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I\u2019ve cooked for television. I\u2019ve cooked for judges and I\u2019ve even cooked for chefs who scare me a little. And yet one of my family\u2019s (Ok, my children\u2019s<\/em>) most requested dinners starts with a 99-cent packet of instant ramen that lives in the back of my pantry.\n<\/p>\n This is not about nostalgia or desperation cooking. This is about respect. Ramen doesn\u2019t taste good or bad on its own\u2014it reflects how it\u2019s treated\n<\/p>\n Right off the bat I\u2019ve learned that ramen broth is a bit timid. If you just dump the seasoning packet into boiling water and call it a day, you get something thin, salty and quite sad. Instead, I use less water than the package tells me to and let that broth simmer down. When you reduce it, the flavors stop whispering and start talking. Suddenly the soup tastes intentional.\n<\/p>\n From there, everything changes.\n<\/p>\n Nicole Russel<\/p>\n <\/span> First, eggs are non-negotiable in my house. Sometimes I whisk one directly into the simmering broth for a silky, almost custardy texture. Other nights, I crack it in whole and let the white barely set while the yolk stays molten and ready to enrich the soup when stirred in. My kids think this is fancy; I let them believe that.\n<\/p>\n Scallions are the obvious upgrade, but how you treat them matters. I slice the whites thin and cook them briefly in a little oil before the broth goes in. That quick saut\u00e9 knocks out the sharp edge and builds a base that tastes cooked, not raw. The green tops go on at the end for freshness and color, because ramen should look like someone was paying attention.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Sesame oil is the smallest detail with the biggest payoff. Not a pour\u2026just a drizzle. Too much and it tastes like a candle shop. Just enough and the whole bowl suddenly smells like a place you want to be. On nights when I want extra richness I add a small pat of butter at the end (I do this with pretty much all<\/em> of my dishes). It melts into the broth and gives it a round, luxurious finish.\n<\/p>\n Sometimes I lean into what I have in the fridge. Leftover rotisserie chicken gets shredded and warmed in the broth. Frozen corn adds sweetness and texture. A spoonful of chili crisp turns the soup spicy and crunchy in the best possible way. I\u2019ve even dropped in a slice of American cheese once, which sounds wrong until you try it. It melts into the broth and gives it an almost creamy depth that feels suspiciously good!\u00a0\n<\/p>\n How I Upgrade Instant Ramen <\/span> <\/h3>\n
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