Spicy Ramen Noodles Recipe
Healthy Ramen Noodles, ready in 20 minutes, made with zucchini noodles and a light yet flavorful, spicy chili sauce, will be your new favorite dinner!
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2-3 packages Instant Ramen Noodles seasoning packet discarded
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 2-4 tablespoon chili crisp
- 2 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- 4 green onions chopped, white and green parts divided
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds plus more for topping
- 2 tablespoon crushed peanuts or cashew plus more for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Instant ramen noodles cook quickly, so keep a close watch to prevent overcooking. Drain and set aside.
- As the water comes to a boil, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili crisp, and honey in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sesame oil and butter, followed by the minced garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions. Sauté for 30-60 seconds, stirring continuously, until the garlic is golden and fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the sauce mixture, sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the cooked ramen noodles immediately to the sauce. Toss gently until they are completely coated, about 1-2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable broth or water.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with additional chili crisp, sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and the green parts of the chopped green onions.
Notes
NOTE: This post was updated on 2/19/25 with an updated recipe and new information.
Ingredient Notes, Substitutions, and Additions:
- Chili Crisp (aka Chili Crunch) is a spicy, umami-packed condiment consisting of fried chili flakes, garlic, onions, oil, and other seasonings. My favorite brands are Momofuku Chili Crunch and Fly By Jing Chili Crisp.
- Instant ramen is pre-cooked, dried noodles sold as a pre-formed block, typically with a seasoning packet. Substitute the ramen with udon noodles, fresh ramen noodles, or spaghetti. If you use spaghetti, cook it with one tablespoon of baking soda per four cups of water to mimic the alkaline chewiness of ramen.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to the sauce with a splash of vegetable broth. Peanut butter coats the noodles and adds a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. It’s also a perfect way to mellow the heat if your sauce is too spicy.
- For more umami flavor, try adding fish sauce or miso paste.
- Add protein: Spicy ramen noodles are great with shredded chicken, shrimp, tofu, and egg.
- Add Veggies: Blanched broccoli, shredded carrots, zucchini noodles, onion, bok choy, and water chestnuts.
- Optional toppings include crushed peanuts or cashews, sesame seeds, green onions, fresh lime juice, nori (seaweed), and an egg (soft-boiled, poached, or fried!).
- More heat: Add chili flakes (crushed red pepper), Gochujang (Korean chili paste), Sriracha, fresh or dried chili peppers, garlic chili sauce, or additional chili crisp.
- Less heat: Add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter or coconut cream with the sauce.
- Dairy-free: Swap the butter for vegetable oil, sesame oil, or canola oil.
- Vegan: Swap the butter for oil (see above) and use brown sugar instead of the honey.
- Gluten-free: Swap the soy sauce for gluten-free tamari and gluten-free ramen noodles. Whether Chili Crisp is entirely gluten-free is unclear, so substitute with Sriracha or red chili flakes to be extra safe.
- Less salt: Use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari and skip the seasoning packets (which are packed with sodium).
Nutrition
Calories: 592kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 2743mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 5mg
