We need to talk about instant ramen. The Woks of Life is all about traditional Chinese recipes, from-scratch homemade dishes, and building your skills in the kitchen. But sometimes, even us food bloggers don’t feel like cooking! Enter: the packet of instant noodles. 

Instant Ramen Hacks

We recently filmed a YouTube video with 10 hacks that will 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, even on a tired and hungry Thursday night. 

We’ve arranged these from “I-can-barely-function-but-need-food” easy to “I-have-20-minutes-and-some-ambition” effortful—but honestly? Every single one delivers that magical sweet spot where minimal effort meets maximum satisfaction. Some we’ve relied on for years, and others are newer creations, but they’re all ones that you’ll want to make again and again!

(Full disclosure though, #10 is more of a showstopper than a hack—we make a pot of braised beef to make our Spicy Beef Instant Noodle Cups look just as tantalizing as the picture on the label!)  

instant noodle cups with real braised beef

Instant Ramen Hits Different When You’re Strategic

Instant ramen is one of those foods that can veer into snack territory. But with big flavors and sources of protein/fiber, these hacks make those little packets feel like a meal—one that won’t have you prowling the kitchen an hour later wondering why you’re still hungry. 

And in today’s world, where a basic sandwich costs $12 and groceries make you question your life choices? These upgrades are basically a public service!

Plus, it’s back-to-school season, which means that somewhere out there, a college student is about to discover that instant ramen doesn’t have to taste like regret. This one’s for you, kiddo.

Chinese instant noodle cups

The Sodium Situation (Because We’re Not Going to Pretend It Doesn’t Exist)

Yes, we know—instant ramen has enough sodium to de-ice a small driveway. That’s exactly why this isn’t an everyday thing for us—maybe once every few weeks when the craving hits or life gets particularly hectic. But just like we’re not giving up dim sum or our mom’s braised pork belly because they’re not exactly health food, we’re not banishing instant ramen to some culinary shame corner either. Our favorite foods have a time and place. 🙂 

VIDEO: Don’t Just Read—Watch Us Lose Our Minds Over Noodles!

Check out our YouTube video below to see us make all these hacks—and our actual reactions when we taste-tested them. There may have been minor shenanigans and some very undignified noodle slurping. You’ve been warned!

This is the time to not do it “PER PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS” 

There are a few things to know about the instant ramen noodle packets. Other than the disclaimer that some are artificially flavored, they can also be full o’ lies! 

  • First of all, they’re claiming to be 2 servings. Pfffft. 
  • Secondly, the amount of water they call for is often a little too much. Less water means more flavor! 
  • Thirdly, you want to err on the side of cooking the noodles shy of “done” because by the time you’ve poured it into a bowl and sat down to eat them, they just might be overcooked. I tend to take this pretty far and only cook them until they’re juuuust softened. Once they’ve hit soggy stage, I’m no longer in!  

Plus, some ramen packets are smaller than others and some have more seasoning packets. Use this general rule of thumb for water volume:

  • Small ramen packet (e.g., Maruchan, Nissin Top Ramen) = 1½ cups
  • Large ramen packet (e.g., Shin, KangShifu, etc.) = 2 cups (2¼ – 2½ cups if adding salty seasonings like in our Laksa Ramen!) 

Our Favorite Instant Ramen Hacks—from Easy to Effortful: 

1. The Starter

This is literal child’s play. Kaitlin and I made this when we were just a couple of latchkey kids after school and our mom trusted us to boil water on the stove. This works well with any brand and any flavor of ramen. It’s probably occurred to most people to do this, but it has to be acknowledged as old faithful.  

  • 1 instant ramen packet of your choice
  • 1 handful of pre-washed baby spinach (or other easily cooked leafy green)
  • 1 beaten egg

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the seasoning packet(s). When you add the noodles, add the spinach and beat your egg. About 30 seconds before the noodles are cooked through, pour the egg into the pot in a swirl pattern. Let the egg set for 10 seconds before stirring. Serve. 

2. Tomato Egg Ramen

I’m not sure why I never thought of this sooner. We have a 10-minute Tomato Egg Noodle Soup, but I never thought to make it with a good-old classic packet of Maruchan chicken flavor. It was very, very yummy, and a good candidate if you don’t have any other noodles or chicken stock in the house. The MSG from the seasoning packet and the naturally occurring MSG from the tomatoes band together to make one delicious bowl of noodles. 

  • 1 small- to medium-sized tomato
  • 2 teaspoons neutral oil
  • 1 chicken-flavored instant noodle packet
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 2 tablespoons chopped scallion (keep it in the freezer for ease!)

Cut the tomato into wedges, and heat a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and fry the tomato until softened. Add the water, seasoning packet(s), and noodles. About 30 seconds before the noodles cook through, pour the egg into the pot in a swirl pattern. Let the egg set for 10 seconds before stirring. Add the scallions and serve. 

3. Campfire Curry Ramen

This Campfire Curry Ramen recipe is an oldie that actually comes from my dad’s brain, when he was on a backcountry camping trip at the Grand Canyon.

When we were little, we often went on hikes and camping trips, and when there was a chill in the air (or one time, a pretty miserable hike through the rain to get to our campsite), there was nothing we looked forward to more than when we would drop our packs, my dad fired up his Whisperlite camp stove, and we dug into a couple packets of beef Maruchan–doctored with curry powder and beef jerky!

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil 
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced onion
  • ¼ cup beef jerky, torn into small pieces
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder 
  • 1 beef-flavored instant noodle packet

Add the oil, onion, and beef jerky to a small pot over medium heat. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the water, seasoning packet(s), and noodles, and cook until the noodles are just tender. Serve! 

4. Comforting Chicken Egg Drop Ramen

This is Kaitlin’s go-to when she’s feeling under the weather and doesn’t have the energy to cook much else. The dried wakame adds a health kick (many studies have explored the antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of seaweed). And because it’s a dry pantry item, we always have it on hand, ready to sprinkle into a pot of ramen or Kaitlin’s other favorite Easy Miso Soup. Kaitin likes a lot of wakame, but you can start with 1 teaspoon and see how that looks to you! 

  • 1 chicken flavored instant noodle packet
  • 1-2 teaspoons dried wakame
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Add water, the seasoning packet(s), and wakame to a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook the noodles. About 30 seconds before the noodles cook through, pour the egg into the pot in a swirl pattern. Let the egg set for 10 seconds before stirring. Add the scallions and serve. 

5. Kimchi Ramyun

This instant ramen hack makes already flavorful Korean brands of instant ramyun that much better! Actually, this kimchi ramyun is kind of miraculous. In our original recipe, we used shiitake mushrooms. This time, however, we used beech mushrooms (seafood mushrooms are another great option). These mushrooms, when combined with everything else, gave this instant ramen a seafood-like flavor—it reminded us of jjampong (Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup). You could also add a few frozen peeled deveined shrimp to your pot (if so, add them as soon as the water boils)! 

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • ¼ cup beech or seafood mushrooms
  • ½ cup kimchi with ¼ cup juice
  • 1 Korean instant noodle packet (e.g., Shin, Shin Black, etc.)
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped scallions 

Add the oil to the a small pot over medium heat, and tear the mushrooms into the pot. Fry the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add the kimchi and the kimchi juice, followed by 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, Add the seasoning packet(s), sugar, sesame oil, and noodles, and cook until the noodles are al dente. Finish with the scallions and serve. 

6. Beef Pho Ramen 

This Beef Pho Ramen started as another camping recipe made with beef jerky (see that original recipe), BUT when you make it at home, why not reach for hot pot style thin shaved beef? Our local Chinese grocery store sells it in rolls, which are easy to grab from the freezer and use a little bit at a time. This one was one of our favorites from this entire list. Feel free to enjoy with hoisin and Sriracha just like you have at a pho restaurant! 

  • 1 beef flavored instant noodle packet
  • ½ teaspoon fish sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • 6-8 slices thin shaved hot pot beef
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • ¼ cup bean sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
  • A sprig of Thai basil (optional)
  • 1 lime wedge

Add the water, seasoning packet(s), fish sauce, and sugar to a small pot over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add the noodles. About 30 seconds before the noodles cook through, add the beef, onions, and bean sprouts to the ramen pot. Transfer to a serving bowl, and top with the cilantro, Thai basil (if using), and a generous squeeze of lime. 

7. Chicken Pho Ramen

This is a chicken version of the hack above. It’s a great way to use leftover shredded chicken or a way to break up the monotony of a store-bought rotisserie chicken! You also, strictly speaking, don’t need the meat. All the more reason to add a drizzle of chili garlic sauce for extra flavor! 

  • 1 chicken flavored instant noodle packet
  • ½ teaspoon fish sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ cup shredded cooked chicken (optional)
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • ¼ cup bean sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
  • A sprig of Thai basil (optional)
  • 1 lime wedge

Add the water, seasoning packet(s), fish sauce, and sugar to a small pot over high heat, and bring to a boil. Add the noodles. About 30 seconds before the noodles cook through, add the onion and bean sprouts. If you have some shredded chicken lying around (from a rotisserie chicken perhaps), add that in! Transfer to a serving bowl, and top with the cilantro, Thai basil (if using), and a generous squeeze of lime. 

8. Laksa Ramen 

This is another revival that I’ve done in the past (see our original Laksa Ramen recipe), and is a great candidate when you have two people to feed. This one combines two standard grocery store ramen packets—1 chicken flavor and 1 shrimp flavor—and transforms it into something so much more exciting! Feel free to add protein to this too, like leftover shredded chicken, peeled, de-veined shrimp, and/or tofu puffs! 

  • 3 tablespoons laksa paste (we use Por Kwan brand)
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar or palm sugar
  • 3½ cups water
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 chicken flavored instant noodle packet
  • 1 shrimp flavored instant noodle packet
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons scallions
  • 1 Thai bird chili (finely chopped, optional)
  • 2 lime wedges

In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the laksa paste and the brown sugar for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the water, coconut milk, and seasoning packets. Bring to a simmer (don’t boil vigorously, or the coconut milk could split). Add the noodles, and cook until al dente. Divide the noodles and soup between two bowls, and top each with cilantro, scallions, chili (if using), and a lime wedge. Serve immediately.

laksa instant noodles

9. Pickled Long Bean Ramen 

This is definitely the most Chinese of the hacks, inspired by our Hunan Pickled Long Bean Stir-fry. And it cooked up beautifully with Kangshifu Chicken Flavor Instant Noodles (the green packet). You make the long bean stir-fry with crispy bits of ground pork first, then cook the ramen directly in the same pot so you get all those tasty bits in the final bowl of instant noodles. It’s extremely delicious. Salty, spicy, pickly—tons of flavor!

There’s admittedly a lot of salt in this one, which is why we call for rinsing the pickled long beans under cold water first. If you have some of the aromatics—ginger, garlic, chili, and scallion—in the freezer (see how to freeze aromatics), this one is a snap to put together. Kaitlin had to stop filming so she could enjoy the entire bowl! 

  • 4 pickled long beans
  • 1 teaspoon neutral oil
  • 2 ounces ground pork 
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger 
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 Thai bird’s eye chili, chopped and deseeded if desired
  • 1 teaspoon spicy bean paste (doubanjiang)
  • ½ teaspoon light soy sauce 
  • ½ teaspoon Shaoxing wine
  • ¼ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 chicken flavored instant noodle packet
  • 1 tablespoon scallions

Rinse the pickled long beans under cold water, drain, and chop them into small pieces. In a small pot over medium-high heat, add the oil and brown the pork. Add the ginger, garlic, chilies, and the spicy bean paste. If the mixture looks dry, add a splash of water. Add the beans, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Transfer to a separate bowl.

Next, pour 2 cups of water into the empty pot, still over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the seasoning packet(s) and cook the noodles until al dente. Transfer the noodles and soup to a bowl, and top with the long bean stir-fry and scallions. 

10. Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup Ramen  

This recipe was inspired by a video from one of our favorite Chinese Youtubers: Dianxi Xiaoge, helmed by Apen and her little sister Axia. It’s funny how no matter the culture, it seems all older sister / little sister dynamics are exactly the same. 

In the video, they complain that instant noodles never have enough beef bits, so they make a giant bubbling wok full of braised beef and pour it directly into the noodle cups, making it look just like the picture on the front of the package! We were stunned by their brilliance. So we halved and simplified our Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup recipe and came up with this—the mother of all Instant Ramen Hacks! It’s extra good with the orange spicy KangShifu noodle cup! 

  • 2 teaspoons neutral oil
  • 1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges 
  • 2 slices ginger 
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch/5cm lengths, plus 1 chopped scallion (divided)
  • 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
  • 2 dried Chinese chilies, de-seeded and cut into small pieces
  • 1½ pounds beef shank, cut into 1½-inch/4cm chunks (680g)
  • 1 tablespoon spicy bean paste (doubanjiang) 
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine 
  • 4 cups water (plus more for cooking the instant noodles)
  • 1 Chinese aromatic spice packet (lu bao––do yourself a favor and hunt down the pre-packaged version; if you can’t access it though, see our Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup recipe for how to make your own)
  • 2 Kang Shifu instant noodle cups (the spicy beef is our personal favorite!)
  • 2 handfuls of baby spinach 

Heat an Instant Pot on the sauté setting. When hot, add the oil, onion, ginger, garlic, and scallions. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and dried chilies, and cook for 1 minute. Then add the beef shank, and let it sear for 3-5 minutes. Add the spicy bean paste, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, water, and the spice packet. 

Secure the lid, turn the valve to “sealing,” and put the Instant Pot on manual high pressure for 40 minutes. 

When the instant pot timer is up, carefully release the pressure valve (wear an oven mitt, so you don’t scald yourself!). Then discard the spice packet, transfer the beef to a separate dish, and pour the broth through a fine meshed strainer if desired (we didn’t this time). 

Prepare your instant noodle cups by opening the lid 80% of the way, leaving it attached to the cup. Remove the plastic fork inside and pour the contents of the spice packets into each cup. Pour just enough hot water to submerge the noodles (you’ll add more beef broth), along with a handful of spinach. Put the lid back and use the fork to weigh it down. Wait 3 minutes, then ladle over some of the beef and the broth. Sprinkle with scallions, stir, and dig in! 


Well there you have it. 10 Instant Ramen Hacks that make that humble packet of instant noodles shine brighter than you ever thought possible. The best part? Once you start experimenting with these upgrades, you’ll probably come up with your own combinations! So grab those packets, and raid your fridge for whatever protein and veggies you’ve got hanging around. Happy (not) cooking!

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