Turn a few simple pantry staples into a satisfyingly delicious Spam ramen meal in minutes. Hearty and filling, you won’t believe that a package of ramen noodles can become a gourmet experience!
The lockdown across most of the country has many people searching for ways to get creative with what they’ve got in the house. Grocery delivery in certain areas may take days or weeks to schedule due to high demand from everyone at home. And if you run to the supermarket to grab more essentials, it’s highly likely you’ve got to make do with what’s left in stock.
You might not think that you can do a whole lot with a can of Spam and a package of ramen noodles, but I’ve got tasty news for you. You can make a robust, savory, and completely soul-soothing meal with these 2 ingredients!
Two soup bases
Below, I’ve included two soup options for you to choose from, depending on what you have in your pantry and fridge. The premise for both is the same, though one uses chicken broth with the addition of soy sauce and sliced green onions to make a fancier version. No worries if you don’t have any broth at home. You can simply use water and the seasoning pack that comes with the instant noodles.
For both, adding green onions as a garnish adds a pop of color and another layer of flavor to the mix.
Cooking process
- Fry an egg according to your preferred doneness.
- Slice the Spam nice and thin, then pan fry it until it takes on an extra crispy texture.
- Boil a pot of soup.
- Cook the ramen according to the instructions on the package.
TIP: If you’re using a nonstick pan, you don’t need to use any oil to fry the Spam. It will render lots of oil and become very crispy. The thinner you slice the Spam, the crunchier the result.
With the crunchy Spam atop the rich soup and tender noodles, complete with a fried egg, it becomes a bowl full of filling flavors and textures. I prefer my fried eggs with a slightly runny yolk to mingle with the rest of the ingredients.
Feeling fancy?
You can leave the Spam ramen at that, though adding a drizzle of toasted sesame oil gives it a little something extra.
And I strongly recommend you take it to the next level with my homemade chili oil. It lends a fragrant and smoky flavor that will change it from an ordinary budget pantry item into an extraordinary gourmet meal.
If you have extra time, put my easy soy sauce eggs on top of your noodles!
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10-Minute Spam Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 package Instant ramen
- 1 to 2 thin slices Spam (I used 25% less sodium Spam)
Option1: Luxury Soup
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 green onions , chopped and separated
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Option 2: Easy & Hearty Soup
- 2 cups water (or the amount of water according to your ramen package instructions)
- Seasoning packages from your instant ramen
Topping options
- 1 egg
- Toasted sesame oil (Optional)
- Homemade chili oil (Optional but highly recommended)
- Chopped green onions for garnish (Optional)
Instructions
Make soup base
- Option 1: Combine the chicken broth, the white part of the green onions, the soy sauce, and the sugar in a small pot. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Turn to medium-low heat to reduce to a simmer.
- Option 2: Bring the water to a boil and add half of the Instant ramen seasoning package (see footnote). Turn to medium-low heat to reduce to a simmer.
Prepare the toppings
- While boiling the ramen broth, add the sliced Spam into a small nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook until the bottom side turns golden brown. Flip to brown the other side. Transfer the cooked Spam to a plate.
- Your pan should have some residual oil rendered from the Spam. Add the egg in the same skillet, cover with a lid and turn to medium-low heat. Cook the egg to your preferred doneness, then transfer it to the plate with cooked Spam.
Assemble
- To cook the instant ramen, turn the stove with the pot of broth to medium-high again to bring the broth back to boiling. Add the ramen and cook according to the instructions. Taste the ramen broth. Add more salt (or seasoning powder) to adjust the seasoning, if needed.
- Once done, immediately transfer the broth and the ramen to a medium-sized bowl. Top with the Spam slices and egg. Drizzle with sesame oil and chili oil, if using. Garnish with the green part of the green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you’re using the seasoning pack that came with the instant noodles, I recommend starting with half the packet of seasoning because it’s intensely salty and can easily overwhelm the dish. I find that adding half creates a good starting point. You can always add more seasoning, but you can’t remove it.
- If there is a packet of dehydrated vegetables and/or one of oil with the ramen, you can add the entire packet of those into the soup, as they’re not likely to overpower the dish.
Nutrition
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
To those who abhor Spam: it is cousin to France ‘s famous ” rillettes – but because it can be sliced, it is more versatile.
Thank you for this clever recipe. Would never have thought of putting in ramen. Now if only they would use less salt. . .
Thank you for sharing your great information. I read your blog daily . It give me so much knowledge and ideas.
Great recipe easy to make and tasty.
Any quick Asian soup like this benefits hugely from adding a splash of fish sauce at the end, and a hearty dose of white pepper. I always add sesame oil and chile paste, but you already covered those! 🙂
I just made this for a quick lunch for my daughters and me. It was SOOOOO good! This time, I cheated and used the flavor packet in the ramen because my homemade bone broth was in the freezer, but it was still amazing! I will be keeping this on rotation for busy nights when I’m driving my youngest to activities and didn’t get a more proper dinner planned. Thank you for this recipe!
This was sooo good!! I used the chicken broth version for the base, really flavorful!! Definitely going to make this again!