The Italian Ingredient That Instantly Upgrades Basic Ramen

For many, ramen is the go-to choice for college students and anyone needing a quick, budget-friendly meal. Aside from its affordability, one of the best things about ramen is how versatile it is at its core. There are many ways to upgrade instant ramen, such as by adding chili garlic sauce and extra veggies to integrate more spice and texture complexities. However, one of the more unique ways is by adding marinara sauce. Though it may sound eyebrow-raising, this is essentially a variation of tomato ramen, which is already popular in Japan and can be commonly found in instant form on Amazon. Here, the Italian-fusion recipe brings in a wave of elevated umami via the tomato sauce's ingredients. 

Digging in, the best way to execute this Italian-fusion recipe would be by making an easy marinara sauce from scratch, then incorporating it into a simple ramen recipe, since the best stuff is almost always homemade. Of course, not everyone has a minimum of 30 minutes to do this, so store-bought instant ramen and marinara sauce are also completely acceptable to use. Either way, the home chef will want to make the broth first, incorporating the tomato sauce and letting them mingle before tossing in the ramen noodles. The benefit of adding in the marinara sauce is that it introduces a deeper complexity of tangy, herby, sweet, and savory flavor notes. This is from the tomato's acidity, and the garlic and basil can elevate the ramen's traditionally salty broth. Further, the sauce will also thicken the soup with an added texture.

It's important to recognize that marinara sauce, and even tomatoes on their own, are naturally bold in flavor, as noted by Redditors who have tried this ramen upgrade. To help balance the flavors out, it may be recommended to use a shoyu (or soy sauce-based) broth when making the ramen from scratch, since it uses vegetable or chicken stock that is rich in flavor but easier to work with. If an instant pack is being used, it'd likely be best to add in a little at a time and measure according to taste to find the right balance. Once the sweet spot is nailed, the home ramen chef can take a few routes to elevate their soup. 

On the traditional end, ramen additives like shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, and boiled eggs would complement this recipe nicely, but there are also much more interesting options. Iron Chef Esther Choi showed off her twist on tomato ramen by adding in, among other ingredients, a creamy carbonara sauce. Others lean into the Italian influence, adding in a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, roasted tomato slices, and garlic cloves to up the savoriness. Alternatively, those who wish to raise the Asian flare can add in chili crisp sauce, which would add a velvetiness and added spice to the dish.