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Tasty Savory Ramen Noodle Bowl

Featured in: Family-Friendly Recipes for Everyone

This quick savory ramen bowl turns basic instant noodles into a delicious homestyle meal in minutes. Start by mixing the sauce - combine water or veggie broth, soy sauce, dark soy sauce (if you want), cornstarch, sugar, rice vinegar, ground pepper, chili garlic sauce (if you like heat), sesame oil, and garlic (if you want). Set it aside while cooking the noodles until they're slightly firm for better texture. Drain and rinse if you'd like. Heat up a pan to medium-high and cook your tofu, veggies, or mushrooms until they're soft and slightly browned. Give the sauce another mix, pour it in, and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Toss in your noodles and mix everything well, cooking another 3 minutes until the sauce gets sticky and coats the noodles nicely. Taste and add more seasonings if needed, top with sesame seeds and green onions, then serve hot. It's a flexible dish that's perfect for busy nights or when you want something comforting without much fuss.
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Lily chef cooking Cookingwithmee blog.
Updated on Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:44:37 GMT
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Easy Saucy Ramen Noodles | cookingwithmee.com

Turn bland instant ramen into a knockout meal with this speedy yet tasty upgrade. The perfect combo of bouncy noodles and rich sauce creates a mouthwatering dish you can whip up in under 15 minutes.

Through lots of testing, I've discovered that getting the noodle cooking time just right and mixing the sauce properly are the real secrets to amazing ramen.

Must-Have Components

  • Instant Ramen: Toss out those flavor packets
  • Soy Sauce: Go for reduced salt if possible
  • Sesame Oil: The roasted kind
  • Maple Syrup: Adds sweetness
  • Rice Vinegar: Gives tang
  • Garlic: Just mince it yourself
  • Ginger: Freshly shredded
  • Red Pepper Flakes: Add what you can handle

Simple Cooking Method

1. Handle the Noodles:
Boil ramen for a minute less than what the box says so they stay a bit firm. Save 1 cup of the water before draining. Mix noodles with a tiny bit of oil so they don't clump together.
2. Create the Sauce:
Mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 3 diced garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp shredded ginger. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes if you want heat.
3. Prepare Your Protein:
Get some oil hot in a big pan on medium-high. Cook whatever protein you picked until it's golden brown. Set it aside. Using that same pan, cook any veggies until they're tender but still a bit crisp.
4. Put It All Together:
Put your protein back in the pan with the sauce and noodles. Stir everything for about 2 minutes until well mixed and hot. If it seems too thick, add the saved cooking water a spoonful at a time.
5. Finish and Enjoy:
Scatter green onions, sesame seeds, and maybe more red pepper flakes on top if you want. Eat right away while it's hot and the sauce is still runny.
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Tasty Ramen Noodles Dish | cookingwithmee.com

Eating and Keeping Tips

Dig in right away for best flavor. If you've got extras, keep the sauce away from the noodles in separate containers for up to 3 days. When reheating, toss noodles in a pan with a bit of water to bring back their bounce.

Perfect Side Dishes

  • Hot edamame beans
  • Simple miso soup
  • Sliced cucumber side
  • Fried dumplings
  • Oven-baked broccoli
  • Half-cooked egg
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Tasty Ramen Noodles | cookingwithmee.com

Protein Suggestions

  • Crispy tofu blocks
  • Cooked chicken pieces
  • Quick-fried shrimp
  • Thin beef cuts
  • Mixed mushrooms
  • Crunchy tempeh bits

This upgraded ramen proves that basic stuff from your cupboard can make something truly special. When you need a fast dinner or just want noodles, this gives you fancy restaurant flavor without much work.

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Quick Tasty Ramen Noodles Dish | cookingwithmee.com

Closing Thoughts

Just remember that great ramen comes down to getting everything right together - slightly chewy noodles, tasty sauce, and fresh toppings all working as a team. Every time you make it, you'll get better at creating your own special version.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use fresh noodles instead of packaged ones?
Absolutely, fresh ramen works great. Just follow the cooking time on the package since it'll be different.
→ What if I don't have any dark soy sauce?
Don't worry about it - dark soy mainly adds color. Regular soy sauce works perfectly fine by itself.
→ How do I make this dish completely vegan?
Just use veggie broth, swap sugar for maple syrup, and double-check your chili garlic sauce doesn't contain fish sauce.
→ Can I save leftovers in the freezer?
The noodles tend to get mushy when frozen. Better to eat it fresh, but you can keep the sauce separate for reheating later.
→ Will this work for someone who can't eat gluten?
Not as is, but you can swap in gluten-free soy sauce and make sure your other ingredients don't contain gluten.

Savory Ramen Noodle Bowl

This tasty ramen dish pairs instant noodles with a rich sauce crafted from regular and dark soy sauce, a touch of sugar, rice vinegar, and nutty sesame oil. Add your preferred vegetables, tofu, or mushrooms for a filling and tasty meal.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
15 Minutes
Total Time
25 Minutes
By: Lily


Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: Eastern

Yield: 2 Servings (2 bowls)

Dietary: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ Noodles

01 2 packages instant ramen noodle blocks (roughly 140g in total)

→ For Sautéing

02 10 oz firm tofu, vegetables, or your favorite mushrooms, cut into pieces

→ Sauce

03 1 cup veggie broth or plain water
04 5-7 tbsp soy sauce
05 1.5 tsp dark soy sauce (just for deeper color if you want)
06 2-3 tbsp cornstarch
07 1-3 tbsp sugar, maple syrup, or any sweet liquid you like
08 2 tbsp rice vinegar, white vinegar, or fresh lemon juice
09 1/4 tsp ground pepper
10 1/2 tbsp chili garlic sauce (skip if you don't want heat)
11 1 tbsp sesame oil
12 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (if you want)

→ For Serving

13 Green onions, sliced up
14 Sprinkle of sesame seeds

Instructions

Step 01

Grab a bowl and stir together all your sauce stuff. That's your broth or water, both soy sauces, cornstarch, sweetener, vinegar, pepper, chili sauce, sesame oil, and garlic. Give it a taste and tweak it how you want, then put it aside.

Step 02

Get some water bubbling and drop in your noodles. Cook them until they're still pretty firm, about 2-3 minutes less than what the package says. Drain them and maybe run cold water over them if you don't want them cooking more.

Step 03

Put a bit of oil in a pan on medium-high. Throw in whatever you picked - tofu, veggies, or mushrooms - and cook until they look good to you.

Step 04

Give your sauce another good mix, then pour it right into the pan with your cooked stuff. Let it bubble gently for 2-3 minutes while you keep stirring. It'll start getting thicker.

Step 05

Toss your noodles into the pan and mix everything up so the noodles get all coated. Keep cooking on medium-high for about 3 minutes. The noodles will soak up some sauce and everything will get nice and thick.

Step 06

Have a quick taste and add anything else you think it needs. Throw some sesame seeds and green onions on top before you dig in. It's best when it's fresh and hot.

Notes

  1. Make twice as much sauce if you're loading up on veggies or tofu for extra flavor.
  2. When using veggie broth, you might want less soy sauce so it's not too salty.

Tools You'll Need

  • Big pot to cook your noodles
  • Wide pan or wok for cooking everything else
  • Bowl for putting your sauce together
  • Spoon or fork to stir your sauce
  • Strainer to drain your noodles

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Has wheat from the ramen noodles
  • Might have soy from the sauce and tofu

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 350
  • Total Fat: 10 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 45 g
  • Protein: 12 g