Spicy Ramen Recipe | Easy To Make In Only 10 Minutes

This spicy ramen turns instant ramen into a rich and spicy comfort food dish. Red pepper flakes add heat, while a bit of butter, brown sugar and garlic powder add more flavor to the broth. Top it off with some chopped green onions for a bit of color, and you've got one easy and delicious meal that's ready in 10 minutes!

The Best Spicy Ramen

Instant ramen noodles with savory broth hit the spot when you're in the mood for something comforting but don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. And this spicy ramen recipe takes things up a notch by adding some simple ingredients and seasonings that make a big difference in flavor.

For instance, the butter gives the thin broth more body and richness. The brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the heat from the red pepper flakes, and the garlic powder rounds things out with a savory depth of flavor.

Also, this spicy ramen noodles recipe is really the perfect quick and easy meal for lunch or dinner. It'll take you 10 minutes tops to make, and the result are spicy ramen noodles that are just downright addictive.

It makes a terrific dorm room - or lunch break room meal - since all you need to make it is boiling water and something to mix the spicy ramen noodles in.

By the way, if you want to add to the ramen soup, you can make this Din Tai Fung cucumber salad as a fresh side to balance out the heat.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this spicy ramen recipe are good for one serving, but you can double, triple, or quadruple the recipe as needed!

Check out what you'll need to make the spicy ramen noodles:

• 1 package of instant ramen 
• 1 ½ cups of boiling water
• ½ tablespoon of brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of butter 
• Finely chopped green onions, for topping
• Red pepper flakes

Pretty simple, right? And all of these ingredients come together to make the best ramen noodle soup with the perfect spice, so you'll want to get anything you don't already have.

Now, you can also use chicken broth instead of boiling water, but it's unnecessary to make a good spicy ramen recipe.

Also. if you love ramen recipes, you can use any of the instant ramen noodle packages you have left over to make my Korean ramen, birria ramen, cheesy ramen, or Kylie Jenner ramen. So you'll definitely want to give those a try next!

Substitutions to use

Now, this recipe is fantastic as is, but you can make a variety of substitutions and it'll turn out just as delicious.

For instance, you can substitute brown sugar with white sugar if that's what you have, and it won't affect the flavor too, too much. Or, you don't have to add any sugar at all if you're looking for the spiciness to take center stage.

To really amp up the flavor and make this a Japanese noodle soup, use chicken broth or beef broth in place of the water. Also, you can even make this a more hearty spicy vegetarian ramen by using vegetable broth instead of water as the base as well.

As far as garnishings go, I like to top my rame off with some chopped green onions to add an extra dimension of flavor. But, you can also add a runny egg to it, kamaboko, sesame seeds, menma, jalapeno slices, and more. It's really up to you!

Speaking of spice, you can make this as spicy as you like by adjusting the number of red pepper flakes, so feel free to customize it to your liking.

How to Make Spicy Ramen

Making this spicy ramen noodles recipe will only take you about 10 minutes - or less - to make! And, honestly, the process is just as easy as making regular ramen. So, there's no reason not to make this elevated version!

By the way, if you want to make this recipe even faster, follow the steps for how to cook ramen in the microwave and then instead of boiling the noodles.

Anyways, let's not waste any more time and make some spicy ramen noodles.

Step 1: Make the instant ramen noodles

The first thing you'll need to do is make the ramen noodles according to the package directions. Some instant ramen varieties require you to add the seasoning packet at this point, but you'll be adding your own seasonings anyway, so you can hold off on that.

I also recommend undercooking the dried ramen noodles a bit since we're going to be simmering them in the broth later. This will prevent them from getting too mushy.

Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients

Once the ramen noodles are cooked, transfer the hot noodles to a small pot, or you can keep them in a pot if that's what you used for cooking. Now, add the garlic powder, red pepper flakes, butter, and brown sugar to the noodles.

Then, let everything simmer for a minute or two, and continuously mix everything together until the butter melts.

Step 3: Serving The ramen

So, now that everything is combined, you can top your fresh ramen noodles with some finely chopped green onions and enjoy!

And for even spicier ramen, top it with more red pepper flakes and a dash of hot sauce. To take it to another level, add on Thai chilies. 

Spicy Ramen Topping Ideas

One of the things I love about instant ramen is how customizable it is! You can really make it your own by adding different toppings to suit your taste.

Now I know I quickly went over a few of my favorite toppings earlier, but here are some more options that work great as spicy ramen toppings:

• Soft boiled egg
• Kimchi
• Bacon bits
• Green onion
• Seared tofu
• Bok choy
• Hot sauce
• Enoki or shiitake mushrooms
• Sliced jalapeno peppers
• Vegetables like bok choy, bean sprouts, or spinach
• Toasted sesame oil or sesame seeds 
• My favorite - add shredded chicken to make spicy chicken ramen

How to Store Spicy Ramen Noodles

So, I recommend finishing this spicy ramen recipe in one sitting because the noodles will continue to absorb the broth and will get mushy if you try to store them.

However, if you do want to store your leftovers, I recommend storing the broth and toppings separately from the noodles. This will prevent the noodles from getting too soggy.

To store your spicy ramen noodles, place the broth and toppings in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Then, just store the noodles in a separate airtight container or zip-lock bag.

How to Reheat Spicy Ramen

To reheat your leftover spicy ramen, heat the broth first if you stored them separately. Place the broth in a pot over medium heat and let it come to a simmer. Then, add the noodles until heated through, mixing frequently.

You can also microwave your spicy ramen, but I find that the ramen noodles get a bit mushy this way. To microwave, place the broth and noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through.

FAQS About this spicy ramen recipe

What to put in ramen to make it spicy?

Aside from the red pepper flakes we use in this spicy ramen recipe, you can add heat to ramen using red pepper powder, chili powder, gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), chili oil, chili sauce, sambal oelek, or fresh chili peppers.

If you want to make a really spicy ramen, you can even add a teaspoon or two of sriracha sauce! Sour elements such as rice vinegar can also amplify the heat.

What is the hottest spicy ramen?

Right now, that honor probably goes to Samyang Hek's Nuclear Hot Chicken ramen. This spicy ramen packs a punch of 8,000 units on the Scoville Scale!

If you can't find it in stores, you can always order it online here. Just be warned, this ramen is not for the faint of heart. It will make your nose run, your eyes water, and your face sweat. But it's so worth it!

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make spicy ramen from scratch!

This ramen recipe is so easy to make, loaded with flavor, and takes just minutes to go from the stove to the table.

It's the perfect meal to warm you up on a cold day or to help you feel better when you're feeling under the weather.

Anyways, I hope this makes you love spicy ramen as much as I do. As always, let me know how the recipe went for you in the comments below!

More Delicious Recipes

If you're looking for some more quick and easy recipes, we have a ton on the blog that you have to try!

Check all of these recipes out:

• Sushi bake
• Sweet corn cake
• Beef ramen
• Salmon rice bowl
• Creamy ramen
• Benihana fried rice

And for more easy recipes, check out our Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. We post new ones on them daily.

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