How to Dress Up Instant Ramen Soup
Upgrade your humble pack of instant ramen noodles into a legit, nourishing meal with these simple tips. Whether you’re craving more protein, veggies, or an explosion of flavors, we’ve got you covered.
Three Add-Ins to Transform Instant Ramen Noodle Soup
Consider those little packages as a convenient blank slate. Use them as a starting base for something delicious, nutritious and satisfying. Add protein, veggies and extra seasoning to create a satisfying meal. Use fresh, frozen or leftovers in your ramen. Try a different combination every time!
1. Protein
Adding protein to your ramen soup is a great way to make it more filling and satisfying. Here are some protein options:
- Eggs: Add a fried, poached or boiled egg on top of each bowl of ramen soup. Or, stir in beaten eggs for an egg drop style soup. Either way, you get quick, easy, affordable protein.
- Meat: Try cooked chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, or pork to your ramen soup. Great for using leftover cooked meat.
- Tofu: For a vegetarian option, add cubed or sliced tofu.
- Edamame: Edamame beans are young soybeans and are an easy, colorful and tasty protein addition.
- Legumes: Add your favourite kind of beans, chickpeas or lentils for another vegetarian protein option.
2. Vegetables
Added vegetables provide color, flavor, texture and nutrients all in one!
Add veggies depending on what type of veggies, if they’re cooked or raw, how you cut them and your favorite way to eat them. Here’s a guide on when to add different types of veggies to ramen soup.
3. Seasoning and Flavor Makers
The quickest and easiest way to upgrade a bowl of instant noodles is with seasonings and flavor makers like these top ten add-ons. These are just the tip of the iceberg to get you started, just don’t add them all at once – pick a theme!
- Aromatics – If you have 5 minutes, sauté onions, garlic, ginger or hot peppers in the pot before adding your broth.
- Soy Sauce – Adds a savory, salty depth to the broth.
- Sriracha – Add at the end of cooking for a spicy kick.
- Sesame Oil & Seeds – Use sesame oil to sauté aromatics and/or add a few drops to each bowl just before serving for a nutty, fragrant essence. Use sesame seeds for a finishing touch before serving.
- Miso Paste – Adds a rich, savory umami flavor to the broth.
- Nut Butter – Add midway through cooking process to melt the nut butter. Provides texture, color and nutty flavor that goes well with a dash of sriracha.
- Fresh or Dried Herbs – Use fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, parsley or mint at the end of cooking for a burst of bright fresh flavor. Use fresh or dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or oregano early in the cooking process for flavor infusion.
- Japanese Seasoning – For a boost of umami flavor sprinkle Furikake or Togarasni on finished soup. If you can’t find these in your grocery store, try crushed, dried seaweed.
- Green Onions – A classic for topping instant noodle soup.
- Splash of Acid – Add just a splash of rice vinegar, lemon or lime juice to your soup to perk up the flavors.
What’s the Best Broth to Use with Ramen Noodles
Let’s not be snobs about the broth – if all you’ve got is the little pack from your package of noodles – USE IT! It’s a good start. If you want to add more flavor, sauté some aromatics before you add water and seasoning pack to the pot.
If you prefer a different flavor, replace the pack with your favourite stock or broth – chicken, beef, vegetable – whichever you prefer!
If you really want to control the ingredient list – use homemade stock or broth. I share my best tips and recipes for 5 different soup stocks in my Super Soup Stocks ebook.
Recipe for Ramen Soup with Egg
Veggie and Egg Ramen Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 4 mushrooms cremini or white
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tsp ginger minced or grated
- 1 package of ramen noodles
- 3 cups water or soup stock
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 cooked eggs soft or hard
- 1/4 cup frozen or cooked vegetables peas, broccoli, corn, spinach
- 1/4 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp green onions sliced
Instructions
- In medium sized pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat.
- Add mushrooms and stir to coat with oil. Let cook without stirring for 2 min, flip and cook another 2 min until starting to brown.
- Add garlic and ginger, cook & stir for 1 min. Do not let brown.
- Add 3 cups water and seasoning packet. Or replace water and packet with your favorite soup stock.
- Add soy sauce and vinegar. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer for 5 min.
Prepare Cooked Eggs
- In separate small pot, add 2 eggs and cover with cold water. Put on stove, cover with lid and bring to boil. Immediately when at a full boil, turn off heat, cover and let rest 8-12 minutes depending on how soft or hard cooked you like them. After the desired time, remove from pot directly into ice water to stop cooking. Once cooled, peel and slice in half lengthwise. Set aside.
- Add noodles to soup base and cook 2 minutes. Add frozen veggies and cook until heated through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as dsired.
- Divide soup into two bowls. Top with egg halves, carrots, sesame seeds, green onions and hot sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Storing, Freezing and Reheating Ramen Soup
- Store: Store your ramen soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Simply heat it in a pot over medium heat until it’s warmed through.
- Freeze: You can freeze your ramen soup for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Texture of noodles and some veggies will be slightly softer.
Let me know your favorite way to dress up a bowl of ramen soup. And of course, if you’re on social media – tag me with any photos so I can see them and like them! I’m on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.
Select, store and serve seasonal food for everyday cooking with Getty. Getty is a food educator and Professional Home Economist,who loves sharing tips and recipes following the seasons from her Canadian kitchen. Sign up to get seasonal tips and recipes delivered to your inbox. Learn more about Getty or check out her books and pdf guides.
When I was working as a Nurse doing night shift I often ate ramen soup. It was a comfort food. The when I retired I stopped eating it because I found out it wasn’t healthy. I missed eating it. Then I thought make it healthier. So I started adding in stuff. Vegetables from my garden chia seeds, nutritional yeast, So now I eat it again plus other homemade soup. So thrilled to read your info on ramen soup. Love your posts
Edna
Hi Edna,
So thankful for nurses like you! You’re right, instant noodles aren’t the healthiest option in the cupboard, but they can fill the need when exhausted. Adding in proteins and veggies definitely helps.