This quick and easy kimchi ramen can be whipped up with just a few ingredients and less than 15 minutes. It’s spicy, tasty, and super satisfying.
Improving a Packet of Instant Ramen
I’m always in the market for new ways to doctor up a packet of instant ramen. It’s one of our favorite things to do in the kitchen (or at the campfire), as evidenced by our past published recipes for “Pho” Ramen and Curry Ramen––and this Kimchi Ramen is our third and latest creation.
There has always been something really nostalgic to me about a bowl of instant noodles. When my sister, cousin, and I would get home from school back when our rooms were plastered with *N SYNC posters and various cutouts from the latest issue of Teen Beat, our favorite 3:00 snack was a bowl of Maruchan Chicken-flavored instant noodles.
I remember crowding around the stove to cook each packet individually, and then sitting around the kitchen table, dropping ice cubes into our bowls to cool them down. Ah, youth.
If you have a packet of instant noodles in your pantry right now, you’re going to want to give this one a try. The spicy kimchi flavor is way better than the regular old flavor packet!
Kimchi Ramen: Recipe Instructions
In a medium pot, add the vegetable oil and the shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the kimchi and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Add the kimchi juice, stock, Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru), sugar, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, open up your package of instant noodles. Discard the flavor packet, and boil the noodles according to the package instructions.
Transfer the cooked noodles to a bowl. Pour your broth over the noodles, and serve with scallions on top!
Note: If you prefer, you can also boil the noodles directly in the pot of broth!
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Recipe
Quick and Easy Kimchi Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 5 shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup cabbage kimchi (chopped)
- ¼ cup kimchi juice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru)
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 package instant noodles
- 1 scallion (julienned)
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the vegetable oil and the mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the kimchi and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
- Add the kimchi juice, stock, korean red pepper powder, sugar, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, open up your package of instant noodles. Discard the flavor packet, and boil the noodles according to the package instructions. Transfer the cooked noodles to a bowl. Pour your broth over the noodles, and serve with scallions on top!
- Note: If you prefer, you can also boil the noodles directly in the pot of broth!
Nutrition Facts
Looking for more Instant ramen hacks?
Check out this post and YouTube video, where we show you 10 of our favorite instant noodle hacks that transform those packets—from your bog-standard 25-cent Maruchan to slightly fancier $1.09 Chinese instant noodle brands—into something that feels filling and exciting. Full recipes in the post, and taste test reactions (plus minor shenangigans and some undignified noodle slurping) in the video!
