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Ramen noodles have helped the lives of many people over the world. From college students, to struggling families, to those who have a tight budget or maybe just don’t feel like going to the grocery store. Cheap Ramen noodle recipes are a life-saver.
When it comes to quick and easy meals that cost little to nothing, ramen noodles are the ultimate recipe.
While they may not be the healthiest option, having them on hand in the pantry for emergencies (or when you’re craving a quick snack) is usually a good idea.
In this article, we will be looking at 32 of the greatest, cheapest ramen noodles recipes you can whip up within the comfort of your own kitchen.
So, let’s get started!
How To Use Ramen Noodles To Create Tasty Meals

While having a stash of ramen noodles may seem like a good way to save money at the time, it can be challenging to figure out how to make them into exciting – or at the very least, not boring – meals.
Yes, you can eat them on their own, but where is the fun in that? Beside the tiny packet of flavoring that may come along with it, you will basically be eating a plain bowl of noodles.
You should add a few of extra components to the mix to guarantee that the end product is a great, worthwhile meal.
Here are a couple of tips that may help you in the long run.
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Try Out Different Brands
Have you been playing it safe with the same, old brand of ramen for as long as you can remember? Why not try experimenting with new ones, testing out some different tastes?
Ramen noodles come with many different flavors of seasoning packs, including chicken, beef, oriental, and kimchi.
If you have been playing it safe with chicken all these years, why not switch it up?
It’s important to remember that the seasoning packs act as a stock, so you could even throw the pack away and use your own stock!
Experiment with different flavors, and who knows? You could discover your very own, unique, homemade favorite flavor of ramen.
Maruchen is a well-known brand of Ramen noodles. You can get this pack of 24 chicken flavored noodles for $9! That is a cheap meal.
Another well known brand with a variety of noodle flavors including hot and spicy is Paldo which you can purchase here on Amazon.
Adding Extra Ingredients
The key to creating not only a tasty meal, but a nutritious meal, is to add plenty of yummy, vitamin-packed veggies. Plus, veggies are inexpensive and easy on the budget.
Here are a couple of vegetables that you should consider adding to your next ramen recipe:
- Mushrooms
- Cilantro
- Celery
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Garlic
Meat and fish are also a great way to pack some protein into your dish, as well as adding some well-deserved flavor.
As long as you’re not a vegetarian, here are some yummy ingredients that will definitely improve your plain, flavorless noodles:
- Chicken
- Pork
- Shrimp
- Beef
Additionally, here are some other ingredients that will never fail to give a plain bowl of ramen noodles some extra flair:
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Peanuts
- Tofu
32 Yummy, Cheap Ramen Noodle Recipes

Below, we have listed 32 tasty ramen noodle recipes that include all four of the meaty/fishy ingredients that we previously mentioned.
We have also included a list of the greatest vegetarian recipes.
So, let’s waste no more time! Let’s dive straight into these delicious, easy-to-make recipes.
Chicken Ramen Noodle Recipes
Chicken-flavored ramen noodles are the favorite of many, even without adding extra ingredients.
However, if you haven’t already, you should definitely consider adding some chicken breast into your noodles to enhance the flavor.
You can incorporate meat and flavors into your cheap Ramen recipes to make it more interesting. You can even just add chicken broth!
Here are some delicious chicken ramen noodles recipes for you to try that are easy on the budget.
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1. Easy Chicken Ramen Noodles

This chicken and ramen meal can be made in 30 minutes! It is very flavorful and with chicken and an egg it is packed with protein.
2. Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup
Delish is an all star recipe site with tons of great stuff to try. This chicken noodle soup with Ramen is comfort food in a bowl.
3. Chicken Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
There are so many options of ways to make stir fry. It is healthy, inexpensive and easy to cook as well! Try this ramen noodle stir fry with chicken for an easy weeknight meal.
4. Slow Cooker Chicken Ramen Noodles
If you are looking for easy recipes to try the slow cooker, or crock pot, is always a winner. Try this cooked ramen noodles recipe in the slow cooker.
If you don’t have a slow cooker or need an upgraded one, try this Instant Pot from Duo Nova that includes a slow cooker function as well as a few other options.
5. Thai Chicken Ramen
For something more exotic, they this Thai flavored instant ramen recipe. It includes a thai green curry paste, coconut milk and crushed peanuts.
6. One Pot Teriyaki Ramen Chicken
Teriyaki is such a great flavor! It really helps the cooked noodles taste more like a restaurant meal. Try this teriyaki one for something unique and quick to put together.
7. Skillet Chicken Ramen Noodles
Only 30 minutes to make this quick meal and cooking it in a skillet gives a whole different flavor to this super cheap chicken dish. Plus it is a good one to use in your meal prep plan.
8. Healthy Chicken Ramen Bowl
Clean eating can still be cheap eating! Love this healthy, noodle bowl recipe with chicken broth. You can cook this entire dish in one pot and in 20 minutes!
Pork Ramen Noodle Recipes

Pork ramen is a staple dish in Japanese culture, and for good reason. The juicy meat does wonders for the flavors of the overall cooked noodles!
If you want to amp up the flavor and protein level of your low cost ramen noodle recipe just add pork.
Once you try pork in your ramen, you probably won’t go back. It turns it into a hearty meal.
Here are some yummy pork ramen noodle recipes.
9. Egg Roll Noodles
Veggies, meat and lots of noodles make this a power packed and tasty ramen recipe. Plus the flavor is like an egg roll!
10. Spicy Pork Ramen Noodle Soup
It only takes 30 minutes to make this spicy and comforting pork and noodle soup. Garlic and ginger provide flavor.
11. Easy Japanese Ramen Noodles
This is a legitimate Japanese recipe. Bean sprouts, spinach, and cabbage are just a few of the healthy veggies in this.
12. Pork Ramen Noodles
Cookiesandcups.com gives lots of options for this pork ramen. Like swapping out the noodles, or making it spicy or sweeter. And, it is an easy one to whip together! She even says you could swap the sauce out for BBQ for different take!
13. Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder Ramen
Another tasty; slow cooker instant ramen meal with pork and a nice soy sauce flavoring. It includes the chicken and pork flavor of traditional Japanese tonkatsu ramen.
14. Spicy Pork Ramen (Ja-Ja Men)
Ja Ja Men in Japanese means fried sauce noodles. This is a delicious, spicy pork dish in a salty and savory sauce.
Shrimp Ramen Noodle Recipes
Instant ramen noodles mixed with some juicy shrimp is another favorite of many, especially with some added smoky bacon and some fresh veggies.
For those in the pescatarian club, these ramen noodle recipes are for you! Shrimp is an excellent way to include protein.
Here are some delicious and cheap shrimp ramen noodles recipes for you to try out.
15. Easy Shrimp Ramen Soup
With sesame oil in it, this is a nice, traditional shrimp ramen soup. Comforting and easy to make! Even though it is a soup, the addition of shrimp makes it feel like a complete meal.
16. Garlic Shrimp Ramen
Garlic, shrimp and broccoli turn instant ramen into a flavor-packed meal everyone will love. Did you know that broccoli has major cancer fighting abilities?
17. 20-Minute Sriracha Shrimp Ramen
Warning, this isn’t for anyone who doesn’t like spice! Sriracha heatens up these shrimp instant noodles.
18. Spicy Shrimp And Ramen Soup
Caramelized shallots, green onions, jumbo shrimp and tons of vegetables make this spicy homemade ramen dish delightful.
19. Chili Lime Shrimp Ramen Noodles
Garlic, ginger, sesame oil, shallots, and chili powder means you can ditch the standard seasoning packet and make a tasty shrimp ramen with spicy lime flavoring.

