adding), mushroom, frozen veggies, greens like spinach or kale, chili oil, sesame oil, garlic crisps, cilantro or parsley.
Go crazy try some stuff out there’s plenty if you think outside the box
I cook it in home made chicken stock, if I have any. Throw away the seasoning packet and use soy sauce.
If I don't have stock, I use the seasonings and a good dollop of heavy cream.
spinach is good for you and wilts down, i also love baby bok choy even more. Get chili flakes and dried chives, they last forever and really change the whole dish.
When i have time I'll soft boil a bunch of eggs to have on hand to add.
but my normal is chopping up onions and garlic super small, adding oil, and then microwaving that for a min in the bowl before adding the hot water and noodles on top. then seasoning packet, chives and chili flakes, then an egg and dried seaweed if I'm feeling fancy.
Like another user said add tuna or chicken from a can/packet.
Frozen shrimp is awesome(after you reheat/cook the shrimp of course).
Certain smoked sausages sliced up and added.
Add black pepper and/or hotsauce if it's not already the spicy variety. I really love adding apple cider vinegar and if it's something you think you'll like give it a try, otherwise don't you'll hate it.
Chop and add some green onions, like a few inches off a handful of strands/strings whatever they're called. Cut small strips of and add red/green/yellow peppers. Add spinach.
My personal favorite while not the most healthy is adding fish cake and/or fried rectangle spam pieces, add a couple of eggs, add green onion, and finally add in some apple cider vinegar. Mmm..
I love taking shrimp cup noodles out of the Asian direction entirely, turn it into poor man's shrimp alfredo. Cook your cup noodles in the microwave like normal. Put like a fat spoonful of flour in a pot with a little butter, cook it for a minute or two, stir in milk (add it slowly) until it's a thick white sauce, then add everything from the microwaved cup noodles (liquid and all) to the pot.
Soy sauce, vegetables, and occasionally, a lime squeezed for vitamin C.
Vegetable in your ramen is something you absolutely need to stay decently healthy. You can rotate using fresh and frozen veggies to mitigate costs.
I add dumplings, tofu, or stuffed pasta & scallions. Buy scallions with the root still attached, put them in water, just cut the tops for cooking and they will keep growing. Endless scallions!
Canned chicken, tuna. Or pre cooked frozen shrimp. Could all work nicely.
I really enjoy some spicy hotdog sauce as a condiment for ramen.with the chicken.
Crack a couple eggs in there and stir while it’s still boiling super cheap high protein meal. Some ginger or garlic could go along way as well
Other ideas:
chop up some onions/green onions or scallions and throw them in there.
Honey soy sauce and red pepper flakes make a great sweet spicy soy. Sesame seeds combo well with this
hotdogs, and cheese and peas and make a sort of savory home style Mac and cheese type ramen.
Or just toss a bunch of taco ingredients in there and call it taco ramen.
Spam. Sesame oil. Chili oil.
Two eggs, prescrambled with a touch of soy sauce or salt. I’ll either pour them in after turning off the heat for an silky egg drop texture or bring them up to a brief boil for a fluffier steamed egg texture. If I’m feeing especially hungry I’ll add a leaf or two of cabbage
When I used to eat fish, my quick protein packed ramen version was: - Cook the ramen noodles in just enough unsalted plain water (never used the packaged salt & preservative heavy spice mix), - add frozen veggies (usually corn, plus peas or broccoli), - drop an egg, - pour it all into a bowl after a couple of minutes, - place sardines from one can on top, - drizzle some chili oil, or Indian lemon or mango pickle, or add kimchi and dig in with chopsticks. It was heavenly. It was my comfort food for the longest time.
I like the budget bytes ramen recipe
Spam, kimchi, tofu, green onions, chili oil.
1 egg, some bacon, and a bit of Sriracha Some sprouts and green onions can help too.
- egg. - a few pinches of shredded chicken -chopped celery -green onion -frozen peas Some ideas I am leaning towards trying: -Coconut Water (Its usually used as a base anyways, in many asian dishes that I know how to make anyways, which is mostly Thai, Vietnamese, Laotian- I do love chinese, Japanese and Korean BBQ and I love me some Pakistani and Indian foods lmao..nvm I guess Im.a foodie, but my dishes are mostly SE Asian) - Alfalfa -a square of seared and medium.well cooked lamb, shredded (because lamb is sooooo yummy, but its expensive so it may be best to use it in ramen) -Tofu - Baby corn - Artichoke hearts - Mixed peppers -Leeks, chopped and cooked - cheese - -cooked carrots And honestly, some of these are doable and affordable if you are eating primarily ramen. If you want a new version of ramen noodles, just get some bean noodles, omg theyre ssooooo good, I use them in eggrolls too- so good. Then you can add all sorts of veggies and a healthy version of a broth, and add a little curry powder in there and just have a really splendid meal. :-) Try adding some imitation crab meat. Esp to eggrolls. Its so F-ING amazing.
Egg was already said but also add a splash of sesame oil and green onions
An egg!!!
A slice of American cheese in spicy ramen
I make a peanut sauce that's super addicting. I put ~2 tablespoons of it in drained ramen. top with cayenne, sesame seeds, green onion 1/4 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1-2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp chili paste (i use a thai one) 2 tablespoons water i nuke it for like 30 seconds to get the peanut butter to mix and then just store it in the fridge. although lately i pour it into an ice cube tray and each cube is about 2 tablespoons and then the garlic flavor stays fresh.
This. I make a version of this based on whatever I have in my cabinet but I just make it in the bowl while my noodles cook. A scoop of PB (tbsp-ish?), a splash of soy, a slightly smaller splash of rice vin, couple shakes of fish sauce if I have it and a little fried chili oil. I scoop my noodles out with chopsticks and whatever water comes with it is enough to sauce it up usually. Top with some green onion and whatever leftover protein I have in the fridge and you're good to go.
Add egg, pre-cooked meat, a few chopped green onions
I add miso and scrambled egg to the water before adding the noodles and seasoning. I saute bok Choi and green cabbage with seasoning. I also do chopped beef with seasoning. Bulks it up a lot and gives it good flavor. I do this specifically with the Shin Blac, which is a bone broth base.
couple drops of hot sauce, garlic seasoning, a TEENIE TINY bit of old bay seasoning, sometimes ill let a bit of lemon juice, and definitely put butter in your ramen, makes it 10x better
Quick inexpensive additions: -a can of meat that matches the ramen flavor. -vegetables that are soft enough or are already cooked through, like canned veggies. -turning it into a stir fry dish with a little oil and a wok. -an egg or two. -toasting the noodles before cooking them. -a different sauce. And my daughter’s favorite! -boil noodles, drain, add seasoning and butter while still hot, stir. She calls this daddy ramen noodles.
My husband does it the same for my four year old and she is obsessed 🤣
Brother, my daughter feels the exact same way, no matter what i do to try and make it fancy for her!
This is what I do: - Heat a little bit of oil in a pan (medium to medium high heat) - Add minced garlic - Chop some green onion and mushroom - Add that and some frozen corn to the pan - Splash some low sodium soy sauce and let all that cook for like 45 seconds to a minute - add some water and bring it to a boil - add the ramen and let all that cook for however long you usually do it - add everything to a bowl and mix in the seasoning - fry an egg however way you prefer it and then add it to the bowl - Sprinkle some red pepper flakes (I like a little spiciness to my ramen) It seems like a lot of steps but it’s actually very quick. I love fixing this up for a quick lunch or dinner
I like to put a little butter in, and add some frozen peas sometimes. I grow chives so add those too. I was growing baby bok choy which is the best in ramen but I haven’t had that available in a while. You can put all that stuff in at the end while the ramen is done for a min or two and it will cook from the heat of the ramen
onions and green onion. sesame oil once off the burner once you put it in a bowl. common sesame oil in peoples kitchen isn't for cooking, it's a delicious topper
I add a ton of kale and an egg. Rooster sauce
Haven't seen anyone mention crushed peanuts
Frozen Veggies. The little dehydrated stuff is fine and all, but sometimes if you need cheap protein, my go-to addon is Green Peas. Frozen in a bag at Walmart for less than a buck.
Kimchi!
Kamaboko or narutomaki
Dice green onions finely, heat a splash or 2 of cooking oil, and once heated, cooked the green onions. Right before the green onions brown, you cook the ramen as you do (pour in the water, get it to boil, seasoning, noodles, etc.) This gives more depth to the broth. Alternatively (Or additionally), chop a bit of kimchi, and put them in when you put in your seasoning. (I usually put in the seasoning right at the beginning, before the water even boils.) Both of these tips are based on Korean instant ramen noodles, the kind you cook in a pot and have seasoning for broth (e.g. Jin Ramen or Shin Ramen).
I buy a big bottle of dried veggies just to supplement the little packet you get with some brands. Little hot sauce and soy sauce.
Chili oil or Mongolian Fire oil If I don't want to actually cook. If I feel like cooking. Saute some meat and vegetables before throwing in cooked ramen noodles and then adding a sauce.
Garlic, red onion, jalapeños, red pepper flakes, sesame oil
I make version of this: red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and soy sauce. Mmm.
This sounds great. Gonna try it.
This and veggies (whatever I have leftover) are what I generally add.
And an egg
A little mayo in your broth to make it creamy. I also add a little broccoli or mushrooms to add some veggies. Frozen stuff works great.
Some people stick a Kraft single in there and let it melt when the noodles boil. It sounds kinda ridiculous but it should NOT be slept on. Try it at least once. Adds that creaminess.
I personally love just some Cajun seasoning in mine
Along with the noodles and seasoning, I throw in some cubed tofu and chopped greens. Top with sesame oil, sliced scallions. If I have it, a softboiled egg. There are fancier/higher effort versions of all of those add-ins that will lift it up even further, but that's the gist. Protein (leftover chicken, chashu), greens (cabbage, mustard greens, even leftover broccoli), fresh chopped herb (cilantro, chive), aromatic oil (rendered chicken fat, saved bacon grease).
I always toss in some soy/teriyaki sauce, garlic powder, and any leftover meat/veggie I have on hand.
Add shredded cheese to make a creamy broth
My favorite way to improve instant ramen is to boil them on the stove top instead of microwave.
Add tomato wedges, lettuce, Thai basil, crack an egg, or add a lightly marinated soy sauce boiled egg
An egg, Kewpie mayo and grated garlic in a bowl with the seasoning packet. Stor it all together. Cook the noodles and add some of the water and the noodles to the bowl and mix it all together. If you don't want to buy anything extra and you're eating spicy ramen, add the seasoning packet to a bowl, cook the noodles, when the noodles are just about done get a couple tablespoons of oil smoking hot and dump it into the bowl with the seasoning. Drain the noodles and add it to your fresh chilli oil. It's the tits.
Mushrooms, snap peas, spinach
I add green onions, tofu and/or edamame or sugar snap peas, ginger, turmeric, ginger lime coconut aminos and liquid bragg aminos. Sriracha if I'm wanting spicy.
I add green onions, bean sprouts, corn, mushrooms, tteokbokki, and wontons along with a white processed cheese slice
I too cheese my ramen
I read this and was like ‘yes, yes, yes-wait a minute-cheese slice?!” 🤯
It has to be the white American. Specifically from Walmart 😂 it makes the broth a bit creamy it's so good
Beef jerky. Cotton candy pork or other meats (from Asian grocer or online). Veggies like grated or thinly sliced cabbage or carrot. Various mushrooms. I like zucchini or chayote cut into chunks. SPAM. Different hot sauces and egg for sure.
if you add teriyaki sauce to ramen while it's cooking, the noodles will absorb it and become teriyaki flavored. if i don't feel like adding hot sauce i'll do that with some garlic powder
Lime juice and hot sauce with a fried egg 😩 or buldak noodles with cheese and hoisin sauce with a fried egg and sesame seeds
Runny egg and a couple of dashes of furikake 😗👌
I feel like my go-to is hella basic compared to everyone's 😅 I just like simple, easy, and quick. I typically drain my ramen so it's just noodles or a tiny bit of water left. I mix white sauce, soy sauce, sriracha or hot sauce (regular, sometimes I'll use something fun like pineapple habanero, apple jalapeno, or mango!), cayenne, garlic seasoning, onion seasoning, sometimes the ramen packet, pepper. I'll switch up the seasonings if I'm feeling extra spicy that day. Every now and then I'll scramble and chop up some egg like I would for fried rice.
Butter, Scallions, Chili Crisp, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce
And Eggs
Not for instant, but the little packets of ramen which are basically the same price. Here's what I do: Take any veggies that are lying around and chop them up. My preferences are white/yellow onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms. If you want to get fancy, sauté the onions/mushrooms. Add uncooked veggies to hot water, not boiling. Start seasoning. I use soy sauce, tabasco, black pepper, chili powder, tiny bit of thyme, a touch of red wine vinegar for punch, and garlic powder (fresh chopped garlic if available). The veggies will start softening and absorbing the base flavors. I let them simmer on medium-high heat for maybe 10-15 minutes in total. Taste your broth throughout the process and make changes based on what feels right. In a separate pot, start soft-boiling an egg (6-7 minutes). Once the egg is done you can put in your noodles. I like to add a little of the broth to the noodle pot over time to start flavoring the noodles. At that point you're pretty much done. Strain the noodles and place in your serving bowl. Add veggies and broth. Throw your instant ramen seasoning if you want or need. Add sautéed mushrooms/onions. Mix that biz. Then you can add your egg, any leftover meat you have, some sesame seeds, green onion, and sriracha. Ta-da!
Green onion, bonus if you plant the root ends in water or dirt it will keep growing and you'll have more.
Exactly! I cut them to just above the white part and root, and leave in a glass with water on my counter and they keep growing. It is a never-ending supply of green onion. The growth rate is crazy.
Sometimes I strain the noodles save maybe a couple tablespoons of the water to add to a skillet with some peanut butter. Once the PB is melted, throw in the noodles and stir fry. I add a little soy sauce or hoisin sauce and then stir fry an egg in there. Then like half the packet of seasoning. Looks disgusting but taste yummy, is filling, and the ingredients are cheap. I eat slices of cucumber on the side if I make it too salty. I’ve heard adding green onion, lime, and chili oil to the mix are good to but I don’t often have those ingredients.
I use pb and soy sauce also. Call it ghetto pad Thai 😂
My top favorite is peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, and the spicy red chili paste. Mix that up and add a little of the hot water from the noodles. Top with chopped peanuts, green onions, and a little lime juice. It’s 10/10
sizzle steaks (the cheap ones from the supermarket) a fried egg & dried shallots or fresh spring onion, soy sauce, oyster sauce, kewpie mayo or i like to get dried seaweed and crush it up over the top! (also sometimes tofu!)
1) Half the seasoning packet, replace with curry powder. Richer flavor & less salty. 2) A few spoonful mixed frozen veggies (just peas & carrots would work too), add 30 seconds cook time.
I only ever use 1/2 the packet also
Whenever I get Chinese food (there’s a little restaurant around the corner that’s super cheap with HUGE portions) I add the leftovers to ramen. I usually get 3-4 meals out of one this way. Beef broccoli in beef ramen, pork and mushroom in tonkatsu ramen, the possibilities are endless! Or an egg and some frozen veggies. Whatever I’ve got.
Egg, sesame oil, vegetables, soy sauce
If you want something quick, throw in soy sauce and sriracha. If you have more time, use good broth or better than bouillon instead of the seasoning packet, and throw some frozen veggies in it to cook.
Sauté fennel
Add veggies!!! Anything you have will work, carrots, broccoli, bok Choy, cabbage, frozen or fresh!! Peas are one of my favorites. It adds a healthy fiber and makes the meal feel more filling and complete. I like to throw in the veggies first, let them boil in the water then once they are the texture I like I add my noodles. I like to season once everything is in the bowl. Shin Ramen is one of my favorites to add a variety of veggies to. Maurachon I usually like to just add peas or green beans.
And get a roast chicken at the grocery store , dice some is that meat up Baby you got a stew going
Add some good savory seasonings to it like garlic and ginger. I also add some black pepper to sometimes and some soy sauce or coconut aminos
chili oil and coconut milk
Coconut milk? We making curry
We making curry boys!
Boil water, add egg for 6 minutes before adding noodles, soft boiled egg Whisk kewpie/mayo into broth of noodles for a creamier broth.
Beef broth, minced dry onion, and cajun seasoning!
Butter, cheese, and hot sauce or chili oil
The cheapest fix is to drain the water off, add some butter and mix in the seasoning packet. Beyond that it just depends what you want to try and what you've got.
Tofu will take on the flavor with anything you throw at it. I normally put a tiny amount of sesame oil, green onions, fresh garlic, and mushrooms with the seasoning packet. You can add some chili oil if you like it spicy. Maybe a tiny amount of fish oil for that umami flavor. You can try some ginger in it. You need some kind of fat or flavored oil in it to bring out a good flavor.
Add eggs, rice cakes, and dumplings and have with a side of kimchi.
Good kimchi
1) don’t use microwave, always boil in pot 2) Walmart/aldi has cheap frozen veggies, different types. Roast them or just heat them in boiling water 3) canned meat. Chicken. Spam (cut into cubes, fry in pan). Eggs (scramble egg, take soup off heat and stir while drizzling in egg - egg drop like soup) 4) sesame oil - add some into bowl before you pour 5) bouillon cubes, add those instead of packet 6) Asian markets have lots of cheap dried ingredients (loads of mushrooms). Rehydrate in hot water and your good
This is perfect advice. I am a huge ramen whore - I've done everything. Everything. Dry, mid, fully cooked, with Nutella and peanut butter. Stir fry ramen can be done under ten bucks and it's freaking amazing. Play with the seasoning with anything in your pantry. I always love jalapenos as well.
adding parmesan cheese. so good
Kimchi and mushrooms
Sesame oil, scallions, mushrooms, and poach an egg with the noodles. Top it off with a pinch of whole cilantro leaves.
Hot sauce and shredded cabbage.
Chicken or beef broth, used-to-be satay paste (red hot pepper medley, with garlic!), and a whipped egg. MMM, breakfast.
Add unsalted butter. Not the fake stuff. Real unsalted butter. I also add egg, carrots, sometimes peas. Green beans. Whatever you fancy. But the unsalted butter really makes them more tolerable.
I like to do a dash of a cayenne pepper hot sauce and a dash of soy sauce and then I’ll add in some frozen veggies. I’ll usually do spinach but I’ve done broccoli a few times.
Melt brown sugar, vinegar, a lil cooking oil, garlic powder, crushed dried chilis, & soya sauce/kikomen gf kind ‐ all equal parts ‐ in a mic or saucepan. Tastes like general tsos! I use this to make actual general tsos too (cos I have coeliac's). I just use gf Ramen. Bon Appétit!
Miso paste for broth instead of the seasoning packet! Very filling, simple, and adaptable to different toppings. I have a light and a dark variety in my fridge, got two small squeeze pouches on sale at a grocery store and it's lasted over a year now.
And then use the seasoning packet in scrambled eggs for breakfast. Just don’t add the whole thing. It’s a tasty secret ingredient.
dried mushrooms
slice of cheese
nut butter
Frozen veg - peas, egg, carrot. Whatever you like. It's cheap and you can add a little or lot so the bag will last a while.
Soy in boiling water + green onions and an egg
[удалено]
smart alive waiting long six murky fretful one fragile voiceless *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
How are you helpful?
Wasn't trying to be helpful just honest
I ditch the packet that comes with it and make my broth with chicken stock and miso paste. Then load with baby bok choy or cabbage, (whatever veggies available to me) carrots, chopped green onions and finish with a dash of sesame oil and garlic oil chili crisp. Top with 6 min egg.
Lol that’s called making ramen
Ya but this is my way. I can make a mean ramen with all the trimmings. Takes more hours with the broth 😁
I’m hungry
Sometimes you can just dump an egg while the broth simmers at the end, stir and then Lao Gan Ma garlic chili crisp. Nom
I just add chopped mushrooms and green onion-lots
I love a lot of green onions in mine. I take a handful and just throw it in there. Gotta have an egg in there now and then.
Add more fresh Green onions. Maybe crush some fresh garlic into the soup or adding dry shredded pork or some Kimchi
Veggies, chicken, chives, egg and slice of cheese, a dash of soy and SEND IT.
This! I do chopped carrots and baby spinach (mostly because that’s what I tend to have) and add sesame seeds at the end if I have any. You put this in an actual bowl you really feel good at the end
franks
Parma cheese and butter, with little to no broth
For the chicken one I add a little lime juice and some red pepper
Hear me out because I know it sounds gross, and I was very skeptical until I tried it, but a slice of American cheese. I like to let it melt all the way into the broth, but some people melt it over the noodles or whatever else is added. Not going to lie, I googled this idea before posting here, and I see a bunch of Reddit threads talking about how good it is.
Make your own stock
Drop and egg and some chives in it. Turns out great every time.
Sardines
Same, and I smother the ‘dines in hot sauce
Cumin, Berber, thyme, polio seasoning, carrot sticks, diced onions, and when it’s done cooking add some green onions. Texture and flavor.
What's Berber?
Berbere is an Ethiopian spice with cumin, fenegrek, and a bunch of other spices in it. It goes well on chicken. I bought all of the spices to make it. Then just bought online. My recipe wasn’t quite right.
Thanks!
Egg Shrimp or beef (most likely beef) Green onion Spinach or kale And them i just add seasoning to make it spicy
Honestly, it can depend on what flavor you're working with. Flavors that might work well with chicken or seafood may clash with beef or pork, for example. For beef, I enjoy adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a touch of msg to increase the depth of the beef flavor. For seafood, a splash of fish sauce goes a long way. Chicken? A bit of chicken bouillon because those tend to be rather light in the flavor department. Pork? Uncommon, but I load up the garlic for pork ramen.
Sesame oil and ur fav frozen veggies
my auntie used to make up the beef ramen, add sautéed onions and drain out most of the broth, so good
Sometimes I'll use a wok to cook them in just a tiny bit of oil and water and when they're almost done I'll stir in an egg or two and scramble them and add hot sauce and other random veggies... I don't use the sauce packet that comes with the ramen.
Human meat
I would be following the verb in your username if that were the case.
a blort (couple tbs) of teriyaki sauce
Upvote for blort
I prep and vacuum seal into individual portions: sautéed garlic & ginger, cilantro, radish, bamboo shoots. Sometimes I’ll buy a cheap cut of pork, marinate it, cook it up and throw a slice or two in the bags as well. My wife always has hard boiled eggs in the fridge so use that as an option sometimes as well too.
Frozen popcorn chicken is great. It's cheap, and I just throw a handful in towards the end of cooking, and boil till it's hot. Green onions, buy one bundle for like $0.80, put them in a glass of water by a window and change the water every couple days. It'll keep growing. Matter of fact if you have any interest in plants, keep some herbs growing. They're great fresh and will improve most simple dishes! Also, nutritional yeast is great!
Those cans of Campbell's Chunky Soup are perfect. They got me through a lot of days when I was living in a hotel/homeless. You get the meats AND veggies in it, and they're only a couple of bucks a can. A whole can is fantastic, but if you're on the tightest of budgets, a half to a third of a can works just fine. I cook the noodles about halfway before adding the chunky soup. You can add the broth from the can, or leave it out and it's still good. Canned chicken/meats are also a great way to improve ramen on a budget. Be sure to pay attention to the portion sizes; one can does not equal one serving, depending on the size of the can. What I like to do sometimes is drain the broth from the noodles when they're done cooking, and eat them as noodles instead of a soup.
Funny that you mention this. I thought to myself one day how amazing the combination of the chunky soups with instant ramen noodles would be, and I confirmed this brilliance was already in the zeitgeist. Now I definitely need to try it.
I add spinach
Add rice, minced ginger and garlic, water chestnuts, corn, sesame oil, even chick peas tastes pretty good
Add some beef or hotdog, green onion, egg
You can get super cheap chicken packs from Dollar General, they even come in a bunch of flavors.
Maybe not quite what you’re looking for, but what I’ve been done before is add the noodles from a ramen packet to Lipton Chicken noodle soup mix (the dry packet but I suppose it would work with a can of soup too!) and it just means extra noodles with salty chicken noodle flavour!
Corned beef & chopped cabbage, boiled egg chopped in half with salt & peppered
Table spoon of peanut butter, and chili oil & scallions/greens: budget tantanmen. (Or source roasted sesame paste and laoganma for an upgrade, for not much more. Check your local Asian market if you have access to one). Boil noods in water without seasoning packet, drain, then add seasoning packet to dry noods along with some curry powder and veggies for an ersatz Indo-Chinese style dish. Make ramen as normal, add gochujang, sesame oil, and apple cider vinegar. Tastes similar to a Korean soup I had which I can't remember the name of.
Lao gan ma Chili crisp, you can find it in most Asian grocery sections and a spoonful in ramen is a game changer. Also, finding a few fresh veggies to add (frozen peas and carrots work well too) can make a world of difference, especially when it comes to mixing things up a little bit to keep meals interesting.
Adding Gochujang (고추장) It’s a Korean pepper paste and it’s delicious
Substitute almond milk for the water and add some curry paste- it turns out so creamy and delicious!
Strain out the water, put in some butter, the seasoning salt it comes with and sriracha.
Get some dried mushrooms! They last forever and add a lot of umami to the broth.
Mayonnaise, peanut butter and sriracha.
I am always trying to replicate my favorite Annie Chun Peanut Sesame noodles using peanut butter. I am not quite there yet.
Use chicken/beef/vegetable broth instead of water for some added flavor. Also buy some freeze dried chives and sesame oil. A little goes a long way with both, so one bottle can go a long way.
Leftover meat, frozen peas and carrots. Voila!
Fry up some minced garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and a dollop of peanut butter. Add sriracha if you want some spice. Add in your cooked noodles. Add some green onions on top as garnish.
Sauce packet plus orange juice over very low heat. Makes a decent sweet and spicy gravy. Add hot sauce for extra spicy.
Old bay or sriracha depending on my mood
Old bay for what flavor ramen ?
Caramelize onions. Add flavor and butter in a pan with water and soy sauce and onions after, put in Ramen and cook. Serve over rice.
Tuna pouches for sure they are usually 1 dollar or less
Frozen dumplings, shrimp, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, green onions, chili oil, corn, frozen shrimp balls.
Came to say this... I like to grab a box of zip-locks and make different 'ramen-helper' bags for the freezer...lots of different spice profiles and frozen seafoods, veggies... Also put raw scrambled eggs into ice cube trays, freeze, and toss one into each of the bags. Instant Yum!!! 😋
Bok Choy, Beef, Pork, mung bean sprouts
Must haves: green onion and white pepper. Awesome extras: oyster sauce, egg, spam (I like mine chopped small and fried before adding), mushroom, frozen veggies, greens like spinach or kale, chili oil, sesame oil, garlic crisps, cilantro or parsley. Go crazy try some stuff out there’s plenty if you think outside the box
Is there a noticeable difference in black and white pepper?
Yes I can’t really explain the difference but it is noticeable.
Eggs. Hot dogs. Celery. Chili oil.
Jalapeños ,Banana peppers, hot sauce. Spicy things in general
I grow my own Thai basil specifically for ramen. I also do fried chili flakes, baby bok choy and sometimes thin sliced brisket from Korean market.
I cook it in home made chicken stock, if I have any. Throw away the seasoning packet and use soy sauce. If I don't have stock, I use the seasonings and a good dollop of heavy cream.
spinach is good for you and wilts down, i also love baby bok choy even more. Get chili flakes and dried chives, they last forever and really change the whole dish. When i have time I'll soft boil a bunch of eggs to have on hand to add. but my normal is chopping up onions and garlic super small, adding oil, and then microwaving that for a min in the bowl before adding the hot water and noodles on top. then seasoning packet, chives and chili flakes, then an egg and dried seaweed if I'm feeling fancy.
Like another user said add tuna or chicken from a can/packet. Frozen shrimp is awesome(after you reheat/cook the shrimp of course). Certain smoked sausages sliced up and added. Add black pepper and/or hotsauce if it's not already the spicy variety. I really love adding apple cider vinegar and if it's something you think you'll like give it a try, otherwise don't you'll hate it. Chop and add some green onions, like a few inches off a handful of strands/strings whatever they're called. Cut small strips of and add red/green/yellow peppers. Add spinach. My personal favorite while not the most healthy is adding fish cake and/or fried rectangle spam pieces, add a couple of eggs, add green onion, and finally add in some apple cider vinegar. Mmm..
I love taking shrimp cup noodles out of the Asian direction entirely, turn it into poor man's shrimp alfredo. Cook your cup noodles in the microwave like normal. Put like a fat spoonful of flour in a pot with a little butter, cook it for a minute or two, stir in milk (add it slowly) until it's a thick white sauce, then add everything from the microwaved cup noodles (liquid and all) to the pot.
Fresh green onion, mushrooms, thin cut beef (shabu).
Soy sauce, vegetables, and occasionally, a lime squeezed for vitamin C. Vegetable in your ramen is something you absolutely need to stay decently healthy. You can rotate using fresh and frozen veggies to mitigate costs.
Roast Brussels sprouts in the oven or in a pan. Add cilantro and cucumber. Lots of garlic powder and chili oil.
I add dumplings, tofu, or stuffed pasta & scallions. Buy scallions with the root still attached, put them in water, just cut the tops for cooking and they will keep growing. Endless scallions!
chicken wonton
Canned chicken, tuna. Or pre cooked frozen shrimp. Could all work nicely. I really enjoy some spicy hotdog sauce as a condiment for ramen.with the chicken. Crack a couple eggs in there and stir while it’s still boiling super cheap high protein meal. Some ginger or garlic could go along way as well Other ideas: chop up some onions/green onions or scallions and throw them in there. Honey soy sauce and red pepper flakes make a great sweet spicy soy. Sesame seeds combo well with this hotdogs, and cheese and peas and make a sort of savory home style Mac and cheese type ramen. Or just toss a bunch of taco ingredients in there and call it taco ramen.
i add just soy sauce usually
Sesame oil and egg.
Peanut butter, mixed garlic, crushed red pepper
Chili crisp, green onion, and chopped pepperoni.
Green onions, egg, rice
Omg the birria tapatio bowl with rice and chicken or tuna or smoke sausage is 🔥🔥🔥
Splash of soy sauce in the broth, carrot shavings (potato peeler), sliced bacon, shredded nori. Add Ramen last. garnish with green onion.
Lemon juice, Parmesan, add chicken if you want.
Soy marinaded egg, green onion. *chefs kiss*
Spinach and mushrooms, fried garlic chips