Cheap Eats – Ramen Soup

As fall and winter start to creep around the corner, I have an urge to stock up on staples, beans, rice, pasta, and the all-time teenage go-to Ramen. (No, I’m not having a third childhood. Madam BadWolf has already said she’s not putting up with it.)

Let me be clear about something: those little sodium bombs disguised as flavor packets need to go straight in the trash. They’re basically MSG-laced salt crystals designed to give you hypertension and regret. But here’s the thing — you can transform those 25-cent noodle bricks into something that won’t make your cardiologist weep.

Start with a foundation of low-sodium broth. Chicken or vegetable, whatever doesn’t break your budget. Then build your flavor base with what I call the holy trinity of Asian cooking: miso paste, soy sauce, and mirin. These aren’t exotic ingredients your grocery store keeps locked away. They’re pantry staples that will transform your sad college meal into actual food.

Each ingredient has a job to do. The miso adds that deep umami richness that makes your taste buds sit up and pay attention. The soy brings salinity without the chemical aftertaste of those flavor packets. The mirin provides just enough sweetness to balance everything out. Think of it as flavor architecture — you’re building layers instead of just dumping salt water on noodles.

The real magic happens when you add fresh aromatics. I’m talking about ingredients that cost practically nothing but deliver maximum impact. Mince some fresh garlic. Grate a knob of ginger. Dice up half an onion. Maybe add some Bell Pepper, or perhaps some chili pepper for the dashing. These three ingredients are your ticket to transforming survival food into something you’d actually want to eat on purpose.

Here’s how you do it: sauté those aromatics in a bit of oil until your kitchen smells like a proper Asian restaurant instead of a dorm room. The garlic should be fragrant but not burned. The ginger should release its bite. The onion should soften and turn translucent. This is where cheap ramen transforms from desperation to intention.

I’ve made this countless times, and here’s my secret weapon: bacon char siu. I bake off some bacon — American or back bacon, whatever’s on sale — and use it as makeshift char siu. Is it traditional? Hell no. But neither is using instant ramen noodles, so we’re already in improvisation territory. The smoky, salty pork adds protein and richness that turns this from a snack into an actual meal. Don’t waste that rendered bacon fat either — use it to sauté your aromatics for even more flavor.

The assembly is straightforward. Heat your low-sodium broth and whisk in the miso until it dissolves. Add splashes of soy sauce and mirin to taste. Sauté your aromatics until they smell incredible, then add them to the seasoned broth. Here’s the key: cook your ramen noodles directly in this flavored broth instead of boiling them separately in water. This way the noodles absorb all that good flavor instead of just sitting on top of it. Top with your bacon and whatever else you’ve got lying around.

Want to take it up another notch? Here’s where a couple of finishing touches can transform good into great. A spoonful of chili crisp or chili oil brings heat and texture that wakes up the whole bowl. That stuff isn’t just spicy — it’s got garlic, onions, and other aromatics suspended in oil that add layers of flavor. And right before serving, drizzle in a little toasted sesame oil. Not the regular stuff, but the dark, toasted kind that smells like heaven. It adds richness and that distinctive nutty flavor that makes your mouth happy. Just a little goes a long way — too much and it becomes overpowering.

Here’s the beautiful thing about this approach: ramen noodles will keep for an extended period in your pantry under airtight storage. You can stock up when they’re on sale for practically nothing. Buy them by the case when they reach rock-bottom prices. Store them in sealed containers away from moisture and light. I’ve had ramen last over a year in proper storage without any quality loss.

Combined with shelf-stable ingredients like miso and soy sauce, you’ve got the foundation for dozens of satisfying meals. Each bowl costs less than a single takeout order. But more importantly, each bowl is something you actually want to eat rather than something you have to choke down.

This isn’t just about being cheap — it’s about being smart. Good food doesn’t require expensive ingredients. It requires knowledge of how to use basic ingredients properly. Master this technique, and you’ll never look at instant ramen the same way again. You’ll go from surviving on noodles to actually enjoying them.

The best part? Once you understand these flavor principles, you can riff on them endlessly. Add different vegetables. Try different proteins. Experiment with other Asian condiments. The foundation remains the same, but the possibilities are endless. And isn’t that what good cooking is all about?

Simple Ramen Soup

This Simple Ramen Noodle Soup lets you enjoy all the comforting flavors of ramen, but healthier.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: American, Asian

Calories: 54

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 qt stock 32 oz, Chicken , Veggie, Beef, Low Sodium
• 1 cup Water Filtered
• 2 pkg Ramen Noodles 3oz pkgs
• 4 ea Mushrooms Shiitake, or cremini, cleaned / sliced
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce Low Sodium
• 2 tbsp Mirin or cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Garlic
• 1/4 tsp Ginger Fresh grated or powder
• 1/2 ea Onion Peeled. Minced, small
• 2 tbsp miso White or yellow
• 1/4 cup scallions sliced thin
• 1/2 ea Bell Pepper Washed Seeded, minced

Method

 

1. In a large saucepan, add the chicken or vegetable stock, water, mirin and miso. Bring everything to a boil.
2. Add the ramen noodles, mushrooms, and any optional ingredients like cooked chicken, tofu, or additional veggies.
3. Cook for 3 minutes, until the noodles are soft and everything is heated through.
4. Add the scallions and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 1846mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 574IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg

Notes

As written, this is a good, filling, and cheap meal.

One can add cooked protein, chicken, beef, pork, or tofu.

When I can find it,  I use sliced back bacon that I’ve baked off in the oven with a bulgogi glaze.

I also kick up the soup with a bit of sriracha or chili crisp, then a dash of acid in the form of citrus or vinegar. 

IF you are going whole hog and adding bacon as char siu, use the bacon fat to saute the aromatics (garlic, ginger, onion, pepper) and then add to the soup broth to cook with the noodles

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!