Simple ways to make gourmet ramen (with instant ramen)
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It seems like noodle shops or ramen shops are popping out everywhere in every medium to large city. If you love ramen but there isn’t a ramen shop nearby, or if you just want something simple but just as good at home, here are all the ways you can make a gourmet ramen, at home, with instant ramen and other simple ingredients! Note this recipe is for instant ramen packets and not the instant cup noodles.
Instant ramen options
Instant ramen was invented in Japan back in 1958. Since then, the phenomenon has spread worldwide creating a vast variety of flavors. When you think of instant ramen, many of us might think of the cheap food you ate in college (you can’t beat 4 for $1!). And these inexpensive options, usually found in the soup section of the grocery store, are still great basis for your gourmet ramen at home.
If your grocery store has an Asian food section, check it out to see if they have other instant ramen options there. These cost slightly more, around $1 to $2.50. But I found some Japanese and Korean varieties that will keep my taste buds fascinated for days! If you are lucky and live close to a Japanese or Asian grocery store, go check out their instant ramen selections for even more varieties.
Simple ingredients for gourmet ramen
Pick and choose from the ingredients listed below to make your own gourmet ramen to your liking:
Vegetables:
Add ¼ to ½ cup of any of these:
- Cabbage, sliced (this, by the way, is my secret ingredient!)
- Cole slaw mix (this is a great, fast alternative to buying cabbage and cutting it up yourself!)
- Green onion, sliced or chopped
- Carrots, sliced
- Onion, sliced
- Spinach, fresh
- Bean sprout (canned or fresh)
- Corn (canned) – typically added as a garnish
- Bamboo shoots (canned)
Protein:
You can add 3-5 small slices (or up to ½ cup if shredded) of any of the proteins below and/or an egg:
- Ham
- Roasted pork (recipes coming soon!)
- Roasted/shredded chicken
- Roasted turkey
- Hard boiled eggs
- Raw eggs (to drop it in, like an egg drop soup
Garnish:
You don’t need a ton on any of these except for green onion, which you can never have enough of in ramen! You can also put these ingredients out for everyone to add based on their preference.
- Sesame seeds
- Chili oil or sesame oil (seriously, just a hint to give a little boost of flavor or aroma)
- Ground black pepper (not the freshly ground ones since they tend to be a bit overpowering)
- Ground white pepper
- Green onion, chopped
Ingredients that can make you look like an expert:
If you want to show off your worldly culinary skills, try adding these ingredients, available at Japanese grocery stores. Simply add these garnishes after the ramen is plated and arrange them to make your dish look real fancy!
- Nori – It’s the roasted, paper-like seaweed that’s used to wrap sushi. I’ve seen this served in ramen as a giant sheet on top, which can turn into a black slimy mass in the soup (yum!). A better way to serve is to cut them into smaller strips and sprinkle them on to as a garnish. Keep in mind that if you use flavored (like wasabi) nori, it can add a hint of whatever that flavor is to the dish.
- Menma – Flavored pickled bamboo shoots, usually sold in a jar, at Japanese grocery stores. This is a staple ingredient for ramen in Japan because it’s delicious and adds a nice crunchy texture.
- Kamaboko – This is made out of fish paste so expect a little bit of fishy flavor. They usually come in all white or white with the pink rim. So, if you know you’ll like the flavor, the pink ones can add a bit of color to your dish.
- Nanami (or Shichimi) Togarashi – Assorted chili pepper with a hint of citrusy aroma. This goes particularly well with miso flavored broth.
I’ve also seen ginger (red, pink or neutral colored ones) added as garnish but unless you love ginger, I don’t recommend using it at all or a lot of it. It can add a nice pop of color, if that’s what you are going for, but it can be overpowering and may change the flavor profile of the entire soup.
Serving bowl
Depending on how much ingredients you decide to add, you may want to select a serving bowl large enough to hold everything. Pro tip: My mom used to put hot water in the empty serving bowl while she cooked then discard the water right before transferring the ramen to serve. This way, your ramen can stay piping hot as it’s served!
How to make a simple gourmet ramen at home
Once you picked out the ingredients, here is how to make it:
- Slice the vegetables and protein to your liking. Onions, cabbage and carrots should be sliced thin since you will not be cooking them very long.
- Follow the cooking instruction on the package of the instant ramen. Some might have you make the soup separately or there are other seasoning packets you’ll need to add as instructed.
- One minute before the noodles are done, gently add the vegetables into the same pot. For example, if the instruction says to cook the noodles for 4 minutes, at the 3rd minute mark add the veggies. Raw egg must be added and mixed into the hot soup if that’s one of your ingredients.
- Add any remaining soup packets from package then put the noodles and soup into the serving bowl.
- Top it with garnish and the protein.
- Take a picture to share on social media (because that’s what you do with ramen) & serve!
There are other ingredients that you may think of to try. But just follow these general instructions to customize your very own gourmet ramen at home!
Related article: Are you ready for some homemade ramen? Check out the recipe for this spicy miso ramen!
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