Easy Cheesy Ramen Noodles (Stovetop or Microwave)
Cheesy, creamy ramen that’s quick and easy to make! This cheese ramen might just be better than my favorite mac and cheese, and it’s simply so satisfying (not to mention affordable!). You can make it on the stovetop or in a microwave, so it’s perfect for college kids, too!
🍜 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- If you’ve never tried adding cheese to your ramen before, take this as your sign to do it ASAP! This super simple recipe turns a basic block of dry ramen noodles into a creamy, cheesy, slightly-spicy mac and cheese dish. It’s the ultimate ramen hack! (Sorry, Kylie Jenner.)
- You probably don’t need me to tell you about the gloriously budget-friendly price point of ramen noodles. I mean, there’s a reason they’re the quintessential broke-college-student pantry staple, right?? We’re keeping costs low by using a single slice of American cheese, just a fraction of a block of cream cheese, and only 4 ounces of milk. Plus, you’ll get 2 servings out of this easy cheese ramen, cutting your price-per-serving in half right off the bat.
📝 Recipe Variations
- Skip the ramen flavor packet (and the sodium that comes with it). Instead, season your cheesy ramen with garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and black pepper, or onion powder.
- Get a boost of protein by mixing in shredded rotisserie chicken, diced cooked bacon, crumbled ground beef, pulled BBQ pork, basically anything you might be tempted to pile on top of a bed of mac and cheese.
- Throw in your favorite cooked veggies or serve them on the side. Chopped steamed broccoli florets would be especially lovely with the spicy cheese sauce!
- Dress it up with a garnish! Chopped green onions or fresh cilantro, a drizzle of sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, or a sprinkle of grated parmesan can help your instant mac and cheese feel more like a put-together entrée.
- Change up the cheese for a different flavor every time you make it! Mozzarella, pepper jack, colby jack, or even just classic cheddar all make delicious subs for the slice of American cheese.
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
- When you drain the water after boiling the ramen noodles, consider saving a small amount in case you need it later. If your cheese sauce is too thick, mixing in a little pasta water can thin it out to your ideal consistency.
- As always, let your dairy products come to room temperature before you try to cook with them! Heating up cold dairy products too quickly can make them separate or curdle, which will absolutely ruin your cheesy ramen sauce.
- Be careful not to boil the noodles too long in the beginning. Since they’ll be added into the cheese sauce later and cooked again over residual heat, if they’re boiled too long to start, they’ll be overcooked by the time you eat them. Overcooked ramen noodles are generally mushy and not exactly pleasant.
🍝 More Delicious Noodle Recipes You (and Your Wallet!) Will Love
- 15-Minute Spicy Ramen
- Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles
- Creamy Rotel Pasta with Ground Beef
- Lemon Pepper Pasta
- Spicy Chicken Ramen
- Best Ever Tuna Noodle Casserole (Just Like Mom Made!)
- Blackened Chicken Alfredo
- TikTok’s Famous Baked Feta Pasta
- Kylie Jenner’s Ramen Noodles
- Pork Stroganoff
- Spaghetti Alfredo
Easy Cheesy Ramen Noodles
An easy and delicious way to transform a cheap block of ramen into a creamy, cheesy, spicy noodle dish.
Recipe Makes: servings
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- wooden spoon
- small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 3-ounce block ramen noodle soup
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley (or dried chives, or ¼ teaspoon of each)
- 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
- 1 large pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 slice American cheese
- ramen flavor packet (from block of ramen)
- ½ cup whole milk (at room temperature)
Instructions
- Add 2 ½ cups water to medium saucepan and place saucepan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Bring water to boil.
- Once water begins to boil rapidly, add 1 3-ounce block ramen noodle soup and press ramen gently with wooden spoon to keep block submerged. Note: do not break block of ramen into smaller pieces before adding to water.
- Boil ramen 2 to 3 minutes or until noodles have softened. Be careful not to overcook noodles.
- Once noodles have softened, drain water from saucepan and transfer boiled noodles to small bowl. Set aside.
- Return saucepan to stovetop and reduce heat to medium. Let saucepan cool slightly, then add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to saucepan. Continue heating saucepan until butter has melted.
- When butter has melted completely, add ½ teaspoon dried parsley to saucepan. Return ramen noodles to saucepan and stir to coat noodles in butter and herbs.
- Remove saucepan from heat and let cool slightly. Add 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese, 1 large pinch crushed red pepper flakes, 1 slice American cheese, ramen flavor packet, and ½ cup whole milk to saucepan.
- Stir ingredients together until incorporated, then return saucepan to stovetop and turn off burner. Warm saucepan over still-hot burner, stirring mixture constantly, until cream cheese and American cheese have melted and all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Divide ramen mixture in half and transfer to serving bowls. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Dairy Products: Allow dairy products to come to room temperature before starting the recipe. Heating cold dairy products too quickly can cause them to curdle or separate.
- Leftovers: Let any leftover cheese ramen cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, stirring in small amounts of milk as needed to keep the sauce creamy.
Microwave Instructions
- Add 1 3-ounce block of ramen noodles and 2 cups water to medium microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave ramen 2 to 3 minutes or until noodles have softened.
- Carefully drain water from bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese, 1 slice American cheese, 1 large pinch red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon dried parsley or chives, ramen flavor packet, and ½ cup milk to bowl with softened noodles. Gently stir to incorporate ingredients.
- Return bowl to microwave. Microwave mixture in 30-second increments, stirring well after each, until cheeses have melted and ingredients have incorporated into creamy sauce.
- Divide into 2 servings and serve warm.
Recipe costs provided are approximate. Actual cost per recipe & serving will vary by location, store, brand, etc. Approximate cost shown does not include costs for any optional ingredients.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 365kcal | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 1081mg | Potassium: 128mg | Total Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Net Carbs: 29g | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 210mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used. To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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