By noon today my throat had swollen up so big that I couldn’t swallow and my head was pounding. The sickness was upon me. So, as soon as I got home I started searching for something warm and soothing to eat. A quick scan of my refrigerator showed one lonely egg, some left over spinach, mushrooms and green onions from the salads that I packed for lunch this week and on top of the refrigerator I found my roommates stockpile of ramen noodles. Bingo! A hot soothing bowl of “souped up” ramen! Now, I know I may sound a little like a hypocrite because in my “About Budget Bytes” introduction I spoke of not having to eat ramen noodles every day to stay on a budget. That being said, you can do some pretty delicious things with these humble packages of noodles. This one is great because not only does it increase the nutritional value (if it had any to begin with) but it is an excellent way to use leftover veggies – experiment with whatever you have. Plus, when you’re sick, an easy, hot, soothing and delicious bowl of noodles is just what the doctor ordered!

Total Recipe cost: $1.01

Servings Per Recipe: 1-2 (makes a lot)

Cost per serving: $1.01 (for one serving per recipe)

Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 20 min.

STEP 1: In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, wash and slice your veggies. Once the water is boiling, add the dry noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil about 5 minutes). Add the seasoning packet (or half a packet if you prefer less sodium) and stir until dissolved.

STEP 2: Turn the heat down to medium and stir in all of your fresh veggies. Allow them to sit in the hot (not boiling) broth for 1-2 minutes or until slightly softened.

STEP 3: Make a well in the center of the pot and crack the egg into it. Allow the egg to poach in the broth until the whites are solid but the yolk is still runny. Alternatively, you can break the yolk and stir the pot just slightly to yield egg ribbons like in egg drop soup.

NOTE: The water should not be boiling at this point or else your egg will dissolve into such small pieces that it will just give you a cloudy broth.

STEP 4: Pour the soup into a bowl and serve with a dollop of chili garlic paste on the side.

Step By Step Photos

While you cook the ramen noodles, chop whatever fresh veggies you have on hand.

After the noodles have cooked and you have added the seasoning packet, stir in the veggies and allow them to poach for a minute or so.

Crack the egg into the center of the pot and allow it to poach as well (no picture, please forgive me, I’m sick as a dog!)

I like to leave the yolk runny so that when I finally break it, I get a little shot of creamy yolk heaven!

There are so many good things that you can add to your ramen bowl, don’t be shy. You can try cabbage, sesame seeds, beans, shredded carrots, grilled chicken, shrimp… make it different every time! If you don’t have chili garlic paste, sriracha sauce is also excellent. A sprinkle of sesame oil over top would be even more special. I had a wonderful noodle bowl at a restaurant a while back that came with a side of plum sauce that added an INCREDIBLE flavor to the broth… now I just have to find some to buy somewhere!

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