For those who eat Ramen noodles do you drain them before eating?

No

Soup

Soup, plus often add vegetables.

No, never. It’s essentially broth much like bouillon, plus noodles. It’s all meant to go in. I often add vegetables too.

If I make them at home from a package, I drain it. Or just leave it in the bowl, but not eat it.

If I’m eating at a restaurant, I’ll eat the broth.

No, unless you bought the noodles solo and are just cooking them up in salt water for a dish without broth. Usually, Ramen is soup. I sometimes add additional things to the soup. Veggies, egg, meat.

I add half the package of salt/spice to the noodles and then eat the whole thing.

I drain them and eat them as noodles.

I feel sorry for folks who can’t get real, good ramen. The fresh noodles and broth are so good.

Yes. I drain them.

@Hawaii_Jake, we can get good fresh ramen in a few places here, but not really for the home market.

Not completely. Leaving some hot soup keeps the noodles hot. What’s left can be poured out after the noodles have been slurped.

I’m surprised that anyone even thought of throwing the broth away. I’ve made many a quick quasi-meal out of just a cup of bouillon. The noodles are a plus.

^^^ I hate the taste of the flavor packets, and most commercial bouillons too. Yuck.

I make Mac n Cheese out of them. Really good. Unique.

@canidmajor, I don’t like them much either, but a cup of bouillon is marginally better than a cup of warm water when you have neither the time nor the appetite for anything else.

@Dutchess_III, how do you do that?

I’m shocked how many people throw out the broth.

I boil up the noodles then drain. Then add some Velveeta, milk and butter. Mix on low heat until melted.
I don’t use the bullion packet.

I sometimes drain the noodles after cooking, then stir in the flavor packet. And sometimes I eat it as soup. I like what used to be called Oriental best; now they call it SoySauce.

@JLeslie why do you assume that those of us who drain them cook them in broth? I mostly use them when I want a quick batch of noodles, not as a soup. And the flavor packets are really unappealing to my taste.

@canidmajor Well, ramen is typically a dish served with the broth. That’s why it comes with the noodles and flavor packet and the cooking directions are to eat it all together, and if you order ramen in any restaurant you will get broth. Otherwise, it’s just a noodle dish not a ramen dish.

I actually think the broth in the 30¢ packets is subpar and too salty myself. There are Ramens that are more expensive and better. I add mushrooms that absorb some of the salt, and some other veggies.

My husband’s family buys a noodle soup that they cook off all the water and eat it as dry noodles. It’s a tomato noodle soup. Knorr fideo tomate.

Well, @JLeslie, considering the source of the Q, and the fact that a lot of American households have a few packets around for a quick carb event (I have literally never seen anyone who orders ramen or pho or whatever in a restaurant dump the broth) I am surprised that you would liken a packet of, essentially, insta-food to a fine-dining experience.

@canidmajor Ramen is often a fast food or quick service. It also is offered in table service restaurants, but to consider it part of fine dining is a stretch even though ramen might be offered in a fine dining establishment. Kind of like you can get a hamburger at fine dining.

Well, gosh, @JLeslie, I had no idea you were sp passionate about ramen noodles.

For those that care about the sodium, the noodles themselves are very high in that.

Not to mention the broth! But my doc said I need more sodium.

Since fiber is a priority for me, I’ll choose brown rice over noodles whenever it’s available.

@YARNLADY @Jeruba

If I was going to have ramen noodies, I’d also add veggies. :)

What veggies would you add?

For me it would be broccoli, onions, carrots, and celery.

@canidmajor I’m not passionate about ramen. Where did you get that from? You’re coming after me like I’m an idiot, but I’m not. Sorry to disappoint you. I didn’t make any judgement about people who throw out the broth, I only said I was surprised.

Some higher end restaurants have elevated ramen, but like most soups in most cultures it’s the food of peasants. I love soup, I don’t say that with any negativity, but rather as an expression. Broth from the leftover bones, or cook the chicken in a pot and then you have soup and chicken for dinner. Scraps of veggies before they go bad, soup is a way to use everything and to help stay warm.

I often do. Then I add cream cheese because that’s how I ate ramen as a child, and it’s delicious.

Ramen with cream cheese!
Fascinating.

^ Another fan? If not, try it. You’ll see.

I’ve tried it with regular pasta before. Now I need to try it with ramen!

It’s 300% better.

@Brian1946, just about anything. Often it’s some little amount left over from a meal. A few sauteed mushrooms, a handful of peas, some zucchini or broccoli, whatever. If it’s big, I chop it up. Usually if I have some fresh onion I’ll chop it well and put it into the water at the start.

A sliced hard-boiled egg is another welcome addition.

For things already cooked, I’ll wait until nearly done and add to the boiling water. I do like to include raw spinach, chopped a little, which I’ll just put into the bowl before pouring the broth and noodles in. That’s enough time and heat to cook it just slightly, so it’s not crunchy.

@longgone, stirred in, dissolved, and creamy, or just a lump or a bunch of little lumps? Not picturing it.

Had it for lunch, dried mushrooms (five different kinds) and small chunks of Spam (about a fourth of a tin). Condiments include Chinese mustard, Sriracha (yellow), soy sauce, toasted Sesame oil and lime juice.

Soup. I slurp up every bit of the package. Gotta’ get my money’s worth.
That cream cheese idea is fascinating. What about butter? Hmmm…

@Brian1946 I nearly always have an assortment of cooked vegetables, I just add what ever is around.

omg he said the “s” word!

@Jeruba Stirred in with a few spoonfuls of broth until the noodles are coated in a creamy sauce!