Ramen is one of the best meals you can make in a hurry. It’s warm, hearty, and comforting.
Whether you’re on a short lunch break or simply hate to cook, ramen is a perfect option for people who want something fast and easy.
Cooking ramen is easy, but what about reheating it once it’s finished?
Is it OK to reheat ramen?
Any time you reheat something like ramen, it’s difficult to capture its original flavor and texture.
But if you don’t want to waste any ramen or you’re too full to finish your bowl in one sitting, there are ways you can reheat the noodles and broth without ruining the dish.
Here are some tips to help you reheat your ramen so it stays delicious and you get the most out of your meal.
Table of Contents
1. Store Cooked Ramen Properly
How you handle ramen immediately after you are finished eating will greatly impact how easy it is to reheat it.
If you leave ramen sitting in its broth for too long, the noodles become mushy, which will be gross if you try to eat them later.
Always use an airtight container whenever you store cooked ramen.
If air and moisture get it, your ramen won’t taste as good. It can also spoil depending on how long you keep it.
2. Separate the Noodles From the Broth
One great tip is to separate the noodles from the broth whenever you have ramen leftovers.
Even if you store noodles and broth together in an airtight container, the noodles will continue to soak in the liquid until they become mushy.
Instead, take the noodles out and put them in a dry container. Then, store the broth in a separate container.
If you can, pat your noodles dry with a paper towel to remove any excess water or broth. This will help them stay nice and chewy after you stick them in the fridge.
When you’re ready to eat, heat the noodles and broth separately and combine them once they’re both hot.
Eat Them Soon!
The longer you wait to reheat them, the worse condition your noodles will be in. If you reheat ramen later the same day, it’ll taste better, and the noodles will have decent consistency.
However, if you leave your ramen in the fridge for several days, don’t expect them to be good.
They’re more likely to be completely soggy, and the broth won’t be that great, either.
How long can you store ramen in the fridge? Usually, a couple of days is the maximum you’ll want to leave any instant noodles in there.
Can you reheat ramen without a microwave? Sure! Whether you reheat your noodles in a microwave or on the stove doesn’t matter much.
Mix in New Ingredients
Another thing you can do to reheat ramen and make it taste good is to add vegetables or meat into the broth while you’re reheating it.
Sometimes old ramen broth can taste a bit bland or stale, so mixing new things into the broth will help freshen up the flavor.
Try adding carrots, cabbage, grilled chicken, or even ham to the ramen to give it a bit of a different flavor profile.
Add Some Sauce
In addition to using veggies or meat, you can add sauce when you reheat your ramen to make it taste better.
Soy sauce is a great choice because its rich, salty flavor will bring your old noodles back to life. Sriracha is a fantastic option if you like your noodles a little spicy.
One thing you can do is reheat only the noodles in the microwave. Then, drizzle some sriracha and some fresh scallions on top to turn your leftover ramen noodles into a completely new dish!
Final Thoughts
If you’re worried about wasting food or want to finish a bowl of ramen later in the day, these reheating tips will help make the leftovers taste better than if you were to leave the bowl on a countertop at room temperature.
Experiment with your leftover ramen noodles to find the perfect way to reheat them. Ramen is relatively affordable, so you can always make a new pack if your leftovers don’t turn out the way you like.