Perfect Instant Ramen

Recipe from Roy Choi

Adapted by Jeff Gordinier

Updated Nov. 25, 2024

Perfect Instant Ramen
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(10,721)
Comments
Read comments

Make some instant ramen. Slide an egg into the hot broth, then some butter. Crown the steaming noodles with slices of American cheese. Scatter a bunch of toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions across the top, if you want to. Hardly a recipe! But for the chef Roy Choi, who gave it to The Times in 2014, doctored instant ramen is a taste of Korean-American straight-from-the-bag soul food. The butter, egg and cheese help coat the ramen noodles and deepen their flavor. “It’s our snack, it’s our peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it’s our bowl of cereal,” Mr. Choi said. “It’s something that has been a part of my life forever.” —Jeff Gordinier

Featured in: Ramen: A Quick Fix for the Soul

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:1 serving
  • 1pack ramen noodles with flavor packet
  • 1large egg
  • ½teaspoon butter
  • 2slices American cheese
  • ¼teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • ½scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on the bias, optional
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

607 calories; 32 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 2059 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring 2½ cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flavor packet, stir, and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the egg. Do not stir; pull the noodles over the egg and let sit for one minute to poach.

  3. Step 3

    Carefully transfer everything to a serving bowl, add the butter, cheese and sesame seeds and mix. Garnish with the scallions if desired.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
10,721 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

jenny

I poach the egg first, set it aside and add on top at the very end. I do NOT understand why so many people feel compelled to comment on this recipe when they are never going to make it. No one cares about your inane opinions about why this is not a healthy recipe (seriously, NO ONE) and how you make your own seasonings etc. The fake cheese is a great addition and when I have some, I now always add it. I also add the entire evil death-bringing flavour packet, plus extra salt-ridden soy sauce. YUM

Barbara G.

I looked through all the readers' notes, and while many of their suggestions for other ways to prepare ramen sounded amazing, I wanted to know what was so remarkable about Chef Choi's version that the Times would share it. We prepared it without deviation. It was WONDERFUL. The broth soft-cooked the egg and melted the butter and cheese, which lightly coated the noodles. The impression I had was that of enjoying a rich cheese-omelet-flavored dish. We will absolutely make this again.

Peter

Okay. I love ramen and saw this a while ago and was: naw. American cheese? Hardly cooked egg? But tonight, I tried it. Oh, my God. Whatever is in "American cheese," -- it's not cheese -- melts instantly and alchemically gives the broth the lovely thickened rich texture of real ramen shop noodle broth. I don't know how it works and I don't care. Never eating instant ramen any other way again.

Meghan

great recipe if you have limited mobility and want a homecooked style meal. I'm recovering from a broken arm and sick of takeout - this was easy, filling, and delicious!

Tomai

This absolutely rips. Don’t listen to the haters.

Nina

A great option for when you need to be on that “low residue” diet (IYKYK). Also delicious with leftover Chinese takeout in place of the egg.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from Roy Choi

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.