This Korean cheese ramen recipe combines spicy instant ramen with milk and cheese to create a creamy and delicious comfort meal. It's super easy to make and comes together in less than 10 minutes.
Pair this with my Gochujang Enoki Mushrooms for the spiciest meal of your life! You'll need a refreshing drink like my HK Lemon Tea to cool you down.
If you're up to date on the latest Tiktok food trends, then you've probably heard of the Fire Noodle Challenge, a social media trend where people post videos of them eating Samyang instant noodles, the world's spiciest instant ramen.
I decided to try Samyang instant ramen for the first time last December, and trust me; they were the spiciest instant noodles I've ever had. This recipe mellows out some of the spice to create a more balanced flavor. It's still really spicy, but it's much more toned down and with additional cheesiness and creaminess.
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🍜 What is Korean Cheese Ramen?
Korean cheese ramen is an instant ramen dish that combines instant Korean ramen with cheese or milk. Typically, it's made with Samyang or Ottogi brands, particularly their carbonara or cheese flavors.
Milk helps to mellow out the spiciness of the ramen, while the cheese adds a creaminess and richness to the noodles.
🌶 What is Samyang instant ramen?
Samyang instant ramen is a famous brand of instant noodles from South Korea. It's most famous for its spicy/hot chicken flavor, Buldak. Samyang has gained a cult following amongst content creators and foodies for its intense and spicy flavors.
Samyang is sold as a dried instant noodle with various packets of seasoning and toppings. Some of its most popular flavors are Buldak, Carbonara, and Hot curry.
🧂 Ingredients
- Samyang ramen: I like to use Buldak or Carbonara flavors, but you can use whatever flavor you want; they all taste delicious.
- Milk: Any milk will work, 1%, 2%, or homogenized; milk helps mellow out the spiciness.
- Processed cheese: Preferably white cheese like mozzarella; it adds a ton of creaminess to the ramen.
🔪 Instructions
STEP 1: Boil 2 cups of water in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add instant ramen and cook for 1.5 minutes until noodles are loosened up but still semi-firm. Strain boiling liquid into the sink while leaving about two tablespoons still in the pot.
STEP 2: Add milk and seasoning packets to the pot. Mix well, then place back on the stove and bring to a simmer.
STEP 3: When the ramen begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low, add one slice of processed mozzarella cheese, and mix well.
STEP 4: Cook for 30 seconds or until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
💭 Top Tips
- Add additional milk or water to get the best consistency of the sauce. The noodles should flow freely and not stick to each other. Add extra milk or water, one tablespoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency.
- Don't overcook the ramen! Usually, ramen packages overstate the cooking time, and the noodles end up soft and mushy. Instead, follow my instructions and cook in the boiling water for 1.5 minutes.
👨🏻🍳 Extra Toppings
- Fried egg: Fry an egg on medium-high heat until the bottom is brown and crispy, and serve it on top of Korean cheese ramen.
- Corn: Stir fry ½ cup of frozen corn kernels and add it to the ramen after the cheese melts. It adds a nice crunchy texture and a touch of sweetness.
- Green onions: Thinly slice a scallion and sprinkle it on top to add freshness.
- Nori: Cut strips of nori and sprinkle on top. Nori adds a toasty umami and slight sweetness to the ramen.
- Kimchi: Add sliced kimchi to add pops of brightness and crunchiness.
📖 Recipe FAQs
The cheese used in instant cheese ramen is typically an artificial powder that contains a combination of cheese flavors such as cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan.
However, most Korean cheese ramen recipes will add extra processed cheese to add creaminess.
Samyang Buldak 3x spicy is the spiciest instant ramen, with an estimated Scoville heat rating of approximately 13,000—the same spiciness as some Serrano peppers.
Samyang ramen is widely available in many grocery stores, Asian markets, and online retailers like Amazon. I buy mine from Walmart for about ~$8 for a pack of 4.
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📋 Recipe
Korean Cheese Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 package Samyang ramen
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 slice processed cheese
Instructions
- Open package of Samyang ramen and set aside seasoning packets.
- Boil 2 cups of water in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add instant ramen and cook for one minute until noodles are loosened up but still semi-firm. Strain boiling liquid into the sink while leaving about two tablespoons still in the pot.
- Add milk and seasoning packets to the pot. Mix well, then place back on the stove and bring to a simmer.
- When the ramen begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low, add one slice of processed cheese, and mix well. Cook for 30 seconds until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
- Add additional milk or water to get the best consistency of the sauce. The noodles should flow freely and not stick to each other. Add extra milk or water, one tablespoon at a time, until you get the desired consistency.
- Don't overcook the ramen! Usually, ramen packages overstate the cooking time, and the noodles end up soft and mushy. Instead, follow my instructions and cook in the boiling water for 1.5 minutes.
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