Pork Ramen Noodles

Instant ramen may seem like something only college students should eat but you can take these economical blocks of dried noodles and turn them into a filling lunch or dinner. This pork ramen noodles recipe goes beyond simple instant ramen soup and mixes the drained noodles with stir-fried pork, vegetables and a homemade sauce. You won’t need the seasoning packets from the ramen (save those for other uses, however). And you can customize this recipe to your taste by using different proteins or vegetables. This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket for those times when you want to get something to eat fast without resorting to fast food.

Pork Ramen Noodles Ingredients

• Sauce: Soy sauce, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce form the base of the seasoning mixture. These ensure the sauce adds a sufficiently savory and umami dimension to the overall flavor of the dish. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce if possible.
• Sugar: Sugar helps counter the saltiness of the sauce.
• Crushed red pepper flakes: Add a little bit of crushed red pepper for a spicy kick; you can leave these out if you don’t like spicy food.
• Boneless pork loin chops: Boneless chops are simply easier to use. If all you have is bone-in, cut the meat away from the bone before cooking.
• Vegetables: Broccoli florets, coleslaw mix, bamboo shoots and garlic bulk up the dish substantially. Stir-frying the broccoli for as long as you do makes it crisp enough to add some crunch to the dish.
• Instant ramen noodles: Remember that each pack contains two servings.

Directions

Step 1: Make the sauce

Whisk together the soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Step 2: Cook the pork

Add a couple of teaspoons of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the pork in the heated oil for two to three minutes or until the pork isn’t pink anymore. Remove the pork from the skillet and set aside.

Step 3: Cook the vegetables

Add more oil to the skillet and stir-fry the broccoli for about three minutes. Add the coleslaw mix, bamboo shoots and garlic to the skillet. Stir-fry all of the vegetables for another three to four minutes; the broccoli should be crisp-tender at this point. Add the soy sauce mixture and the pork to the skillet and heat the entire mixture through.

Step 4: Cook the noodles

Cook the ramen noodles according to the instructions but don’t use the seasoning packets. Drain the noodles when done and add them to the skillet with the pork, vegetables and sauce. Stir everything together.

Pork Ramen Noodles Variations

• Use broccoli slaw: This recipe calls for both coleslaw mix and broccoli florets, but if you want to save time, add broccoli slaw instead. Just make sure you add the equivalent number of cups (5 cups total) to keep the serving sizes essentially the same.
• Switch protein sources: You can use boneless chicken cuts, lean beef or even tofu instead of pork in this recipe. Use extra-firm for the best texture and to reduce the amount of extra moisture you introduce to the recipe. Firm tofu is fine if you can’t find extra-firm.

How to Store Pork Ramen Noodles

Leftover stir-fried pork ramen noodles need to be refrigerated. Place servings in an airtight container and eat them within two days. Reheat the leftovers in a pan on the stove and ensure the internal temperature of the pork reaches 165°F.

Can you make pork ramen noodles ahead of time?

It would be difficult to make this ahead of time and reheat it in a way that preserves the quality of the freshly cooked dish. You could try making the pork a few hours ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator. However, because you’ll have to reheat the pork to a higher temperature (reheat to 165° as opposed to cooking it to 145° when you first make it), you risk making the pork very tough. This dish doesn’t take that long to make so you’re better off making it at the time you want to eat it.

Pork Ramen Noodles Tips

How do you stop the pork from becoming tough during cooking?

Pork becomes tough when overcooked. Watch the strips of pork carefully as you stir-fry them. The pork does need to reach an internal temperature of 145° when first cooked and then you need to let it rest for three minutes. However, try not to let it languish in the hot pan after it reaches the desired temp. You can learn more about cooking pork with different methods.

Does the spaghetti and baking soda hack work if you don’t have ramen?

If you don’t have any ramen packets on hand, don’t fret. You can turn spaghetti or another long noodle into a ramen substitute with baking soda. This won’t make the noodles taste exactly like ramen but it should add a springy and smooth texture that’s acceptable in a pinch. Add a 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda to a quart of water and boil the mixture. Add the noodles and cook them as you usually would. You may have to stir them often. Drain them when done. If you have time you can make your own ramen noodles and baked baking soda from scratch.

What can you do with the unused ramen seasoning packets?

You won’t need the seasoning packets that came with the ramen for this recipe, but don’t toss them away. Use the seasoning to flavor rice (dump the seasoning in the water that you use to cook the rice), sprinkle the seasoning over popcorn, add it to mashed potatoes or use it to flavor chicken before baking or pan-frying. Check out these other ramen noodle recipes, too.