Easy Shrimp Ramen

On a cold, rainy day, there’s simply nothing better than a heaping, comforting bowl of ramen to warm your bones. Making your own ramen is one of the easiest kitchen tricks you can execute, which is always a plus. The beauty of this particular ramen recipe, for shrimp ramen, is its versatility. In fact, think of this recipe as a mere starting point. Feel free to add whatever veggies, garnishes, or sauces your heart desires.

Shrimp Ramen Ingredients

• Canola oil: Canola oil has a high smoke point, so it’s great for sauteing the veggies.
• Baby portobello mushrooms: Portobello mushrooms are nutritious and give ramen a nice texture.
• Carrot: Shredded carrot adds a dash of sweetness.
• Gingerroot and garlic: Adding fresh ginger (and no, ginger paste and ground ginger aren’t the same thing as fresh) to your ramen adds a robust burst of flavor. And garlic and ginger go together like peanut butter and jelly.
• Chicken broth: Low-sodium broth is ideal here. This allows you to lower the salt content of your ramen while maintaining the flavor (instant ramen already has a high sodium content).
• Soy sauce: Go easy on the soy to ensure your ramen doesn’t become too salty.
• Sesame oil: Sesame oil adds a delicious nuttiness to the broth.
• Shrimp: Fresh or frozen shrimp are both fine, but be sure to peel and devein them first.
• Instant ramen noodles: Resist the urge to break the noodles in half. After a couple of minutes, the noodles will soften and break apart on their own.
• Green onion and (optional) fresh cilantro: Cilantro and green onion complement each other nicely and provide a fresh, herby, peppery taste.

Directions

Step 1: Sauté the vegetables

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In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and carrot; cook and stir until the mushrooms are tender, for six to eight minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for one minute longer.

Step 2: Stir in the other ingredients

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Now, add the broth, soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and ramen (discard seasoning packets or save it for another use). Simmer until the shrimp turn pink and the noodles are tender, about four to six minutes. Garnish with green onions and cilantro, if desired.

Editor’s Tip: If you want slightly al dente (not soggy) noodles, pull the noodles from the broth and fan them after they’ve been cooking for about two minutes. The airflow will slow the cooking process resulting in harder and chewier noodles.

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Shrimp Ramen Variations

• Add veggies: To ramp up your veggie intake and the flavor profile of your ramen, play around with adding different vegetables to the broth. Spinach, mushrooms and green beans are all excellent additions here. Add your veggies to the pot when you add the broth and cook until they’re softened.
• Top with garnishes: There are several good garnish options so feel free to get creative. Thinly sliced scallions (either lightly fried in oil or raw) are great. So are lime slices and/or shredded carrots. Chopped peanuts or toasted sesame seeds add a nice crunch. You could even add a soft-boiled egg for extra protein.

How can I store my homemade shrimp ramen?

This isn’t the kind of dish that stores well. The noodles and shrimp will take on a soggy, rubbery texture if kept in the fridge. It’s best to eat your shrimp ramen immediately after cooking it.

Shrimp Ramen Tips

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I hate soggy noodles! How can I get perfectly crunchy (but not too crunchy) noodles in my shrimp ramen?

Nailing the right noodle texture is one of the most important parts of making your own ramen. If you’re not careful, your noodles could come out too soggy. First, consider cooking the noodles for a minute or two less than the package instructions. When you add the noodles back to the pot, they’ll cook a bit more to reach an al dente texture. Additionally, as mentioned above, fan the noodles when they hit the two-minute mark to help them cook slower, which will ultimately produce a firmer texture.

How do I make sure my shrimp ramen doesn’t come out too salty?

Using low-sodium broth is the key here. That, or you can always make your own broth beforehand. Homemade broth is much less salty (and honestly more flavorful) than store-bought broth. Personally, I like making a big batch of homemade broth on the weekends and freezing it to use throughout the week.

How far ahead can I make shrimp ramen before serving it?

Homemade shrimp ramen is always best served immediately after making it. Otherwise, the noodles will become mushy and the shrimp will get rubbery.