Garlic

I always have garlic in the kitchen. Sometimes whole heads on the counter, sometimes a small container of pre-peeled cloves in the fridge for the days I don’t have ten minutes to fuss. If a bowl of instant ramen needs one thing to feel real, it’s garlic. The packet seasoning is doing what it can, but garlic is what makes a packet bowl smell like a kitchen.

How you cut the garlic matters more than the garlic itself. The same clove can hide in the broth or take over the bowl, depending on what you do to it. This guide covers four cuts I rotate through and which ones I reach for in which kind of bowl..

Why Garlic is Great for Instant Ramen

Garlic adds the depth that packet broth doesn’t have on its own. The smell when the clove hits hot oil is the part that makes someone walk into the kitchen and ask what you’re cooking. I joke that garlic is part of the “it smells good starter pack” alongside ginger and green onion.

The other reason it earned a permanent spot in my fridge is range. The same clove can give you a quiet background note or a punch in the face, and the only difference is how you cut it.

Want to see how I use garlic in all sorts of ramen creations? Check out my full guide on 4 Ways to Use Garlic to Get the Best Instant Ramen Flavor.

Ways to Add Garlic to Instant Ramen

Here are some common ways to prepare garlic for your instant ramen, each offering a different flavor and texture:

Whole clove. Peel a clove and drop it straight into the broth while the noodles cook. The clove softens, sweetens, and seasons the soup without taking over. This is what I use when I want garlic in the background of a delicate bowl like a shoyu or a clear chicken broth. I’ll usually fish the clove out before I serve, or leave it in for the person who likes a soft garlic surprise.

Smashed clove. Lay the flat of your knife over a peeled clove with the sharp edge facing away from you, and press down with the heel of your hand. The clove cracks open and lets out more of its oils than a whole clove would. Drop it into the broth the same way. The smash is the easy step up from a whole clove, more flavor, no more knife work.

Thin slices. Slice a peeled clove crosswise into thin discs. Add the slices in the last minute of cooking or scatter them on top of the finished bowl. Thin slices cook faster than whole cloves and read as actual garlic in every bite. This is the cut for a tonkotsu or a richer broth that can carry the extra weight.

Minced. Chop the clove fine, then run your knife back through it a few times to make it almost paste. Mince hits the hardest and goes the furthest into the bowl. I like minced garlic sauteed in a small pan with a tablespoon of oil for thirty seconds, then poured over the noodles right before serving. The hot oil carries the garlic flavor everywhere.

For something truly next-level, check out one of my instant ramen challenge days where I put a Michelin star chef’s whole garlic bulb technique to the test: Instant Ramen Recipe from 3 Michelin Star Chef (Day 21/30)

My Instant Ramen Suggestions

• Ichiran Ramen
• Maruchan Beef Flavor
• Nongshim Shin Ramyun
• Nongshim Chapagetti
• Nissin Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu

What’s your default garlic cut?