I wanted to challenge myself to eat soup once a day for 30 days in an attempt to replace some of my less healthy meal choices. Instant Ramen, was pretty much the only soup we had around growing up. Many traditional cultures have incorporated soup as part of a healthy lifestyle. Instant Ramen is not traditional, it is very modern, full of questionable preservatives and flavor enhancers to make it shelf-stable.
I remember cutting it out after college due to it’s lack of any real nutritional benefits.
Is Instant Ramen Soup Healthy?
Instant Ramen Noodle Soup is not healthy. Instant Ramen Noodles contain high levels of sodium, saturated fat, and harmful preservatives.
Make Healthier Ramen at Home
Nutritous Alternatives to Ramen Noodles
Some people substitute Ramen Noodles for Veggie noodles. I perfer to stick with a grain-based noodle. My go-to Ramen Noodle Substitute is Brown Rice & Millet Ramen. I’ve been able to find it in whole foods and costco. It definitely carries a higher price tag than instant ramen but it is worth it.
Some people use veggie noodles as a ramen substitute. That just doesn’t cut it for me. I definitely add veggies to my ramen noodle soup, but I like actual noodles in ramen noodle soup. I’ll discuss how I easily add veggies to my ramen a little further down.
If you want to use veggie noodles in place of ramen noodles, there are some great options. I have seen beet noodles, carrot noodles and zucchini noodles. I am often able to find great options on prime now and instacart.
Healthy Broths for Ramen Noodles
If you go with the Brown Rice and Millet Ramen Noodles DO NOT cook them in the broth. I prepare them separately and add them to the broth. The Brown Rice and Ramen Noodles leave behind A LOT of starch in the water, leaving the cooking liquid very chalky and almost paste like.
I like Ramen Noodle Soup as a quick easy appetizer/snack to get me through the gap from Lunch to Dinner. As such I use prepared broth. My favorites are frozen bone broth from the grocery store or boxed low sodium
Add Flavor to Ramen without the Packet
The salt packet that comes with ramen is full of salt and preservatives. It is arguably the most flavorful part of ramen soup. Trying to add that flavor back in without
Ginger, Braggs Aminos/Soy Sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil all pack great flavor. Scallions work great too.
Healthy Add ins for Homemade Ramen
I like to add “slaw” blends to my Ramen for a quick easy addition of vegetables. I either buy traditional cole slaw mix (a blend of carrots)and cabbage) or broccoli slaw ( a blend of brocolli and carrots). THese blends are pre shredded and I pick them up mostly from whole foods.
My Super Quick and Easy Brown Rice Ramen Recipe
I use Brown Rice Noodles from Costco, Frozen Veggies from the freezer, coleslaw mix, and low sodium vegetable broth to create a decent homemade Healthy Ramen. This is not Take Out Ramen quality just a step above instant ramen in terms of health benefits and flavor.
It is important to cook the brown rice noodles separate from the broth you will eat the noodles in. The brown rice noodles are very starchy and the water that it leaves behind is very pasty. Not a good addition to a homemade bowl of Ramen.
- Using an electric kettle to bring water to a boil.
- Place Ramen noodle Square in a bowl deep enough to cover with water
- Use boiling water from the kettle to cook the noodles for about 5 minutes
- Meanwhile over on the stove, I warm up some of the frozen veggies and broth.
- Now it’s time to add the flavor, garlic powder, minced garlic, ginger, scallions, or a few shakes of soy sauce, and chili sauce are great additions to the soup.
- Then I top it off with the pre-shredded cabbage mix for a little texture and a veggie boost.
- Leftover shredded or diced chicken can also add a great flavor boost.
