7 Ways to Upgrade Your Ramen

Ramen Noodles – a food staple for any and every college student. It’s easy to make: open the lid halfway, pour the seasoning, fill it up to the line with boiling hot water, cover it and let sit for a few minutes, and there you have it! A meal done almost instantly. It is easy to make, cheap, but sometimes… it can get boring. So here are 7 ways to make your ramen a little more exciting and less monotonous every time you indulge in the deliciousness of this noodle-soup meal.

1. Move over mac ‘n’ cheese….Ramen ‘n’ cheese is here!

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That’s right, our two favorite go-tos have joined forces. Melt together a half a package of shredded cheddar cheese with 1/2 cup of milk. Add in 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch for a thicker consistency. Separately boil your ramen noodles and set the seasoning aside. Once the noodles are done, combine them with the cheese mixture and voila! If you’re feeling really adventurous, try mixing in the seasoning!

2. Use up those leftovers.

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I don’t know about you, but I always seem to have leftovers after every meal. Especially after family gatherings, like Thanksgiving or Christmas – it’s like the leftovers never end. Instead of simply heating those leftovers up, try incorporating them into your ramen noodles for an entirely different meal to enjoy! If you have leftover meat or even fish, just toss it together with the ramen seasoning and noodles, and let boil together in the same pot. You’ll see that the meat adds incredible flavor to the soup!

Bonus tip: the longer you leave the ramen and meat covered, the more flavorful it will be.

3. Make it colorful!

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Ramen is not really the healthiest meal out there… so why not add a little color to the bland dish? If you have a meal plan at your college, just grab some veggies from the dining hall salad bar and add that to your ramen! If you can, cook the veggies a little bit so they become tender – you can simply add them to the boiling water before you add in the noodles to do this. If you’re not quite sure what yummy greens to put in there, try spinach!

4. Noodles, seasoning, and peanut butter?!

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Yes, that’s right… peanut butter. Ever heard of Pad Thai? Pad Thai is a peanut-based noodle dish and you can easily make that with some ramen! All you have to do is cook the ramen like you normally would and then mix in a few extra ingredients. Put in 1-2 tablespoon of peanut butter (chunky or smooth – your choice), ½ tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, bean sprouts (if you want), a pinch of salt and stir! Go crazy and top it all off with some shredded carrots, cilantro or Sriracha sauce and there you have it – you just made Pad Thai with ramen noodles.

5. No sugar, and all spice, makes everything nice!

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The seasoning that came with the ramen isn’t the only seasoning that works with the infamous noodles. You can add just about any spice, from chili flakes to paprika, or even herbs like basil and oregano. Get creative with your options and give your bowl of ramen an unexpected dose of flavor!

6. Think exotic.

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Ever thought about pouring in some coconut milk? Coconut milk will not only make your soup a bit creamier, it will add a touch of sweetness. Open your cup of noodles or ramen halfway, fill about a third with coconut milk, and the rest with boiling hot water. Now add the seasoning, and cover it for a few minutes. Open it back up, mix it all up and enjoy your exotic rendition of cup noodles.

7. Pastes of all kinds!

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If you want to go that extra mile with your ramen, add paste! You can add miso paste, Thai curry paste, tomato paste, or any powder/paste that fits your taste. You can also add different sauces such as hoisin sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and even sweet and sour sauce. A seriously easy way to spruce up your boring ramen that will leave you licking the bowl!

There you have it – seven ingenious ways to make everyone jealous of your ramen noodle soup – who would have thought it was possible?! (You can thank me later.) Happy ramen making!