My Favorite Convenient, Single-Serving Meal of All Time

By far, my favorite single-serving meal is ramen. It’s convenient and just the right amount of food – not to mention, totally customizable. If I could, I would eat it for every single meal. It’s hard to get bored when there are tons of brands and flavors to choose from – one of my go-tos is Nongshim’s Gourmet Spicy Shin Ramyun. But since a bowl comprised only of noodles and broth is not a very well-balanced meal (as much as I’d like to believe it is), here's how to bulk up your next packet of instant ramen. Try any combination of these tried-and-true toppings:

Cheese

Trust me on this. Cheese and spicy ramen, especially, are a match made in heaven. Top a bowl of hot noodles with a slice of American cheese right before serving and watch it melt right in. Shredded cheese works just as well.

Sriracha

Sriracha pretty much belongs on everything, ramen included.

Egg

There are so many ways to add an egg to your noodles. Fry one up and lay it on top of a finished bowl. Or soft boil one and slice it in half like they do at the restaurants. Or just crack a raw one into piping hot bowl (the broth will cook the egg) and swirl it into the soup for a creamier, more protein-packed meal.

Kimchi

This spicy fermented cabbage adds some zing (and probiotics) to super savory broths.

Spam

Slices or strips of Spam bring satisfying heft to your meal while keeping things quick and convenient.

Bacon

But if Spam isn’t your style, try strips of bacon or bacon bits.

Garlic

Garlic can do no wrong. Add minced garlic to amp up the flavor of powder seasoning. Garlic powder works, too.

Ginger

All it takes is a few thin strips of fresh ginger or a dash of ground ginger to crank up spiciness.

Scallion

While there’s probably already some dried scallions in that seasoning packet, a small handful of fresh, sliced scallion will brighten the taste of your ramen.

Enoki Mushroom

A small bunch of Enoki mushrooms will bring your instant meal a little closer to what you could get at a restaurant.

Bok Choy

Drop bok choy into the pot while your noodles boil, and serve with the finished bowl.

Corn

Fresh cooked corn off the cob, or corn straight from the can, is so easy to drop into your broth. Corn won’t drastically change the flavor of your ramen, but it can bring some much-needed texture.

Sesame Oil

Think of a splash of sesame oil as a little extra hit of umami.

Peanut Butter

A spoonful of peanut butter might sound strange, but it’s the base of a makeshift peanut sauce. Reserve a bit of noodle water to thin out the PB before serving.

Butter

Kylie Jenner does it. Butter, garlic powder and an egg.

Related Links:

A Very Basic Guide, If You Really Don’t Know How to Cook

What Food Did Kylie Jenner Order Before Giving Birth?

This Kitchen Appliance Is My Secret to Easy, Single-Serving Meals