Ramen is famous for being quick, cheap and easy. But it can also be “gourmet’d” to make the familiar noodle dish go further and taste better.
By Anna Meany–
There’s no denying that Ramen is the cheapest and most delicious snack at the supermarket – well, maybe not the latter. But it is cheap, and the microwave will cook one package in less than five minutes maximum.
Ringing up at roughly 50 cents per bowl of instant pasta, Ramen can be called the survival dish of many college students. It’s lunch and dinner. It’s even breakfast after a late night.
Budget 101.com offers over 130 recipes ranging from adding vanilla ice cream to your noodles to wrapping Ramen in a burrito. These easy recipes are sure to turn any discounted supermarket package of noodles into a delicacy.
To keep from getting completely sick and tired of Ramen, try spicing it up – literally. Sautéing a combination of cooked Ramen (using the flavor packet), thawed shrimp, green onions, mushrooms, chopped garlic, ginger, soy sauce and lime juice is a quick, stovetop recipe for a warm, zesty meal.
Are you craving macaroni and cheese? Refrain from draining the Ramen noodles and add about three handfuls of cheese. Stir in the flavor packet until it becomes one goopy, delicious, cheesy mess, or until it reaches desired consistency.
Now for the most surprising recipe of them all – a Ramen breakfast burrito. Skip the $3.99 hot and probably frozen burrito from any fast food joint and opt for a homemade, cheaper version. Be skeptical, but not shy. Boil your noodles – while they’re cooking, add in one beaten egg and the flavor packet. Combine the drained Ramen with cheese and hot sauce of your choice and roll it in a tortilla.
For a more classic recipe that you’ve probably read on a few restaurant menus, throw together ingredients for an oriental chicken salad. You’ll need cabbage, green onions, almonds and chicken breasts – and of course, a package of Ramen noodles! Feel free to vary the amount of chicken and noodle packets with the amount of people you’re feeding. For a zesty sauce, combine 5 tablespoons of white vinegar, 3/4 cup of vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons of sugar and the flavor packet(s) of Ramen that you included in your salad.
Ramen certainly isn’t the healthiest choice on its own, but added ingredients like vegetables, eggs, cheese and other proteins, can not only improve the appearance of noodles, but also health count and tastiness!
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Photo: Andrew Nathan/The Louisville Cardinal
