Best Things to Add to Instant Noodles to Make Them Better, From a Chef

2025-06-15T14:20:01Z

As a chef, I have a few tricks for upgrading instant noodles to make them more satisfying and tasty.
Try adding a simple protein, like sausages, shredded rotisserie chicken, or shrimp, to your dish.
Pickled vegetables, cheese, and charred corn can also elevate instant noodles.

Even as a chef, I keep a stock of instant noodles in my pantry (my favorites are from the brand A-Sha).

After all, it’s nice to be able to always be just minutes away from a quick, cheap meal. However, it can also be pretty easy to turn simple noodles into an elevated lunch or dinner.

Here are my favorite ways to make instant noodles better and more satisfying.

Pickled veggies will add a punch to your dish.

Pickled jalapeños can be easy to make at home.

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Pickled vegetables can be a great savory, umami addition to noodles. I also like the contrast that the cold, crunchy produce adds to the warm, soft pasta.

You can try making quick-pickled cucumbers, onions, jalapeños, or carrots yourself or grab your favorite ferments at the grocery store.

Charred corn goes well with noodles.

Corn with noodles in a bowl — The corn doesn’t even have to be fresh.

Lizzy Briskin

Whether you have a fresh ear or are pulling a bag of kernels from the freezer, corn is a bright and naturally sweet topping for hot noodles.

I like to toss my corn in a bit of oil, chili powder, and paprika and char it in a skillet for extra flavor before adding it to my dish.

Fried eggs are an easy topping.

Eggs frying in pan — Fried eggs can also add protein to your noodles.

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Crack an egg into a hot skillet while you cook your noodles. You can even add a drizzle of chili crisp to it for good measure and added flavor.

In the few minutes it takes to make your noodles, the egg should be cooked perfectly with just-set whites and a soft yolk.

Not only is a a fried egg tasty on top of noodles, but also it’s an easy way to add protein to your meal.

Add protein with premade sausage or meatballs.

Cup of noodles with sausage, peppers — Add whatever protein you have on hand.

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Another way to add protein to your noodle dish is with premade sausages or meatballs.

Crisp up a chicken, pork, or beef sausage on the stovetop or in the air fryer and slice it over your noodles. Or, pan-fry frozen meatballs, cut them up, and mix them into your dish.

Shredded rotisserie chicken is especially good in brothier noodles.

Shredded rotisserie chicken on cutting board — Rotisserie chicken is versatile.

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I love picking up a $5 rotisserie chicken at Costco, which can be especially tasty in noodle dishes.

Finely shredded rotisserie chicken is best in especially brothy noodles. It mixes in nicely and adds hearty protein to every bite.

Shrimp is one of my go-to add-ons.

Cooked shrimp on top of noodles in bowl — Shrimp can keep pretty well in the freezer.

Lizzy Briskin

Shrimp are just as easy to keep on hand as instant noodles since they freeze well and defrost in a snap.

Steam, sauté, roast, or poach them while your noodles cook, then add them on top for a more well-rounded meal.

Frozen dumplings can help turn your noodles into a new dish.

Dumplings being boiled in water — Frozen dumplings, wontons, or gyoza can be tasty in ramen.

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Try adding your frozen wontons to your noodles. Potstickers or gyoza can also work, and any filling (veggie, pork, chicken) is fine.

The wontons can absorb some of the flavor of the broth, turning the simple ramen packet into more of a hearty wonton-noodle soup.

Add sautéed greens.

Basket of bok choy — Bok choy can be tasty in noodle dishes.

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You can grab your favorite Asian greens, like Chinese broccoli or bok choy, or spinach and kale.

If you’re making noodles on the stove, add the greens to the boiling water for the final minute of cooking until just wilted.

If not, cook your greens separately in a skillet before adding them to your noodles.

Cheese can make the noodles creamier.

Cheesy noodles being pulled with chopsticks — Cheese can add a creaminess to basic noodles.

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A slice or a handful of melty cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, American, or mozzarella can transform simple instant noodles into a creamy, comforting dish.

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