This delicious spicy ramen is a quick fix for your savory cravings. Featuring instant ramen, these 10-minute noodles pack a ton of flavor, depth, and complexity, thanks to the lip-smacking homemade broth.
Why you’ll love this spicy ramen recipe
- Simple. Dinner cannot be simpler than making ramen (from store-bought noodles, of course!). And yet it’ll transport you to your favorite Asian restaurant (like hot and sour or egg drop soup!).
- Spicy. If you are craving a hot, spicy, zingy meal, this ramen recipe will not disappoint. It’s like our spicy noodles (or Korean noodles) but with a warming broth that is the perfect balance of heat.
- Budget-friendly. Instant noodles, a few spoonfuls of chili paste, kitchen staples, and a couple of fresh veggies are all you need to make this recipe work.
- Customizable. Ramen is a perfect dish to play around with. Add your favorite proteins and veggies to make it to your liking (we currently love birria meat a la birria ramen).
- Incredible flavor. With sugar, vinegar, chili paste, and soy, you’ll have a symphony of sweet, salty, acidic, spicy, and umami flavors.
Ingredients Needed
- Ramen noodles. Use only the noodles, not the sauce.
- Vegetable broth. Instead of water, I love using vegetable broth for more flavor.
- Sesame oil. The nutty aroma of sesame oil complements this ramen beautifully. Don’t substitute it with a neutral oil.
- Onion. Red onion adds a great flavor and body to the sauce.
- Tomato. I love to use a cup of halved cherry tomatoes. They cook fast and caramelize well when roasted.
- Sambal oelek. The ‘spicy’ element. You’ll find this hot Indonesian chili paste in any supermarket.
- Soy sauce. For the umami flavor.
- Rice vinegar. You want to balance the heat with the acidity of rice vinegar. It works well in Asian recipes.
- Brown sugar. To balance the heat and acidity.
- Green onions, sesame seeds, and boiled eggs. To serve.
How to make spicy ramen
- Sauté the veggies. Sauté sliced onions and tomatoes, then add the chili sauce. Continue cooking until the onions become translucent.
- Make the sauce. Blend the cooked mixture with broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar until smooth.
- Boil the noodles. Transfer the broth to a saucepan, bring it to a simmer, and cook ramen noodles until al dente.
- Garnish and serve. Finish the noodles with sesame seeds, spring onions, and soft-boiled eggs, and serve hot.
What to serve with spicy ramen
Spicy ramen is a meal in a bowl and doesn’t need any sides! But if you feel a little fancy, here are a few suggestions!
Stick to Asian cuisine and pair this spicy treat with chicken lettuce wraps, beef bulgogi, hunan shrimp, air-fryer tofu, and asparagus stir fry.
I also love pairing it with potstickers, cucumber salad, chicken skewers, and kimchi.
Recipe variations
- Use chicken stock. Instead of using vegetable broth, use chicken broth for the perfect chicken flavor.
- Make it gluten-free. Opt for gluten-free ramen like soba or rice and substitute soy sauce with gluten-free tamari.
- Add more veggies. I love adding bok choy, broccoli, bell peppers, or edamame beans to the ramen.
- Add vegan protein. If you want vegan protein options, substitute boiled eggs with fried tofu.
Storage instructions
To store. You can refrigerate the leftover ramen, covered, for 2-3 days. Also, these soupy noodles don’t freeze well, so don’t freeze them.
To reheat. Heat the ramen in the microwave until warm or in a saucepan to enjoy it the next day!
Recommended tools to make this recipe
- Non-stick skillet. An excellent buy for all your sautéeing needs.
- Blender. This heavy-duty blender is great value for money.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Adjust the spiciness. Add more or less red chili paste, depending on your love for the heat.
- Don’t skip out on the broth. Broth helps build the flavor that resembles a slow-cooked restaurant-style ramen.
- Don’t use the seasoning/ sauce from the ramen packet. The dehydrated sauce, seasoning, and oil doesn’t compare to the customized homemade spicy sauce.
- Use leftover proteins. If you have any leftover meat, use it in the ramen. It’ll warm up in the broth and flavor it simultaneously. Try some sliced chicken breast, pork tenderloin, tofu, or even steak.
Frequently asked questions
I haven’t tried it with any other chili paste. But you could use sriracha, gochujang, or any other red chili pepper-vinegar paste in this recipe.
These are mild to medium spicy ramen. But if you cannot handle spice, reduce the amount of sambal oelek in the recipe.
Chop the veggies and prep the sauce ahead of time. When you’re ready to eat, quickly bring everything to a boil, cook the ramen, and slurp away!
Spicy Ramen
Ingredients
- 2 packets ramen noodles seasonings discarded
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- In a non-stick skillet to pan, add the sesame oil and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and tomatoes and cook for a minute, before adding the chili sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
- Transfer the mixture into a blender, along with the broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the broth into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once simmering, add the ramen noodles and cook until al dente.
- Top with sesame seeds, green onions, and soft boiled eggs.
Notes
Nutrition
More delicious Japanese recipes to try
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
