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Unfortunately, the FSU flu is spreading, leaving many students too sick to continue their normal activities. In times of need, a hot cup of ramen can be one’s saving grace, giving them the strength to push through the never-ending makeup work that plagues every FSU flu survivor.
Through extensive research on TikTok and endless experimenting in the kitchen, these are the tastiest ramen hacks sure to satisfy any recovering student. So grab your favorite instant ramen, and follow along!
- Easy Cheesy Ramen
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Many instant ramen brands already offer cheesy flavors, but none of them are as cheesy or tasty as this quick hack. This recipe is like mac and cheese but with ramen noodles — perfect for those with a limited pantry!
Add about one-half cup of shredded cheese (I love Colby Jack!) to two tablespoons of milk and one tablespoon of butter on a pan over medium heat. Stir constantly to combine into a creamy, cheesy sauce. Add your ramen seasoning packets to your cheesy sauce and stir.
This recipe works best with a flavor that combines well with cheese, like chicken or beef. If you’re afraid that your ramen flavor won’t combine well with the cheese, you can skip adding it, as the rich cheese sauce will also taste great!
After cooking your plain ramen, add the drained noodles to the pan of cheese sauce and stir well. If you’d like more sauce for your noodles, you can always add more of the previous ingredients in a similar ratio to up the cheesiness. Serve on a dish of your choice and enjoy the healing powers of this delicious cheesy ramen!
- Flaming Chili Oil Ramen
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For this hack, I use my beloved homemade chili oil. I use it to cook many different foods, but it’s perfect for ramen. This recipe is perfect for anyone who likes a little (or a lot) of heat!
To make this ramen, you’ll need to make chili oil first, which only takes simple ingredients like red pepper flakes, cooking oil, garlic, and some optional spices. Prepare a glass jar or any other non-plastic container and add one-third of a cup of red pepper flakes, three cloves of minced garlic, and two tablespoons of chopped green onions.
Heat two-thirds of a cup of neutral oil, like vegetable oil, on a stovetop over high heat for about two minutes. Remove the pan from the stove and slowly pour some oil into your container. If you pour all the oil right away, it’ll boil over your container, so carefully transfer the oil a little bit at a time to avoid any kitchen catastrophes! The hot oil will infuse with the chili flakes, turning it red and spicy.
Cook your ramen as directed, adding the flavor packets when instructed. Then, it’s time to add the spice to the ramen in the broth. Add a spoonful or two of chili oil and one freshly minced garlic clove into your cooked, hot ramen and stir well to combine. Garnish with some chopped green onions, and enjoy!
Besides ramen, you can use this chili oil to fry eggs, make a hot salad dressing, or as a dip for dumplings or gyoza. Once you make your chili oil, you’ll always be able to have it in your pantry to whip up anything, including a quick batch of this flaming ramen!
- Creamy Peanut Butter Ramen
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This sweet and savory hack is perfect for any peanut butter lover. It’s rich, creamy, easy to make, and perfect when served hot after a long day of bed rest. Though it’s delicious, it only requires four simple ingredients: an egg, soy sauce, honey or sugar, and of course, peanut butter!
In a bowl, combine two tablespoons of peanut butter, one tablespoon of soy sauce, your packet of ramen seasoning, one teaspoon of honey or sugar, and one egg yolk. Whisk all the ingredients together thoroughly until smooth. For this hack, you should think of what ramen flavors would go best with peanut butter, like chicken or soy sauce-flavored ramen.
Cook your ramen as per packet directions, and when it’s fully cooked, take one-half cup of the hot water used to cook the ramen. Pour the water into your bowl of peanut sauce and whisk to combine. The water must be hot so the egg yolk in the sauce is cooked for food safety. If you don’t have or want to add an egg yolk, the ramen is still totally delicious without it!
Once the rich broth is whisked, drain the rest of the ramen and mix it with the peanut broth. This recipe is my favorite, and I love to top it with a spoonful of chili oil to make it creamy and spicy!
Sick, or not sick, a bowl of hot ramen is the perfect comfort food. With these three delicious hacks, you can enjoy some new, fresh flavors that are easy and quick to whip up. Enjoy your ramen and kick this FSU flu!
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