Ramens are quick soup-style meals often served as lunches. If you eat them every day you should know that ramen noodles are low in calories.
This dish is served in cafes and fast-food restaurants but you can buy it from stores as well. You can choose the best way for you to eat it, because there are many recipes for ramen noodles.
Today we’ll discuss healthy ramen noodle substitutes, including gluten-free options, to help you find the most delicious alternative according to your taste.
Best Ramen Noodle Substitutes
1. Buckwheat Soba Noodles
Buckwheat soba noodles are affordable substitutes for ramen noodles. You can purchase them for less than $3. Buckwheat Soba differs from the so-called Soba noodles. Make sure you buy buckwheat soba noodles as they are healthier and gluten-free. Regular soba noodles contain additives which are not good for your health.
The ingredients you need to make this dish are as follows: Soba noodles, salt, garlic oil, spring onion and water. Boil the noodles in saltwater and then drain them. Season with garlic oil and spring onion.
2. Glass Noodles
Glass noodles are made of several ingredients: sweet potato, mung bean and tapioca. They are transparent, that’s why they are called glass noodles. Compared to some other types of noodles, these are thinner, subtler and softer when cooked. They are served not only instead of ramen noodles but also with soups, stir-fried dishes, spring rolls and hot pots.
You can make this dish if you have glass noodles, soy sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil, sesame seeds and water in hand. First, soak the noodles in hot water for about 10 minutes to make them softer and then drain. They do not need to be cooked in boiling water. Mix the soy sauce and brown sugar together and add to the noodles. You can add other ingredients according to your favorite ramen noodles recipes.
3. Rice Noodles
Rice noodles are other gluten-free substitutes for ramen noodles. They are widely used in Asia for various recipes. You can use them in soups and salads.
When substituting rice noodles with ramen noodles, make sure you cook them properly. In order to make a ramen-like dish with rice noodles you need: rice noodles (vermicelli), ginger, garlic, sesame oil, pepper, sugar and fish sauce.
First, boil the rice noodles in saltwater and drain. Mix the rest of ingredients in the cooking pot and add water. Boil this broth and then add the noodles. At the end, you can add raw vegetables as a garnish.
4. Shirataki Noodles
The so-called konjac noodles or Shirataki noodles are also known as miracle noodles. They are made of the root of a konjac plant. These noodles are popular especially in Japan, China and Southeast Asia. You can consider them as the best low-calorie noodles that can perfectly replace ramen noodles.
You can use shirataki noodles both in hot and cold dishes. In order to make it at home you need: shirataki noodles, salt, water, ginger, garlic, other seasonings or ganish. After boiling and draining you can add vegetables, meat, sauce and cheese depending on your taste.
5. Veggie Noodles
One of the best gluten-free substitutes for ramen noodles are veggie noodles. If you follow a super healthy lifestyle and are looking for the healthiest substitute in this list, then here are veggie noodles for your ramen recipes. They are mostly made of zucchini, carrot, broccoli, sweet potato, and squash.
Cooked veggie noodles offer the flavors of the vegetables included in them. It is quite easy to cook this dish. Boil some water, add the noodles and cook for a minute. You can add spices and fresh vegetables too.
6. Kelp Noodles
Kelp noodles are made of kelp and contain water, sodium alginate and a type of seaweed. This gluten-free substitute is rich in nutrition. You can use them as a great substitute for ramen noodles, pasta as well as in salads, stir-fries and soups.
Take Kelp noodles, scallions, vegetable broth, garlic, ginger, boiled eggs, salt and other spices.
Boil the vegetable broth, add spices and seasonings. Then soak and drain noodles in water for 7-10 minutes. Mix with the rest of the ingredients. Add eggs, sesame seeds and scallions.
7. Wonton Noodles
As for Wonton noodles, they are made of wheat flour and eggs. They are usually served with wonton dumplings and vegetable leaves.
You can use them instead of ramen noodles the following way: boil the noodles in water for about 30 to 40 seconds to cook and make sure you don’t boil them for longer than a minute. Serve with sauces, wontons, green onions and bok choy.
8. Egg Noodles from China
Made of wheat flour, egg, and water, Chinese noodles can be your next choice. Because of the egg they are elastic and also provide your dish with yellow color. You can use them in soups, stir-fries, and many other ramen recipes.
9. Udon Noodles
Udon noodles are made of wheat flour. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. From thin to thick the choice is up to you. You can cook them just the way you cook ramen noodles as they both come with the same basic ingredients and offer a similar flavor.
10. Chow Mein Noodles
Chow mein noodles come from Chinese cuisine and they are quite easy to make at home. You can serve them with vegetables and various sauces which make it more delicious and worth trying.
This is another great substitute for ramen noodles. They come with the same texture and differ only in color. While ramen noodles are white, chow mein noodles are yellow.
11. Lo mein noodles
The thicker version of chow mein noodles are low mein noodles. They offer the same savory taste as ramen noodles and you can use them in dishes that call for ramen noodles. You can serve them with eggs and vegetables.
Lo mein noodles take 3-5 minutes to be cooked but they taste even better when you leave them in the broth for several minutes after cooking.
FAQs on Ramen Noodles
Which are the best gluten-free ramen noodles substitutes?
Ramen is not a gluten-free type of noodles as it’s made of wheat flour. If you are looking for gluten-free substitutes for ramen then here is the list: rice vermicelli, veggie noodles, kelp noodles, shirataki noodles, glass noodles and soba noodles.
How Do Ramen Noodles Taste?
Usually ramen tastes salty without additional spices and flavors. Packaged ramen found at stores usually includes a spice packet which can be added to your noodles while cooking.
Can I use spaghetti noodles instead of ramen noodles?
Yes, you can. Spaghetti is a good alternative to ramen noodles in case you don’t have any of the above-mentioned substitutes in hand.
How to make ramen noodles?
First, add baking soda to warm water. Then add alkaline solution to the flour and knead the dough. You should get a ball-shaped, soft and pliable structured dough. Let it rest for about 30 minutes. Then knead for a few minutes with a rolling pin and use a noodle machine to get long strips of noodles. Now, you can cook it.
Are ramen noodles bad for you?
Eating ramen every day is not recommended because it can increase your risk of heart failure. On the other hand, ramen noodles lack protein, fiber, and many other nutritious minerals and vitamins.
Do ramen noodles expire?
Yes, ramen noodles have an expiration date. However, if you store them properly they can last more than 6 months.
How many calories is in ramen noodles?
Ramen noodles come with 436,2 kcal.
Can dogs eat ramen noodles?
Now, dogs cannot eat ramen noodles as they are too salty and have 0 nutritional value for them.
Summary
There are so many versions of ramen noodles at stores, cafes and restaurants, but you can make them at home too. Ramen is a popular dish. There are many recipes out there and adding different toppings and garnishes will make your dish even better. So, explore more to find out about ramen and don’t forget that there are also so many great ramen noodle substitutes.