The word chef does not describe me, at all. I grew up always smelling a variety of flavors from my mothers cooking but the genes of being a culinary artist did not make it to me. Nevertheless, since being a college student and learning to make meals on a budget has transformed my idea for cuisine.
Instant noodles is the most cost-effective “meal” you can get from pretty much any grocery store (and most-used trope in movies to reflect what college students eat), but it can get very boring very fast. A single pack runs for 25 to 50 cents. So thanks to the innovation and ingenuity of our peer chefs on the internet, here are six ways to upgrade instant ramen noodles into a tasty and cheap meal.
Spinach Teriyaki Noodles
The first rule for making noodles healthy can only be possible if you throw away the seasoning packet. Dietician and media spokesperson Andy Mathis, known as @beatifuleatsandthings on Instagram, agrees that ramen is often judged too quickly. In her recipe, she makes noodles first and then sautees fresh vegetables including spinach, onions and green peppers in olive oil. She adds teriyaki sauce, everything but the bagel seasoning, and garlic powder. She tops it with garlic and cilantro.
Fiery Cheesy Noodles
Cheese is a go-to topping for pasta so why not add it to ramen noodles? This is exactly what Ayushi Gupta-Mehra does in her recipes. Founder of The Food Diaries, Mehra makes the noodles first leaving them unseasoned. Then she makes a cheese sauce by melting butter, chili flakes, and a spicy sauce (the flavor can be of your own choosing) and adding milk. She brings this to a boil and mixes in cheese slices and adds the ramen noodles.
Chicken Noodles
When you are feeling a little under the weather or just want some chicken noodle soup to warm up on a winter day, you can make your own with a few ingredients. The Promise House is a free market and cafe for students at Otterbein University in Ohio and makes recipes especially for college students. Make noodles any way you like and add in a can of mixed vegetables and chicken along with seasoning and sauce of choice.
Spicy Ramen Noodles
This recipe originated from two women: Teri Lyn Fisher, a food photographer, and Jenny Park, a food stylist. They both are co-founders of spoonforkbacon, a food blog for everyday. After boiling noodles, it’s time to make the sauce. Mix chili crisps, peanut butter, mirin, soy sauce, garlic and sugar together in a bowl and then pour it over the noodles. The last steps are to serve with green onions, peanuts.
Spicy Garlic Ramen
Chris Joe makes a ramen dish in less than 10 minutes that has an extra kick. Start with a sauce mixing light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, white pepper and water and mix together. Then, saute garlic, gochugaru, and scallions over medium high heat with red pepper flakes. Then, cook ramen noodles and add to sauteed veggies and pour sauce over everything mixing it all together. Finally add some sesame seeds and green onion to garnish.
Mongolian Beef Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
Mike’s Mighty Good is a plant-based ramen noodle company founded in 2014 that aims to make instant ramen noodles more healthy and organic. This recipe, and many others the brand shares, are inspired by official detailed recipes found on their website. First things first, you want to cook and drain the noodles, then move on to the steak or beef of your choice. Season well using corn starch, salt, pepper, and garlic and cook in vegetable oil. Then,ince ginger, garlic, red chili pepper, soy sauce, and ginger, and cook adding in the noodles and the beef. Steam for a few minutes, and serve garnished with green onion and sesame seeds. Last step is always to enjoy!