I don’t know when instant ramen got its reputation as being a poor man’s food. Since I’ve lived with Craig, who is an admirable vegetarian, I’ve learned to appreciate ramen’s potential as a healthy and complete meal. Here are a few instant ramen hacks that I’ve picked up that will completely change your view of grocery store ramen noodles.
Your basic packet of instant ramen contains a minimum of 2 things: dried noodles and a seasoning packet. Sometimes there’s more to it, such as an additional seasoning sauce packet, dried seasoning flakes, or seasoning oil. When you’re enhancing your final bowl of ramen, you’ll want to consider 3 additional things: vegetables, proteins, and additional toppings.
Frozen Vegetables for Ramen
Because frozen vegetables are picked at the height of their season, they add nutrients that your instant ramen is seriously lacking. In addition to nutrients, frozen vegetables add much needed fiber. Usually you don’t even have to cook the vegetables before putting them into the hot broth. You can just pour them right in and allow the heat of the broth to bring them up to temperature. Below is a list of frozen vegetables you can find in your local grocer’s freezer:
Corn is one of the most popular ramen toppings. You’ll find it on the menus of almost every ramen shop along the west coast. This requires almost no prep time, unless you want it buttered before adding to your bowl. In that case, you would put your desired amount of corn into a separate microwaveable bowl with a tablespoon of butter and nuke it for about 30 seconds or until the corn is defrosted and the butter is melted.The frozen asian vegetable mix is Craig’s favorite. He adds it to his ramen, still frozen, and then turns off the heat. The hot broth warms up the vegetables and defrosts them, but they still remain crispy and perfectly cooked. Then he’ll season it with sriracha and maybe a dash of soy sauce.A half-cup serving of shelled edamame boasts 9 grams of fiber, 13 grams of carbs, and 11 grams of protein. That can be significant if you’re looking for healthy vegetable options. Like corn and other mixed vegetables, this really doesn’t require much cook time. All you do is just add it to the hot pot and stir until thawed.
Fresh Vegetables for Ramen
Don’t forget about the fresh produce section of your supermarket. Fresh vegetables can be just as convenient to any bowl of ramen as frozen vegetables, especially if you choose in-season vegetables or vegetables that grow year round. Here are a few vegetable suggestions that you can find at your local grocery store.
Fresh, tender greens such as spinach, napa cabbage, and baby bok choy add color and nutrients to your instant ramen bowl. They require minimal prep and cook time, just wash thoroughly. Cut into bite sized pieces and then place into the bottom of your serving bowl. Pour your hot ramen broth over the leaves and allow to cook for a few minutes.Sliced mushrooms such as shitake, enoke, or oyster. You can purchase these mushrooms at Asian markets, but if you you don’t have a market near you, white mushrooms will be fine. Baby bellas or cremini mushrooms are good too, but in my opinion impart a different flavor.
Proteins
When it comes to instant ramen hacks, a bowl of ramen wouldn’t be complete without protein. No matter what your dietary preferences are, there are a variety of protein sources available that make a great addition to ramen noodle dishes.
Pictured above are different types of tofu (visit Tofupedia for more information). For soups, I usually use soft tofu since it has a more subtle, delicate flavor. Photo from Tofupedia.com.Ajitsuke Tamago (marinated soft boiled egg) is another common accompaniment to home made ramen if you happen to have all the ingredients. Even if you don’t, regular hard or soft boiled eggs will do just fine.And for the non-vegetarians, your protein options are much broader. Braised pork is often the meat of choice for a hearty bowl of ramen, while grilled or baked salmon is good too.
Seasonings
When I talk about seasonings, I’m talking about more than just your typical salt and pepper mix. I’m talking about that magical word you hear sometimes called umami. We often associate umami with glutamates and categorize it with the different tastes. Not everything listed below falls into the umami category, however their unique flavors can elevate your grocery-store ramen to the next level. Seasonings are high on the list of necessary instant ramen hacks.
Furikake is actually a rice seasoning made of a mix of shredded nori, dried wasabi, and other dried ingredients. You can purchase them in spice-sized glass jars from Asian markets. I buy the JFC brand I like the flavors they offer and they’re easy to find. You can also make your own at home from various recipes.Bonito flakes are slices of dried and thinly shaved fish. They’re not just paper thin, they’re tissue paper thin. They’re packed with meaty, slightly salty flavor and make a great topping for ramen (in moderation). You definitely don’t want to overdo it because it can really overpower a dish.An old friend introduced me to Maggi seasoning sauce. I’ve seen it before, but I’ve never tasted it. It’s kinda like soy sauce, but not quite. In fact this is comprised of the “glutamates” I mentioned earlier when I mentioned umami. And really you only need a few drops–it’s that powerful. Not only is it great in soups, but I love sprinkling it on eggs and tomatoes. Delicious!
Here’s an extended list of some more seasonings I recommend adding to your pantry list. They’re not only great instant ramen hacks, but they amp up other Asian dishes and stir fries as well.
Seasoned seaweed sheets or shreds
Toasted garlic
Fish sauce
Maggi Seasoning Sauce
Toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame seed
Chopped green onion
Canned or frozen broth (in place of the seasoning packet)**
Have a Delicious Inexpensive Meal Anytime With These Simple Instant Ramen Hacks
The great thing about a lot of the ingredients I listed is they can stay on your shelf or in your freezer for several weeks, even months. Once you begin to build up your stash of homemade ramen pantry items, you’ll be able to create a quick meal any day of the week in a matter of minutes.
