Instant ramen doesn’t have to be served as a soup. Think of the noodles as an ultra-quick shortcut ingredient to any noodle bowl you can dream up. Take this seasonal, spicy noodle bowl made with zucchini and chili crisp, for example. The soft zucchini forms an umami-rich, vegetable-packed sauce for the springy noodles when tossed with chili crisp and ramen seasoning mix. It’s a far cry from what you’d get following the ramen’s package directions, and still comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Turn pounds of grated zucchini into a saucy noodle topping in about 20 minutes
Cooking zucchini transforms its texture from firm to silky and soft, melting down 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of the vegetable into a more reasonable couple of cups, the perfect amount for four servings of noodles. Instead of slicing and dicing the zucchini, grate it on the large holes of a box grater or the grater attachment of a food processor. Grating the zucchini into small pieces speeds up the cooking time a bit, making it possible to finish the saucy topping in about 20 minutes.
Chili crisp does double duty as both a cooking oil and flavor booster
Most of the flavor in this recipe comes from chili crisp, which does double duty. First, use two tablespoons of the oil (without the solids) to cook the zucchini. Once the zucchini is fully softened, stir in the solids to add more heat and complexity. If you want even more heat, drizzle each bowl of noodles with additional chili crisp before serving.
Use ramen seasoning packets instead of salt for deep umami notes
While you could certainly use salt to season the zucchini, there’s an umami-packed element hiding in the ramen package — the soup seasoning packet. No matter the flavor, these are loaded with ingredients like bouillon that immediately add a depth of flavor to the zucchini. If you’d like this dish to be vegan or vegetarian, make sure to read the label on the ramen package before using; many contain animal or fish ingredients.
Keep in mind that there is usually so much salt in each packet that one of them should be plenty for the entire skillet. Season to taste with additional packets if you’d prefer.
Lime and mint add zippy, bright flavor to ramen noodles
To balance out the heat and richness of the chili crisp, add zippy acidity from lime zest and juice and bright, cooling flavor from fresh mint. Stir the lime zest and juice directly into the zucchini, then serve the noodles with additional wedges at the table. Mint should be generous — a packed quarter cup — and added right before serving to maintain its freshness.
Credit: Aaliyah Man
Credit: Aaliyah Man
Chili Crisp Zucchini Ramen Noodles
- 3 tablespoons chili crisp oil, oil and solids divided, plus more for serving
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 large), grated on the large holes of a box grater
- 4 (4- to 5-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles (any flavor), seasoning packets reserved
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 limes, divided
- 1/4 packed cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- Heat the chili crisp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the grated zucchini and one ramen seasoning packet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and saucy, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the ramen noodles and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, then drizzle in the sesame oil. Toss the noodles to coat in the sesame oil, then divide between four serving bowls.
- When the zucchini is soft, stir in the zest and juice of 1 lime and half the chili crisp solids. Season to taste with additional ramen seasoning.
- Top the noodles with the zucchini mixture and the mint. Drizzle with remaining chili crisp solids and/or additional chili crisp, if desired. Slice the remaining lime into wedges for garnish. Serve, stirring the zucchini into the noodles as you eat.
Serves 4.
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