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Recipes

3 Ways To Spice up Your Instant Ramen

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at Brown chapter.

It’s a dorm cuisine staple, but how about switching things up for a change? Here are three simple ways to level up your ramen game and impress your roommates next time it’s your turn to cook. I used Shin Ramyun for all of these recipes, but feel free to substitute with different brands of your choice!

1. Rabokki (라볶이)

If you’re into spicy, this one’s for you. Cooking the noodles right in the sauce itself gives them an extra kick, and the hotness will remind you of tteokbokki, also known as Korean spicy rice cakes. A handful of mozzarella cheese tops off this dish excellently, but it’s also an opportunity to get creative with your own favorite toppings like green onions or sesame seeds.

Rabokki

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 10 minutesTotal time: 15 minutesServings:2 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Youngbin Yoon

    In a pot, add water, soy sauce, sugar, chili powder, and ramen soup. Stir and heat until boiling.

  2. Youngbin Yoon

    Add ramen noodles and boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  3. Youngbin Yoon

    Add a pinch of black pepper, sesame seeds, and stir. Take noodles off heat.

  4. Youngbin Yoon

    Serve topped with mozzarella cheese and green onion.

2. Ramen Pancakes (라면전) by Baek Jong-won

After searching high and low for new ramen recipes, I landed on this one by popular Korean chef Baek Jong-won on his cooking show and needed to try it out for myself! It’s now one of my favorite ramen upgrades—crispy, chewy, and highly addictive. 

#Spoon tip: Make sure to cook the first side of your pancake fully until golden brown before flipping to get that perfect shape!

Ramen Pancakes

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 15 minutesTotal time: 20 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Youngbin Yoon

    Cook noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes.

  2. Youngbin Yoon

    Rinse noodles under cold, running water, then place them in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

  3. Youngbin Yoon

    Add ramen soup and green onions. Stir until well coated.

  4. Youngbin Yoon

    In a frying pan, heat cooking oil over medium heat. Add noodles and flatten into a pancake shape. Cook noodles until golden-brown on both sides (about 3-5 minutes per side).

  5. Youngbin Yoon

    Serve pancake warm with honey or agave syrup for dipping.

3. Tuna Mayo Ramen (참치 마요 라면)

Want pasta but only have ramen in the pantry? Look no further. This tangy dish is quick to make and boasts a creamy taste that’s hard to forget. The corn brings a subtle sweetness as well, balancing out the savory ramen flavor and introducing a creative twist to instant ramen you’ll want to try out for your next meal. 

Tuna Mayo Ramen

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 5 minutesTotal time: 15 minutesServings:1 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Youngbin Yoon

    Boil ramen noodles for 4 minutes, then rinse with cold water. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the noodles and ramen soup and stir until well coated.

  2. Youngbin Yoon

    In a separate bowl, add corn, mayonnaise, tuna, and a pinch of black pepper. Stir until well-combined.

  3. Youngbin Yoon

    Place noodles in a serving dish and top with mayonnaise mixture. Garnish with parsley or add toppings as preferred.

With the new year comes a host of opportunities to be adventurous with your cooking. And with the help of these recipes, hopefully this will be a resolution we can all keep!