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Spicy ramen anyone? Instant ramen noodles are coated in a full-flavored, spicy sauce in this delicious, quick, and easy buldak ramen recipe. It only takes 10 minutes to make and will absolutely thrill your taste buds.
Everyone loves ramen, right? It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s quick, and you can dress it up in a million different ways. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a quick lunch. If you get as excited about ramen as I do and if you are a fan of a little heat on your taste buds, this recipe is for you.
Buldak ramen takes instant ramen to the next level with a full-flavored, spicy sauce that stars a fermented Korean chili paste called gochugaru. It is sweet, tangy, and spicy all at the same time. The delicious sauce thoroughly coats perfectly cooked noodles making for a zippy bite. Top it off with a runny egg and you’re off to the races.
What is Buldak Ramen?
In Korean cuisine, the word “buldak” translates to “fire chicken”. The dish is, as its name suggests, a spicy chicken entree. Buldak ramen takes that concept and turns it into a noodle dish that is absolutely packed with flavor and spice. No chicken in this recipe (aside from the bullion in the sauce) but it certainly takes me back to the dish it gets its name from.
Why You’ll Love this Spicy Noodle Recipe
Everyone knows that I’m a sucker for a fast, tasty recipe. This buldak ramen does the trick. Compile that with the fact that it is absolutely packed with flavor and a blast to customize and I’m sold. Here’s why I love this noodle dish (and why I think you will too).
- Quick and easy. Delicious noodles in just 10 minutes? How could you say no to that? Just whip up a quick sauce, boil some ramen, and throw it all together. It’s as simple as that.
- Full of flavor. These deeply savory, spicy noodles will have your taste buds oo-ing and ahh-ing with every bite. Sure they are spicy but this dish also brings a beautiful hint of sweetness and a nice umami to the table. Is your mouth watering yet?
- Customizable. This simple noodle dish serves as a wonderful base for a variety of toppings. Really make it your own by adding your favorite veggies, proteins, etc. See the section below titled “Ramen Topping Ideas” for some of my favorites.
What You’ll Need
Here is a list of ingredients required to make this simple buldak ramen. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe below for exact measurements.
- Instant ramen noodles – Discard the seasoning packet as the sauce will bring enough flavor.
For the sauce
- Gochujang – Look for a mild gochujang.
- Gochugaru – If you can’t find gochugaru at your local market, feel free to use conventional chili powder instead.
- Low-sodium soy sauce – Feel free to use coconut aminos if your body does not tolerate soy.
- Chicken bouillon – You can use a paste or powdered bouillon here.
- Rice vinegar
- Garlic powder
- Granulated sugar
- Toasted sesame oil
How to Make Buldak Ramen
Throw together a sauce, boil some noodles, and put it all together. That’s all it takes. Here is a basic rundown on how to make these spicy ramen noodles. Scroll to the recipe below for more detailed instructions.
- Make the sauce. Mix together the ingredients for the sauce. You should end up with a thick paste.
- Boil and drain the ramen noodles. Make sure to reserve the ramen water.
- Put it all together. In a large bowl, add the sauce to the noodles and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add the ramen water until you achieve the consistency you are looking for.
- Top it off. Fry up a sunny side up egg and lay it over the saucy ramen. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and you’re good to go.
Tips For Success
This simple ramen recipe is easily tackled by pretty much any level of culinary mastery. That being said, here are a few tips and tricks that will get you the best buldak ramen possible.
- Toss the seasoning pack. Instant ramen usually comes with a little packet of seasoning. Do not add this to your buldak ramen. There is a good chance the flavors in the packet will conflict with the flavors in the delicious homemade sauce.
- Boil the water fully. It can be tempting to pop the ramen noodles into the pot before the water has come to a full boil. This will cause the noodles to absorb the water, giving them a soggy, unappealing texture. So have patience and let the water boil all the way before adding the noodles.
- Reserve the ramen water. If the sauce is a bit too thick to spread evenly over the noodles. Adding a bit of starchy ramen water will thin out the sauce and help it bind to the ramen. So don’t pour it down the drain.
- Liven it up with some fun toppings. See the following section for a few ideas on toppings. I think it is particularly important to add an egg to this dish. Not only does it make it a more complete meal, but the yolk will add an unparalleled velvety quality to the sauce.
Ramen Topping Ideas
These buldak ramen noodles make a great side dish, but they are also easily dressed up to create a whole meal or at least a delicious, nutritious snack. Here are some of my favorite ways to top buldak ramen.
- An egg. You can add any kind of egg here, but I prefer sunny side up. There is something about the way the yolk breaks over the noodles in a velvety sauce that I just can’t get enough of.
- Sliced scallions for flavor and color.
- Legumes. Add mung beans or edamame for a little extra texture and fiber.
- Protein. Feel free to make this a full, protein-packed meal by adding beef, chicken, pork, or tofu. You could even add my Chicken Katsu [チキンカツ] or Pork Katsu if you’re feeling adventurous.
- Veggies. I love adding sauteed shitake mushrooms to this dish but thinly sliced, sauteed carrots and bell peppers are also a great way to go.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Extras
I would be surprised if you had anything left over here. These noodles are just so tasty and slurpable it’s hard not to swallow them in one sitting. If you do have them, however, you can easily pack leftovers up in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Ready to reheat? Heat a bit of light sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Toss the noodles in the pan and saute until they are heated through. Short on time? Feel free to pop buldak ramen in the microwave for a minute or so until heated through.
More Easy Noodle Recipes
Noodles. There is something so satisfying about saucy, slurpy noodles. This buldak ramen recipe is one of my favorites but if you are looking for something a little less spicy or just a little different, here are a few of my go-to’s.
- Spicy Chili Garlic Noodles
- Drunken Noodles with Chicken
- Cold Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles
- Drunken Noodles with Tofu
- Chilled Sesame Noodles
Buldak Ramen
Ingredients
- 8.4 ounces (238 g) instant ramen noodle packs (2 packs), you can toss the seasoning packet
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang, mild
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru
- 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder or paste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Mix together the ingredients for the sauce. It’ll be a thick paste consistency. Set aside.
- Cook the ramen noodles and save the ramen water.
- Put the cook ramen noodles in a large bowl. Put the sauce on top and toss to coat. Add ramen water to the bowl if you need to thin out the sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Top with sliced scallions and sunny side up fried egg and serve.
