Description
This Easy Saucy Ramen Noodles recipe is a quick and flavorful dish featuring chewy noodles coated in a savory, sweet, and tangy sauce. Enhanced with sautéed tofu, mushrooms, or veggies, and topped with sesame seeds and scallions, it makes a perfect cozy meal ready in just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Protein
- 2 servings dry instant ramen noodle cakes or other noodles of choice (around 140 g total)
- 10 oz extra firm tofu, veggies, or mushrooms of choice, sliced
Sauce
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 5-7 tbsp soy sauce (adjust according to taste)
- 1.5 tsp dark soy sauce (optional, for color)
- 2-3 tbsp corn starch
- 1-3 tbsp sugar, maple syrup, or other liquid sweetener (adjust for sweetness)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar, white vinegar, or lemon juice (adjust for sourness)
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tbsp chili garlic sauce or other hot sauce (optional, for spice)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
Garnish
- Chopped scallions, for topping
- Sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
- Mix the Sauce: In a bowl, combine all sauce ingredients – water or broth, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, corn starch, sweetener, vinegar or lemon juice, ground pepper, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Whisk until fully incorporated. Adjust the taste by modifying sweetness, saltiness, sourness, or spice to your preference. Set aside.
- Cook the Noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the ramen noodles and cook until they are half done – about 2 to 3 minutes less than the package instructions to maintain a chewy texture.
- Drain the Noodles: Drain the noodles in a colander and optionally rinse under cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Set aside.
- Sauté Tofu, Mushrooms, or Veggies: While the noodles are cooking, heat a pan over medium-high heat and add a small amount of oil. Add the sliced tofu, mushrooms, or vegetables and sauté until cooked through and tender to your liking.
- Simmer the Sauce: Stir the sauce mixture again to ensure the corn starch hasn’t settled, then pour it into the pan with the sautéed ingredients. Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens.
- Add Noodles and Coat: Add the drained noodles to the pan once the sauce has thickened. Toss well to ensure the noodles are evenly coated in the sauce.
- Finish Cooking: Continue cooking the noodles and sauce together over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, allowing the noodles to absorb some sauce and for the sauce to thicken further.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the dish and adjust seasoning as needed with additional soy sauce, sweetener, or pepper. Serve hot, garnished with chopped scallions and sesame seeds for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a spicier version, increase the chili garlic sauce or add red pepper flakes.
- Try substituting noodles with gluten-free options if needed.
- Adjust corn starch to get your preferred sauce thickness.
- Leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated with a splash of water or broth.
- Adding fresh vegetables like bell peppers, snap peas, or carrots enhances nutrition and crunch.
