Cheese ramen is a classic Korean comfort food that's gooey, carby and delicious. As the name suggests, it's instant noodles with a combination of cheese. Besides that, milk is sometimes used for the broth instead of the usual cup of hot water.
This cheesy noodle concoction might sound like a crime, but rest assured, there is no need to freak out – especially if you're a fan of both key ingredients. In our recipe, you'll find all you need to know about this 'odd' combo and how to prepare a perfect bowl of hot spicy cheese ramen at home.
Our recipe is inspired by famous Korean instant ramen brands like Ottogi, Samyang, and Maruchan, and it is guaranteed to let you experience the absolute comfort of this creamy and rich noodle dish. Who knows, you might never want to return to the plain 'ol soupy ramen again.
Ingredients
You only need cheese, ramen, and some milk to make cheese ramen.
While it is possible to get creative, there is no need to think far ahead when making a nice bowl of hot, creamy noodles. You would need the above three main ingredients.
Cheese
Our favourite cheese combination is adding cheddar and mozzarella to the cheese ramen. When it comes to improving the taste of the cheese ramen, cheddar is our top pick. Its mild saltiness helps balance out the spiciness of the ramen and makes it taste so much better.
However, we usually just use American sliced cheese for convenience, and it does the job well, too. Mozzarella adds a gooey texture to the ramen, similar to Korean corn cheese. While the taste is somewhat neutral, we still recommend adding mozzarella to enhance the texture and experience of the cheesy ramen.
We don't recommend adding cream cheese. While delicious, it does not pair well with spicy Korean ramen. You will need to use a lot of it to ensure you can still taste the creaminess, which would not be worth it. It also does not enhance the texture of the dish. So, save your cream cheese for a different dish.
Most Korean spicy cheese ramen recipes use one type of cheese, but you can actually add a variety of cheeses for different textures.
Ramen
For our recipe, you can use either a dry-base or soup-base instant ramen pack. It doesn't matter because you'll drain the water and replace it with milk. We're using Samyang noodles, but you can use any brand.
Cooking Tips
When melting cheese, it is better to cover the pot's lid or pan and turn off the heat. The lid will help steam and melt the cheese. Since most dairy ingredients melt quickly, we recommend melting them using the residual heat from the hot milk and noodles.
However, ensure that the thickened milk has started bubbling first, indicating it is at boiling point.
While we don't do this, some friends have added cornstarch slurry to make their cheese ramen creamier. We don't like doing it as it adds unnecessary calories to the dish without any additional flavour.
If you decide to add a slurry, use cold water to mix the cornstarch. Otherwise, it will be clumpy. Other than that, you can prevent your noodles from being overcooked by subtracting 1 to 1 and a half minutes from the cooking time suggested by the instructions.
Spicy Cheese Ramen Recipe | Korean Comfort Food
Ingredients
- 1 pack instant noodles
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups water
- cheese grated or sliced
- green onions garnish
Instructions
- Bring water to boil in a saucepan and add instant noodles. Cook for the recommend time on the instant packet.
- Pour out most of the ramen water from the saucepan, but leave a few tablespoons in the saucepan. Add milk.
- Add the instant noodle seasoning once the milk starts bubbling. Stir well for 30 seconds.
- While the broth bubbles, turn off the heat and add cheese to the ramen.
- Once the cheese has melted, garnish with green onions and serve.
Notes
- To prevent them from being overcooked, cook the noodles for 1 minute less than the suggested time in the instructions.
- For a thicker texture, combine two teaspoons of cornstarch with two teaspoons of cold water. Once the milk is at a low rolling boil, add the mixture and stir well until the sauce thickens.
- For soupier texture, reserve 3-4 tablespoons of water from the ramen and set aside for the end to adjust the creaminess.
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimate.
How To Make Cheese Ramen (Non-Spicy)
Nothing can stop you from enjoying this comfort food, not even your low tolerance towards spice. You can make this hot dish non-spicy by adding more dairy.
Besides making this noodle dish creamier, dairy can reduce the spice considerably without losing the flavour. Eggs and milk are often the perfect additions to alleviate the spiciness.
Additional Toppings
Additional toppings may enhance the instant noodles' flavour and give them a bit more colour. Adding some chopped green onions might trick you into thinking you're not entirely eating something packed with fats and carbs!
Other garnishes that go well with cheese ramen are:
- Sriracha
- Seaweed
- Furikake
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Chilli oil
- Olive oil
- Garlic oil
Why is cheese ramen popular in Korea?
Korean dishes, including instant noodles, are often spicy. Therefore, cheese is often added to their meals to make them a bit milder. Adding this thick dairy product to meals like ramen also makes the broth thicker, creamier, and tastier.
South Korea is a cheese-lover-friendly country, and instant noodles are equally popular. In fact, they have become a staple in the country. From quick kimchi ramen to kewpie mayo ramen, tons of noodle dishes are introduced in Korea.
This cheesy dish regained its popularity globally after it was popularised on TikTok as lockdown comfort food. Finding the combination odd, many were outraged at first but later fell for its taste after trying it. Now, many of those who are stuck at home find comfort in this quick meal.
Remember the Samyang Fire Noodle Challenge? The brand has also produced a cheesy version of the notorious Hot Chicken flavour instant noodles. Samyang cheese ramen is also spicy and broth-less, but the cheesy powder makes it more tolerable for those who do not have a high tolerance for it.
Why Make This Dish?
The homemade version is actually the best way to enjoy this dish and it is better than getting an instant one from the store. This is because you can opt for less processed and real ingredients such as real cheese. We all know instant noodles and sliced cheese are two HIGHLY processed foods so why not make it a tad bit healthier?
Plus, some instant ones cannot give you the ultimate experience of tasting the richness of the spicy noodles. While they may be cheaper, some are quite disappointing in terms of taste and texture. So, making your own will result in the best cheese ramen and save you from disappointment.
It is really easy to nail the perfect homemade version. However, if you still want to give instant packs a try, there are two brands we would recommend. They are the Ottogi Real Cheese if you prefer your noodles with broth and the Samyang Hot Chicken Buldak Ramen for cheesy broth-less noodles.
How did you find our spicy cheese ramen recipe? Share with us how yours turned out by tagging us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks.Are you looking for another Korean noodle recipe? Look no further and try out our Korean corn cheese ramen recipe.
Wong
Turned out so creamy and rich ☺️
A
Have been doing this since the mid 90's in Australia! No FlikTok, just word of mouth. Good with toast for dipping