If You Have Parmesan Cheese And Minced Garlic, Transform Instant Ramen Into A Filling Italian-Style Dish
From busy weeknights to midnight snacks, nothing hits quite like a bowl of instant ramen. This tried-and-true workhorse of a meal is known for its convenience and heartiness ... although not necessarily for its impressivo. Happily, with one simple yet transformative ramen upgrade, there's a quick way to remedy ramen's "it'll do" reputation and pack that packet with Italian-style culinary flair. Introducing: creamy garlic Parmesan noodles. Fragrant, luscious, and surprisingly elevated, this dish is all about the interplay of pungent garlic and sharp, salty Parmesan. Perhaps best of all, it only requires a handful of extra ingredients and no extra dishes to wash, making sure that convenience-based instant ramen stays (as intended) convenient. There's only one pan to wash after dinner.
To make it, start by sauteing some minced garlic in a hot pan with olive oil. Then, add a splash of heavy cream and chicken stock to the pan alongside the aromatics, and place the dry ramen noodle puck in the cooking liquid (you can save the included seasoning packet for another use). As the noodles hydrate, gently break the puck apart using a spatula, topping the noodles with a generous layer of shaved Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. At this point, any additional herbs or spices such as chopped fresh parsley, dried oregano, or red chile flakes can be added into the mix, if desired. The pan sauce will continue to thicken as it cooks, coating each strand in velvety, creamy, cheesy flavor. From there, simply plate your creamy garlic Parmesan noodles and serve.
Creamy garlic Parmesan noodles
For a heartier dish, feel free to incorporate a protein element like grilled chicken, fennel sausage, or roasted vegetables. The toothy texture and vegetal flavor of charred asparagus would pair fabulously here, as would the chewy funk of wood ear mushrooms. You could even toss in some shredded rotisserie chicken for ultra-convenient prep. Or, lean into the dish's Italian style by pairing your creamy garlic Parmesan noodles with a side plate of prosciutto, capicola, and expressive soppressata. These flavorful cured Italian meats would lend textural intrigue to the mouthfeel between tender bites of ramen.
To complete the meal, the richness of these creamy garlic Parmesan noodles would be aptly complemented by a fresh, minimal green side salad. A simple Caesar salad, for instance, would further emphasize the Parmesan notes in the ramen, while the savory anchovy dressing would enhance the existing umami notes from the garlic. To drink, a glass of chilled, full-bodied Chardonnay would cut through the richness of the cream sauce. Or, if red wine is more your style, opt for a Barolo, which offers the robust tannic structure and earthy profile to balance this umami-bomb ramen. Bonus points if you throw on a Maria Callas record while you chow down on this Italian opera-worthy dish, which comes together in minutes.
CREAMY GARLIC PARMESAN NOODLES 🍜 This is episode 3 of Noodles Everyday! It's a really simple, one pot creamy noodle dish that I could eat on repeat! I hope you love it 💛 Full recipe on my website (link in bio) or just search "garlic parmesan noodles myriad recipes" 🔥 #noodles #ramen #easyrecipe