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My quick and easy kimchi ramen packs a spicy, savory punch with instant noodles, kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, and gochujang broth. It’s packed with flavor (no seasoning packet needed) and ready in 15 minutes!
Upgrading Instant Ramen With Kimchi
If you hand me a packet of instant ramen, I’m tossing out the seasoning sachet and looking for more ways to turn it into something tasty, and most of all, quick and easy! I have my peanut butter ramen, chicken ramen, and beef ramen recipes. When I made kimchi fried rice recently, I had a eureka moment to channel those flavors into a ramen recipe.
This satisfying kimchi ramen combines the tangy kick of kimchi with spicy Korean gochujang paste in a rich veggie broth, with tender noodles, mushrooms, and garlic. It takes 15 minutes to make with a packet of instant ramen noodles and a jar of your favorite store-bought kimchi. Make it tonight, or tomorrow for lunch. You won’t be sorry.
What’s Needed for This Kimchi Ramen Recipe
Here are the ingredients needed to make this quick Korean noodle soup. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete list with exact measurements.
- Cooking Oil – Choose a mild-flavored vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Mushrooms – I use shiitake mushrooms, but cremini mushrooms, maitake, or any variety works. You can get creative with more add-ins, like cabbage or bean sprouts.
- Garlic – Freshly minced.
- Kimchi – Well-fermented kimchi is best for kimchi ramen, as it creates a tangier, richer broth with more complex flavors. You can buy good-quality kimchi in most grocery stores and delis. Reserve ½ cup of the kimchi brine, too.
- Vegetable Stock – Keeping this recipe vegetarian, I use veggie stock. Chicken stock is a good substitute.
- Gochujang – A type of Korean chili paste. You’ll find it in the international or Asian food sections in major grocery stores and in Asian supermarkets. If you don’t have gochujang paste, use Korean red pepper powder (gochugaru) instead.
- Instant Noodles – You can simmer these right in the broth or cook the noodles separately.
- Spring Onions – Thinly sliced. Chives or edamame also work nicely as a garnish.
What Toppings Go Well With Kimchi Ramen?
I top my bowls of Korean ramen with boiled eggs, spring onions, and black sesame seeds. I like how the eggs help tame the heat a little. You could also add:
- Baby bok choy
- A drizzle of sesame oil
- Chili oil
- Crumbled seaweed (nori)
- Cubed tofu
- Sliced char siu pork
Serving Suggestions
On the side, I love a crunchy Asian cucumber salad or any of the following ideas.
- Korean-inspired: For a protein, you can serve ramen with Korean beef tacos or chicken bulgogi.
- Asian-fusion: Try a vegetarian sesame tofu scramble, shrimp shumai, or bao buns.
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Kimchi Ramen
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or avocado oil, or any mild-flavored cooking oil
- ½ cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup kimchi, chopped
- ½ cup liquid from kimchi
- 5 cups vegetable stock, or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon gochujang paste
- 2 packets instant ramen noodles
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Additional:
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the aromatics. Heat the cooking oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring gently. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add the kimchi and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the liquid. Pour in the kimchi liquid and vegetable stock, and add gochujang paste. Bring to a boil.
- Cook the ramen. Add the noodles to the boiling broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until cooked.
- Assemble. Ladle the kimchi ramen into bowls. Add the spring onions on top. Additionally, serve the kimchi ramen with halved hard-boiled eggs and black sesame seeds.
Equipment
Notes
- You can directly boil the noodles in the kimchi broth or cook them separately.
- If you do not have gochujang paste, you can use Korean red pepper.
- You can top the kimchi ramen with some edamame.
- The hard-boiled egg is recommended because it helps tame the heat.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Kimchi Ramen
This kimchi ramen is spicy and tangy, but it’s not overpowering. It comes together quickly in a skillet, and you can choose milder fermented kimchi or adapt the amount of chili paste if you’d prefer less heat.
- Cook the aromatics. Start by sautéeing the mushrooms in a pan over medium-high heat. After 3-4 minutes, add the garlic, then the kimchi. Cook for another 3 minutes or so.
- Add liquid. Next, pour in a generous splash of kimchi liquid along with the stock. Stir in the gochujang paste and then bring the pot to a simmer.
- Add noodles. Add the instant noodles to the pot. They’ll cook quickly, usually about 2-3 minutes, and then your ramen is ready to serve! Serve in bowls topped with spring onions, halved boiled eggs, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Kimchi ramen leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. The ramen noodles will soften with time, but they’ll still taste delicious once heated up again.
- Reheat. Warm this ramen on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring often so it heats evenly.
