Nearly every college student has lived off of ramen noodles at one point or another. What a lot of them didn’t know was that the classic just-add-water instructions are just the beginning. Left to their own devices, the store-bought noodles tend to get bland and boring pretty quickly, but the following recipes can add flavor, zest and variety to your generic ramen meal. No prerequisites needed here, just ramen noodles, a little creativity, and voilà, you have a gourmet meal for pennies. Enjoy!
Pad Thai Ramen
This five-minute recipe is faster than gourmet takeout.
What you need:
1 package chicken-flavored ramen
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce
Instructions:
• Boil 2 cups of water, add noodles and flavor packet, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Drain liquid.
• Return noodles to the pot and toss with soy sauce, peanut butter and Sriracha
Chili Ramen
This hybrid of comfort food favorites will leave you wanting seconds.
What you need:
1 package beef-flavored ramen
1 can no-bean chili
Shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (approximately) crushed Doritos chips
¼ cup chopped onion (optional)
Instructions:
• Cook noodles as indicated on package.
• Drain liquid. Return noodles to the pot and add can of chili, onions and Doritos. Stir.
• Top with cheese.
Ramen Mac & Cheese
Cheese, cheese and more cheese. Need I say more?
What you need:
1 package ramen, any flavor, ditch the seasoning
3-4 slices American cheese
Parmesan cheese
Shredded cheese (any flavor)
Instructions:
• Put Ramen in a pot on the stove, fill with just enough water to cover the noodles.
• Cook until tender, do not drain the water.
• Add all of the cheese and stir until it’s thick. To make it creamier, add a dash of milk.
Chocolate Ramen
How’s this for a midnight snack?
What you need:
1 package ramen, any flavor, ditch the seasoning
1 cup brown sugar
Chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:
• Boil the ramen in 2 cups of water with brown sugar. Drain water.
• In a bowl, add vanilla and chocolate syrup to noodles. For extra sweetness, sprinkle ..with powdered sugar.
Ramen Breakfast Burrito
Perfect for those hung-over mornings.
What you need:
1 package of ramen (any flavor)
1 egg
¼ cup shredded cheese
Hot sauce
Flour tortilla
Instructions:
• Boil water. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat egg.
• Add ramen to boiling water. Slowly pour in beaten egg. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
• Drain all but enough water to cover noodles, stir in ramen seasoning packet, cheese and desired amount of hot sauce.
• Wrap mixture in a warm flour tortilla.
