How to Make Instant Noodles

Co-authored by Thuong Tan

Last Updated: June 27, 2024 References

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Instant noodles are enjoyed all over the world as a cheap, quick comfort food. Prepare a cup of noodles by peeling back the lid and adding boiling water. Once the noodles are cooked, stir and enjoy them. A package of noodles can be prepared on the stove. Once the noodles have been cooked, remove them from the heat and serve them immediately. Take your noodles to the next level by adding peanut butter, curry pastes, vegetables, or American cheese.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cooking a Cup of Noodles

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1
Boil some water. Add two or three cups (.5-.7 liters) of water to a kettle or saucepan. Place the kettle or saucepan over your stove on medium-high heat. Let the water heat for five to ten minutes until the water comes to an active boil.
- Water is boiling when large bubbles of water are rising to the surface.^{[1]
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  Research source} An active boil has many large bubbles rising.
- Some kettles have a “whistling” feature. When the kettle whistles, your water is done boiling.
- You can also boil water in the microwave if necessary. However, the water can become superheated and explode out of the cup, causing severe burns.^{[2]
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2
Prepare your ramen. First, pull the lid of the ramen cup back halfway. Remove any seasoning packets. Next, open the packet and add the seasoning to the noodles. If you’re worried about lumps in the seasoning, shake the cup from side to side to help spread the seasoning around.
- Some packages of instant noodles come with an extra spice pack. If you don’t like spicy food, don’t add this package.
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3
Pour in boiling water. Once the water has boiled and your noodle cup has been prepared, pour the water into the cup. Add enough water to reach the “fill” line on the inside of the cup.
- Most instant noodle cups have a “fill” line. If yours doesn’t, fill the cup about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) from the top.
4
Let it sit and cook. Once the water has been added, press the lid back into place. Usually, the noodles should sit undisturbed for three to five minutes. However, some brands of instant noodles require a longer or shorter cooking time. Check the back of the package for these cooking times.
- To secure the lid into place, fold the foil tab around the lip of the cup. If this doesn’t work, place a saucer or other small dish over the lid to hold it down.
5
Stir and enjoy. After the three minutes are up, peel off the lid of the noodle cup. Use chopsticks or a fork to stir the noodles and break them apart. If the noodles are steaming, let the cup sit open for a minute or two. This will help the noodles cool down enough to be eaten.
- You can eat the noodles with chopsticks or a fork.
- Season additionally to taste, if desired.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Package of Noodles

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1
Boil some water in a saucepan. Choose a saucepan that holds 2-3 quarts (1.9-2.8 liters) of water. Next, add 2 ½ cups (600 mililiters) of water to the saucepan. Place it on your stove over medium-high heat and allow it to come to a boil.^{[3]
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- The pan should be large enough that it can easily hold the water but small enough so that the noodles can be submerged.
2
Pour in the seasoning. Carefully open the noodle package and remove the seasoning packet. Open the seasoning packet and add it to the boiling water. Stir it with long chopsticks or a spoon to completely incorporate it into the water.
- Be careful not to splash yourself with boiling water while stirring.
3
Add the instant noodles. Carefully place the noodles into the boiling water. Once the noodles are in the water, use a pair of long chopsticks to push them further into the water a few times. This will help cook the noodles that are sticking out of the water.
- For long noodles, place the whole brick of dried noodles into the water.
- For medium-sized noodles, break the brick into a few chunks before adding the pieces to the boiling water.
- For hundreds of tiny noodles, crush the brick of noodles in the package before pouring it into the boiling water.^{[4]
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4
Cook the noodles. Let the noodles boil for three to four minutes. Once the noodles soften, begin stirring them slowly with long chopsticks or a large spoon. When the noodles start to break apart, begin looking for the signs of a cooked noodle:
- The noodles will change from a chalky white color to a semi-translucent yellow color.
- The noodles will easily separate from one another and spread across the pan.
- When you lift a noodle out of the pan, it will be springy and curly.
5
Serve the noodles. Once the noodles are cooked, turn off the stove. Carefully pour the noodles and the noodle broth into a large soup bowl. If the noodles are steaming, let them cool for a minute or two before eating them.
- Eat the noodles with chopsticks or a fork.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding Ingredients to Your Noodles

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1
Add an egg to your soup. This addition only works if you’re cooking a package of instant noodles on the stove. Once the noodles are almost done cooking, crack a raw egg into the middle of the saucepan.
- For egg-drop soup, slowly stir the raw egg into the noodles. The egg will cook into tiny pieces and incorporate into the noodles.
- If you like whole eggs, don’t stir the noodles. Instead, cover the saucepan with a lid and let the egg cook for about thirty seconds to a minute.^{[5]
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2
Add condiments to enhance the flavor. There are a variety of condiments that can be added to instant noodles to improve the flavor. These condiments can be added before or after cooking the ramen. Use these condiments in addition to the seasoning packet or as a replacement for the seasoning packet. For example:
- Add a tablespoon of miso paste to your ramen to give it a smooth, meaty broth.
- To make a spicy Asian-inspired noodle soup, stir in 1 teaspoon of Korean chili seasoning, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon honey.
- Add half a tablespoon of peanut butter to your ramen and stir it vigorously to create a Thai-inspired noodle dish.
3
Add healthy vegetables. There are many vegetables that can be added to your noodles. Vegetables that cook quickly can be added just before serving the noodles. Other vegetables that cook more slowly will need to blanched in advance.
- Vegetables that cook quickly include baby spinach, thinly-sliced cabbage, and baby bok choy^{[6]
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- Slow-cooking vegetables include broccoli, carrots, and peas.
- Any frozen vegetables need to be thawed in advance.
4
Add a slice of American cheese. Once the ramen is ready to serve, place a square of American cheese onto the surface of the soup. The cheese will melt into the broth and create a smooth, cheesy sauce. If you want a thick, mac-and-cheese broth for your noodles, add two to three slices of American cheese.^{[7]
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- After the cheese melts, stir it well to incorporate it into the broth.
5
Replace the seasoning packet with broth. The seasoning packets in instant noodle dishes are usually a combination of powdered bouillon, sodium, and freeze-dried herbs. If you’re concerned about the levels of sodium in your ramen or if you prefer the taste of homemade broth, you can replace the seasoning packet with vegetable or meat broth.
- Instead of boiling 2 ½ cups (600 mililiters) of water, boil the same amount of broth to cook the noodles.
- You can make your own vegetable, beef, or chicken broth at home or buy some from your grocery store.