Step Up The Umami In Your Ramen With This Unexpected Sauce

Ramen, as well as instant ramen, holds a universal appeal, which is thanks to its ability to be both familiar and versatile. Some of the best ramen noodle recipes are the ones you know by heart, while others you come up with on the spur of the moment with whatever's in the kitchen. Unconventional as it may sound, even marinara sauce can be used to put together a bowl of ramen, and a good one at that.

Without a doubt, ramen is one of the most unexpected ways to use a jar of marinara sauce. Who would've thought that the staple in countless Italian dishes would be just as good in this Japanese classic? Here, it fulfills its usual role of bringing less flavorful ingredients, like noodles, to life with its intense umami taste. Instead of a savory tone like soy sauce or miso, marinara sauce's umami hinges on the tomato's acidic tang and a garlicky brightness. Where lightness and depth typically reside, this sauce sharpens them up with its own layered complexity.

Before you get to the flavors, however, it's the vibrant red sauce that will strike a memorable first impression. The marinara clings to every strand of noodle, thickening the liquid broth into a rich viscosity. Working in tandem with the powerful umami, it gives your ramen a hearty quality that far surpasses what you get with a normal broth or seasoning packet.

Whether you prefer it as a broth or a sauce, marinara works well in both ways when incorporated into ramen dishes. Mixed into a broth, it makes a fantastic start to an Italian-Japanese fusion ramen dish. Since the sauce packs a hefty flavor punch, you'll want to use a lighter base. Chicken broth is always a safe choice, but white miso is how you get pure umami goodness. From there, you can use traditional ramen noodles, instant ramen, or thin-stranded pasta like angel hair or spaghetti. The toppings, of course, vary endlessly between the two cuisines, stretching to ingredients that don't typically appear in ramen. Parmesan cheese suddenly makes perfect sense. The same goes for basil, prosciutto, and other common pasta toppings. Alongside them are soft-boiled eggs, seaweed flakes, shiitake mushrooms, etc. — pretty much any common ramen topping that you prefer.

If it's a saucy ramen you want, those spicy instant ramen noodles sitting in your pantry are the perfect candidate for this marinara twist. You can use the sauce on its own, much like how you normally would with a pasta dish. Of course, that would be letting the seasoning packets and their hidden treasure of umami go to waste. Since the sauce is already plenty flavorful, you will only need to mix about one-third to half with the marinara base, along with a bit of water, garlic, and a pinch of fresh herbs. A few simmering minutes later, and you've got a luscious sauce good enough to toss any ramen in.