How to make your instant noodles sexier

Stúdentablaðið/Hólmfríður María Bjarnardóttir

Translation: Katrín le Roux Viðarsdóttir

Almost all of us have gone through periods where instant noodles are our main source of nutrition. That doesn’t mean they have to be monotonous or that we can’t make them a little more appetizing. The Student Paper has put together some tips for making instant noodles just a little bit sexier.

A good base

Heat some water in a pot. Put the spice packet that comes with the noodles in the water along with a teaspoon of butter before adding the noodles. Don’t leave out the butter. Butter makes everything better. Everything.

For easy luxury noodles, you can use broth instead of water to give the noodles more flavor. Stir some broth cubes into hot water. You can also add spring onion, garlic, chili, and pepper or just whatever herbs and spices you like. Then you add the noodles, which will soak up flavor from the broth, spices, and vegetables.

Add some coconut milk or even a little fish sauce, sugar, and curry paste to make your noodles really soft and satisfying.

Vegetables

Add some frozen vegetables or leftover veggies from your fridge. You can add spinach, corn, zucchini, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, edamame, or whatever else is hiding in your kitchen. Just throw it in a pan and brown to your liking.

Sauces

I don’t know about you, but I always have a selection of sauces available. Instant noodles benefit greatly from some added sauce, whether it’s sriracha, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, pesto, soy sauce, fish sauce, peanut butter, miso, or just whatever else you have. You can stir the sauce into the broth or add it last.

Protein

Instant noodles are heartier and more filling when you add some kind of protein to them. It can be tofu, chicken, Oumph, tempeh, edamame, shrimp, or fish. Eggs are probably the easiest add-in. It doesn’t matter how the egg is prepared; some like boiled, others scrambled or fried. You can also crack an egg directly into the hot noodle water and enjoy your noodles once the egg is cooked. It just depends on what you feel like each time.

The final step

Then there’s the cherry on top of the sundae, or in this case of the noodles, and the cherry isn’t actually a cherry but rather nuts, seeds, and a bit of chopped spring onion, chives, or basil. Squeezing a bit of fresh lemon or lime juice on top is also a very nice touch.

If you’re in the mood for a slightly fancier meal, you can always replace the instant noodles with whatever pasta you like, such as fettuccini or linguini.

Well, hopefully you’ve gotten some ideas about how to make your instant noodles sexier. We’ve included two recipes for those who need a little help getting started or just can’t live without instructions.

Quick and easy garlic butter noodles

1 pack of instant noodles

2-3 tsp butter

1-2 garlic cloves (finely chopped or grated)

½-1 tsp fresh ginger (peeled and finely chopped or grated)

½ tsp white miso paste (optional)

Small or medium zucchini (sliced into ribbons)

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp fresh basil (finely chopped)

1 egg (cooked to your liking)

Toasted sesame seeds

Add water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add the noodles, leaving out the included spice packet, and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Heat butter and garlic in a separate pan for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic, just brown it in the butter. Add the ginger and miso and combine. Add zucchini and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add noodles, soy sauce, and basil to the pan, stirring everything together. Put the noodles in a bowl, add the cooked egg, sesame seeds, and a little more basil. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the ingredients. Enjoy!

Peanut butter noodles with sesame seeds

1 pack of instant noodles

2 tsp sesame oil

1-2 tsp peanut butter

2 tsp honey

2 tsp soy sauce

1 ½ tsp rice vinegar

1 garlic clove (finely chopped or grated)

½ tsp ginger (peeled and finely chopped or grated)

Sesame seeds

Cook noodles according to the packet instructions. While the noodles are cooking, prepare the sauce. In a bowl, stir together sesame oil, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger until fully combined. Drain the noodles, add to the bowl, and stir until fully coated in the sauce. Add some sesame seeds on top and you’re done. I recommend adding a boiled egg and some spring onion. If you want a heartier dish, add another protein and some veggies.