I Tried This Popular Recipe for Spicy Garlic Creamy Ramen and It’s Now One of My Favorite Ways to Have Ramen

Before I hit what I consider to be “peak ramen taster” level, my journey began with one particular version that many of us know and love: instant ramen. Now, though, as my taste buds have grown, I see myself as a sort of connoisseur of the traditional ramens like shoyu, miso, tonkotsu, shio, Wakayama. Out of my preferred lineup, however, my favorite happens to be tonkotsu ramen, due to its delicious pork bone broth and richness. And as any ramen-lover will tell you, it’s the broth that makes the dish come alive.

Personally, I feel as if the broth is what makes or breaks your ramen and I usually try to avoid options that are broth-less. After my discovery of spicy garlic creamy ramen, though, my perspective shifted a bit. With this particular dish being broth-less, I was a little hesitant to try it, but after seeing creator Hajar Larbah‘s delicious-looking final product, my desire to make that move and try it out was activated. And that’s exactly what I did.

Get the recipe: Spicy Creamy Garlic Ramen

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your choice noodles according to package instructions. For this recipe, I opted to use a pack of instant egg noodles that I found at my local Asian market (but Larbah used this brand). In a medium saucepan, add unsalted butter and olive oil over medium heat. 

Next, add finely minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. The tomato paste will darken in color from a bright red to dark reddish color. Then, add ginger paste, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and low-sodium soy sauce. Mix well and then add 3/4 cup heavy cream and mix until smooth. Simmer on low heat for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Your next step will call you to add in grated Parmesan, red pepper, and parsley finely chopped and mix again until it is all melted into the sauce. Toss in the cooked noodles and mix to evenly coat. While you can have this as it is, I opted to add in steak for the protein. And lastly, top it off with green onions and sesame seeds or Parmesan!

As a self-proclaimed proud ramen connoisseur, I will be the first to say this recipe puts a new spin on how I now view ramen. I love the creaminess and spice that the sauce added to the noodles.

Topping this dish off with freshly grated Parmesan also really made this dish stand out amongst the crowd of others. Now I can say this dish is one of my favorite ramen recipes to prepare. The only improvement I would make about this dish is having it become more broth-based, but that wouldn’t make it a creamy ramen anymore, would it? With that being my only grievance (and it’s totally due to preference), it’s safe to say I enjoyed this dish and would make it again as a quick midweek dinner or snack. 

1. Roast your garlic. To have a more prominent taste, roast your garlic in the air fryer or oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes (instead of mincing your garlic). 
2. Likewise, roast your red bell peppers. Roasting your red bell peppers in the air fryer or oven, too, until slightly charred will bring more color and flavor to your dish.
3. Opt for fresh Parm over packaged. Using freshly grated Parmesan makes your dish creamier and richer in taste.