Carbonara Ramen
There's a reason carbonara has been a favorite for generations. With just eggs, Parmesan, black pepper, and bacon or pancetta, you get a rich, silky sauce without adding cream or butter. It's simple, quick to make, and tastes like something you'd order at your favorite Italian restaurant.
Swap the pasta for ramen, and it works surprisingly well.
Ramen noodles are slightly springier than pasta, so they grab onto the sauce really well. Every bite gets coated with the egg, cheese, and black pepper, while the crispy bacon adds just the right amount of crunch. It's the kind of meal you make when you're craving something a little more indulgent but don't want to spend half an hour in the kitchen.
For this recipe, we start with Mike's Mighty Good Chicken Bone Broth Ramen. The organic steamed noodles hold their texture much better than fried instant noodles, so they don't go soft once they're tossed in the sauce. The broth is made with chicken bone broth, which adds another layer of savory flavor, along with extra protein. It's also made without seed oils or palm oil and uses antibiotic-free chicken ingredients, so you're starting with base that’s worth building on.
The rest of the recipe is probably already sitting in your fridge.
Cook a couple of slices of bacon until they're crisp, then leave a little of the bacon fat in the pan. It adds loads of flavor and helps coat the noodles later. While the bacon cooks, whisk together an egg, freshly grated Parmesan, and plenty of cracked black pepper. That's your sauce.
Cook the ramen according to the package directions, using about half of the seasoning packet. Before draining the noodles, save a few tablespoons of the hot cooking liquid. You'll need it in a minute.
The only part that needs a little attention is the egg. If it gets too hot, you'll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce. That's why it's worth whisking a little of the hot noodle water into the egg mixture first. It gently warms everything up before it hits the noodles.
Once the noodles are cooked, turn the heat off completely. Add the noodles to the pan with the bacon, pour over the egg and cheese mixture, and keep tossing. The heat from the noodles does all the work, melting the cheese and thickening the egg into a sauce that coats every strand. If it looks too thick, stir through another splash of the reserved noodle water until it loosens up.
Finish with a little more Parmesan, another crack of black pepper, and some sliced scallions if you have them. Chili flakes are great too if you like a bit of heat.
It's amazing what a few everyday ingredients can do to a cup of ramen. In the time it would take to wait for takeaway, you've got something creamy, peppery, packed with flavor, and just a little bit over the top—in the best way.
Ingredients
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1 cup Mike’s Mighty Good Chicken Bone Broth Ramen
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2 slices bacon, chopped
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1 large egg
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¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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½ seasoning packet from the ramen cup
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Fresh cracked black pepper
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2–3 tablespoons hot ramen cooking liquid
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Optional: sliced scallions or chili flakes for topping
Instructions
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Cook the bacon.
In a small skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove from heat and leave the bacon and a small amount of fat in the pan. -
Prepare the carbonara mixture.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg, Parmesan cheese, and several cracks of black pepper until smooth. -
Cook the ramen.
Prepare the ramen noodles according to the package instructions, using about half of the seasoning packet. Before draining, reserve about ¼ cup of the hot noodle liquid. -
Drain the noodles.
Drain most of the liquid from the ramen, leaving just a small amount clinging to the noodles so they stay hot. -
Temper the egg mixture.
Slowly whisk 1–2 tablespoons of the hot ramen liquid into the egg and cheese mixture. This warms the egg and prevents it from scrambling. -
Combine everything.
Add the hot noodles to the skillet with the bacon (with the heat turned off). Pour the egg mixture over the noodles and toss quickly until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the noodles. -
Adjust the sauce.
If the noodles seem too thick, add another tablespoon of the reserved hot ramen liquid and toss until glossy. -
Finish and serve.
Top with extra Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and scallions if desired. Serve immediately.
