Shrimp

When I’m looking to quickly level up my instant ramen with protein, I cook up some shrimp. They’re small, easy to cook, and delicious with many instant ramen pairings. I usually have a bag of frozen shrimp in my freezer that I pull the shrimp from.

Why Shrimp is Delicious in Instant Ramen

Shrimp is wonderful addition to instant ramen for a few reasons. First off, it cooks really fast, just like the noodles themselves, making it a super convenient protein upgrade. It also adds a nice sweetness that complements both savory and spicy ramen broths.

Plus, the slightly firm yet tender texture of cooked shrimp provides a satisfying contrast to the soft noodles. And because shrimp has a relatively mild flavor, it soaks up the deliciousness of the broth and any other seasonings you add.

Shrimp is tough to mess up unless you overcook them. Then they become dry and chewy. That’s why I like to undercook them slightly and let them cook fully while tossing into the noodles.

Ways to Prepare Shrimp for Ramen

• Pan-Seared: This is the quickest way to cook the shrimp besides tossing it in the with the noodles. It only needs a 2-3 minute sear on each side and then you can mix it in your ramen or top it off.

• Boiled: I love this method because I just toss it in with my boiling water and seasoning packet. The key to this one is making sure it doesn’t overcook in the water. Usually by the time the noodles are done cooking, the shrimp should be too.
• Fried: If you like a crispy texture with your ramen, this is a good method. Just toss the shrimp in some flour and cornstarch and fry it in hot oil. Again, these don’t take long since shrimp are smaller.
• Grilled: This is great if you already have the grill running and you want a slightly smoky flavor with your noodles.
• Quick-Marinated: If you think ahead a 15-20 minutes you can marinate your shrimp in a soy-ginger or garlic-chili sauce to level up the flavor before using any of the above cooking methods.

My Instant Ramen Suggestions

Shrimp is a topping that goes well with a lot of different instant ramens since it’s so versatile. Personally, I like it with spicier ones or even seafood flavored ramen to bring out even more of the shrimp flavor. Some of my suggestions:

• DongWon Seafood Kalguksu Noodle Soup
• Mama Tom Yum Shrimp Instant Noodles
• Acecook SiuKay Seafood 7-Level Spicy Noodles

Let me know your thoughts on shrimp as a ramen topping!