Easy DIY Ramen Bar
Recently my teens have been into Ramen…really into Ramen.
So we’ve started creating our own Ramen Bars almost weekly. This is hands down one of the easiest and cheapest meals that we make.
Here’s what we do:
First of all everyone grabs a pack (or two) of Ramen in the flavors they like best.
Then they open the packages and pull out their flavor packets to save for later.
While the flavor packets wait on the counter top all of the noodles go into a giant pot of boiling water.
It only takes a few minutes for the noodles to cook.
Once they are finished let everyone scoop out their noodles and add as much of the noodle water as they would like to their bowl.
Follow this up by each individual grabbing their seasoning packets and adding them to their bowl and stirring well.
And…while they are all over at the stove everyone can add some meat to their noodles and seasoning as well.
On the evening I took these pictures I had sliced some steak very thin and cooked it in beef broth. Preparing it this way allows it to cook quickly and is done at the roughly the same time as the noodles.
However…we also have made our Ramen Bar quite a few times with leftover meats from a previous meal like chicken, brisket, and even ham. This we just warm up and put out on the counter with the rest of the toppings.
And speaking of toppings….
I ate my fair share of Ramen during my college years and didn’t think that here in my 40’s I would be going through a Ramen revival but here I am…and the thing is…I still like it. Only now it needs to have some fresh toppings.
Our favorites are cilantro, onions, red pepper, carrots, and jalapeños…which we dice while our noodles cook.
These are then added on top of our noodles and meat.
Then you just need some sauces.
Below are the 4 that we use most often…each of my kids enjoys a different one….or a different combination. As for me I like mine with just a bit of Sriracha.
And that is that.
After the bowls are made everyone will be slurping up a slightly different version of Ramen…but everyone will be happy.
At least that is how it works at my house.
Below it what my teen daughters Ramen bowl looks like 99% of the time.
And here is mine:
(You will notice a fried egg on the top of my bowl….I’m not a huge fan of meat…but fried eggs….that is another story. And they are delicious in Ramen.)
So there you have it.
An easy and cheap weeknight meal inspired by my teens.
I know…I know…it sounds wacky but adding the fresh toppings makes this meal one that even I enjoy.
Here’s to easy and affordable meals….especially after a long day at work!
Happy eating!
***For another weeknight soup (but this one with a rice base) check out this post: Sopa de Pollo
