Everybody Loves Ramen

Recipes and tips on how to elevate instant ramen from within a dorm

Hello, aspiring dorm room chefs! 

Welcome to the first official week of Deliciously Inexpensive Dorm Dish Discoveries. In this post, we will be diving into the delicious instant noodle snack known as ramen, or as I like to call it, a gourmet meal for college students on a budget.

Ramen is simple and easy to make which qualifies it as the perfect meal for someone craving a quick bite on the run. Us college students particularly love it because it’s warm comfort food and CHEAP. Not only this, but it’s one of the few things we can make inside our dorm without worrying that an RA could catch us with a hot plate. Whether you’re hungry for a salty lunchtime meal or looking for a midnight snack to get you through a study session, ramen always hits the spot. If you have access to hot water and a bowl, then voilà, you can make ramen.

While this notorious dorm room snack may seem yummy and practical, it gets old after the third week of it eating it non-stop. I consider myself to be a pasta lover, but I’ve caught myself wondering if I can bear the sight of another MSG-filled seasoning packet and block of noodles. This is when my inner chef kicked in, and I began to experiment with whatever I could find inside my mini-fridge to spice up the artificial chicken flavor that is ramen. Through many trial and error experiments with different ingredients, I discovered a whole new world of ramen. Depending on the tools and spices you have available, you can elevate the taste of your ramen preferences as well. For people that have little to work with, no worries! You’d be surprised with the items capable of elevating your ramen from basic to robust. 

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Listed below are some recommended ingredients and personal favorites that are guaranteed to spice up your ramen: 

1. Sriracha Price: $3.48 

My life before Sriracha was a dark place. You MUST give this a try. Ramen without Sriracha is like pizza without cheese. It’s still considered a pizza, it’s just not as good.

2. Butter Price: $3.46

This might seem like an odd ingredient but give it a chance! It makes the ramen creamy and elevates the broth to a whole new level.

3. Soy or Teriyaki Sauce Price: $1.99-3.50 

If you’re a fan of Lo Mein or Teriyaki noodles, this ingredient will be sure to win you over! 

4. Garlic and Onion powder Price: $1.00 (can be found at local dollar stores) 

Can’t afford other sauces and toppings? Pick these spices up for the price of a dollar and add them to your ramen for a boost of flavor.

5. Peanut butter Price: $2.28 

Who knew peanut butter could taste good on something other than a PB & J? Mix this sweet source of protein with something spicy and you’ll never use the seasoning packet that comes with ramen ever again!

6. Vegetables Price: $1.97 

You might be a veggie hater, but this healthy topping pairs great with the savory broth in ramen and is sure to change your mind. 

7. Chicken or shrimp Price: $3.00-5.00

Who doesn’t love a good source of protein? While this ingredient isn’t the easiest to prepare in a dorm room, it makes for a great addition to your ramen. 

8. Seaweed/Nori Price: $2.36 

If you’re a fan of sushi, then you will definitely be surprised by this healthy snack that completely transforms the taste of ramen. 

9. Rapid Ramen Cooker Price: $9.07

This is not an ingredient, but I consider this to be a must-have dorm essential that will revamp your ramen cooking experience. My ramen cooks much faster and I never have messy spills inside my microwave.

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For this post, I experimented with some interesting recipes that I discovered on the web and whipped them up inside my dorm to see if they were possible and worth the hype. Most of them incorporate the items listed above, so I highly recommend that you give them a try! 

Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen

Estimated Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients: 

1. 2 Tbs peanut butter 

2. 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce or sriracha (based on preference) 

3. 1 Tbsp soy sauce

4. 1 Tbsp brown sugar 

5. 1 packet of instant ramen (discard seasoning packet)

6. 1 green onion, sliced 

7. Dash of sesame seeds

8. Drizzle of olive oil

Instructions: 

1. Combine the peanut butter, sriracha, and soy sauce into a bowl until it forms a smooth paste

2. Microwave the ramen noodles or steam in hot water for 3-4 minutes until cooked. 

3. Take ¼ cup of the water and stir it into the spicy peanut paste until it becomes a pourable sauce 

4. Drain the remaining water from the ramen 

5. Top with green onions, a drizzle of olive oil, and sesame seeds

Dormified Version

My version of this sweet and spicy ramen doesn’t quite add up to the recipe I followed, but I used the ingredients and tools available to me and managed to make something just as yummy! This goes to show that recipes don’t have to be followed to a science. I substituted the chili garlic sauce with sriracha and added more than the recommended amount because I prefer the extra spice. I decided to leave the brown sugar and green onion out of my dish because that’s not something I usually keep inside my shoebox of a room. In substitute of the sesame seeds, I decided to use everything bagel seasoning which worked just as well, and added hints of garlic and onion to the ramen. I was nervous about how the peanut butter would taste, but it’s surprisingly good and changes the entire dish. Overall, this ramen was relatively easy and tasted great in comparison to usual ramen. I would give this dish an 8 out of 10, and it is definitely dorm room approved!

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Chicken and Vegetable Ramen Noodle Soup

Original Ingredients:

1. 3 Tbs olive oil, divided

2. 4 Cloves garlic, sliced

3. 4 Slices ginger (about the size of a quarter)

4. 9 Cups chicken broth (or use water with ramen seasoning packet)

5. 2 Tsp soy sauce

6. 4 Eggs

7. 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

8. Salt and pepper

9. 1 Carrot, cut into matchsticks

10. 4 Ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

11. 8 Baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise (about 10 ounces)

12. 5 Oz enoki mushrooms, broken into 4 clumps

13. 12 Oz packaged ramen noodles (about 4 packets)

14. Sliced scallions for garnish

Estimated Cook Time: 10 mins

Dormified Ingredient List: 

1. Handful of frozen stir fry vegetables

2. Handful of frozen pre-cooked grilled chicken 

3. Drizzle of soy sauce 

4. Dash of garlic and onion powder

5. 3 strips of seaweed/nori strips

6. Pack of chicken flavored ramen (seasoning packet included)

7. Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook noodles inside the microwave or steam in hot water for 3-4 minutes until cooked. 

2. Pour chicken-flavored seasoning packet into the ramen and stir until mixed

3. On a separate plate or bowl, microwave the chicken and vegetables until properly thawed 

4. Place the chicken and vegetables on the ramen

5. Drizzle soy sauce over the top 

6. Garnish with seaweed strips or toppings of your choice 

Dormified Version

Out of all the ramen recipes I have tried during my time as an amateur dorm room chef, this one takes the cake. It’s packed with healthy vegetables and protein and looks as if it came straight out of a restaurant. I felt like I was eating restaurant-quality Vietnamese Pho, and this is hard to come by when you’re cooking instant noodles in a dorm. Although I made some major changes, the altered ingredients tasted just as good and complimented the flavor of the ramen. I have learned that cooking in a dorm is all about creativity and trusting the alternatives. Not all recipes will be a success, but I always remind myself that it can’t be too bad in comparison to some meals served in the cafeteria. In terms of preparation, this recipe was slightly easier because everything required the microwave, but someone without a microwave could just as easily steam the frozen chicken and vegetables over hot water. Overall, I would give this dorm room approved chicken and vegetable ramen a 9 out of 10. 

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Well, I believe that’s all for now! I hope you enjoyed some of these tips, and I can’t wait to see the recipes you try inside your own dorm or kitchen. I am currently in the process of cooking up next week’s post, and I think you’ll find it to be rather tasty. Here’s a little hint: I am replicating a food that has the literal meaning “little cheesy thing.” If that doesn’t entice you, I don’t know what will. See ya next Monday,

Brianna (the amateur dorm room chef)

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Please subscribe and comment some challenging meals that you’d like to see me cook for future posts!