25 Ramen Noodle Recipes You'll Wish You Had In College (2024)

While birria is traditionally a Mexican stew made with chiles and warm spices like cinnamon, it’s been popping up everywhere lately as tacos, and that’s the energy we’re bringing into this comforting soup. We recommend making this dish when it’s freezing cold outside and loud, boozy outdoor celebrations seem like lightyears away. Throw some chiles, bones, and meat in your slow-cooker and huddle under a blanket—in a few hours, you’ll have a hearty, slow-cooked, mash-up soup that’s perfectly balanced.

Get the Birria Ramen recipe.

Braised pork belly, aka a little slice of heaven, is the star in this amazing homemade ramen. Making ramen from scratch is pretty darn elaborate, but we promise your patience will be more than rewarded.

Get the Homemade Shoyu Ramen recipe.

Since we'll be flavoring the instant ramen noodles with your choice of pesto, it truly doesn't matter what flavor of ramen you purchase (we won't be using the seasoning packet). You can also use any pesto on hand, so long as you like it: Classic basil, roasted red pepper, or sun-dried tomato will all work nicely here. If you're a semi-homemade type of cook, store-bought pesto will do just great too!

Get the Pesto Ramen recipe.

When we're in the mood for something that has a bit more flavor than your run of the mill canned soup or packaged ramen, we turn to creamy chicken ramen soup. This recipe packs a flavorful punch and then some! You get some spiciness from the curry powder, a rich creaminess from the coconut milk, and a burst of citrus with a squeeze of lime.

Get the Creamy Chicken Ramen Soup recipe.

Mongolian beef is a popular American-Chinese takeout dish made with thin slices of flank steak, accompanied by veggies, spiked with ginger, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and scallions. Tossed with another nostalgic favorite, ramen noodles, this is instant comfort in a skillet.

Get the Mongolian Beef Ramen recipe.

This recipe was semi-inspired by the Chinese Chicken Salad at The Cheesecake Factory, where they use wonton strips and crispy rice noodles. Instead, we sub in a block of dried ramen—broken up, the crunchy, wavy noodles act as croutons just as well. Feel free to sub the almonds for cashews or peanuts too!

Get the Crunchy Mandarin Orange-Chicken Salad recipe.

Have fun customizing these ramen noodles with your favorite veggies and toppings. Try using frozen peas or halved snow peas in place of the bell pepper and carrot. Skip the egg and top with seared chicken or tofu, and try the whole thing topped with a smattering of everything bagel seasoning.

Get the TikTok Ramen recipe.

Great ramen comes in many shapes, sizes, and flavors but is most commonly known as the rich, creamy, porky version. This completely vegan version uses layers of umami-packed flavor to mimic the depth complexity of traditional ramen, and edamame for a protein boost. As a bonus, if you can multitask, it all comes together in about an hour, making this an ideal weeknight go-to.

Get the Vegan Ramen with Roasted Red Miso Veggies recipe.

This quick and satisfying meal lands somewhere between savory instant ramen and creamy peanut noodles. Throw in your favorite raw veggies for a dish that's healthy, filling, and delicious. (The trifecta!) For a little extra oomph, whisk in part of a ramen flavor packet little by little, tasting and adjusting along the way.

Get the Warm Tahini Ramen Noodles recipe.

Anything goes in this "Everything Is Optional" chicken noodle soup recipe! All you need is to fill in the blanks of this formula (broth, vegetables, chicken, and aromatics) with your favorite ingredients, or simply with whatever you currently have on hand—no additional shopping trip required!

Get the Everything Is Optional Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

We love how ramen is a great foundation for a solid meal, and not just one you eat in college. It's the perfect carb to incorporate into this stir-fry. We also love this with udon noodles too!

Get the Ramen Noodle Skillet With Steak recipe.