Quick 10-Minute Ramen Noodles
These sesame-garlic ramen noodles are coated in a light tan sauce that clings to the strands and pools a little in the bowl—without becoming soup. Thin mushrooms cook with scallion whites and garlic, then fresh scallion greens and black-and-white sesame seeds finish each serving.
Boil the noodles without their seasoning packets and toss them into the skillet sauce as soon as they’re drained. The meal can take about 10 minutes if you use pre-sliced mushrooms, 2- to 3-minute ramen, and a pot of water that boils promptly.
Ingredients for Sesame-Garlic Ramen
- 2 packages quick-cooking ramen noodles, about 3 oz each (170g total); discard the seasoning packets
- 3 oz thinly sliced mushrooms (85g)
- 2 scallions, whites and greens separated and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil
- 3 tablespoons tahini, stirred until smooth (45g)
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup reserved hot noodle water, as needed
- 1 teaspoon pre-toasted black and white sesame seeds
Straight-strand quick-cooking ramen gives you long, loose strands, but standard instant ramen works too. Leave out the seasoning packets: the soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, and sesame provide the seasoning here.
How to Make Quick 10-Minute Ramen Noodles
- Start the water and sauce: Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, whisk the tahini, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar until smooth. The mixture will be thick.
- Cook the mushrooms: Heat the neutral oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and scallion whites. Stir for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms soften. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic, and stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Boil the noodles: While the mushrooms cook, add the ramen to the boiling water. Start checking at the earliest package-specified time; quick-cooking noodles usually take 2 to 3 minutes. When the strands have separated and are just tender, reserve 3/4 cup cooking water and drain promptly.
- Make the sauce: Whisk 1/2 cup of the hot reserved water into the tahini mixture until smooth. Pour it into the skillet and warm briefly over medium-low heat. The sauce should be smooth and pourable, not watery.
- Toss and serve: Add the drained noodles and gently toss until coated. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved water a tablespoon at a time. If it is too thin, keep tossing briefly over medium-low heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Divide between two shallow bowls, spooning the remaining sauce and mushrooms around the noodles. Top with scallion greens and sesame seeds; serve immediately.
How to Keep the Sauce Silky, Not Soupy
Tahini varies in thickness, so start with 1/2 cup of noodle water rather than using the full amount. Add more only until the sauce clings to lifted strands while leaving a little visible around the noodles. Whisking the hot water into the tahini before it reaches the skillet helps keep the sauce smooth.
What Makes the 10-Minute Timing Work?
Use pre-sliced mushrooms and ramen with a 2- to 3-minute package cook time. Mix the sauce while the water heats, then cook the mushrooms while the noodles boil. If the water takes longer to boil or the noodles need more time, allow extra minutes rather than leaving cooked ramen to soften while the skillet catches up.
Small Changes to the Bowl
For heat, add a pinch of chili flakes or a little chili sauce to an individual serving. Vegetarian oyster sauce can replace regular oyster sauce in the same amount. For another take on these flavors, try sesame garlic ramen noodles; for a different creamy sauce, see peanut sesame ramen noodles.
Storing and Reheating
These noodles are best served right after tossing; they soften as they sit. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 2 to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. The noodles will be softer than when freshly made, so freezing is not recommended for texture.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 2 light main-dish servings: 620 calories, 15g protein, 33g fat, and 66g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of finished noodles: 180 calories, 4g protein, 9g fat, and 19g carbohydrates. Values vary with the ramen brand and the amount of water retained in the sauce.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- 10-inch skillet
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Colander
Ingredients
For the noodles and vegetables
- 2 packages quick-cooking ramen noodles, about 3 oz each (170g total), seasoning packets discarded
- 3 oz thinly sliced mushrooms (85g)
- 2 scallions, whites and greens separated and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil
For the sauce and topping
- 3 tablespoons tahini, stirred until smooth (45g)
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup reserved hot noodle water, as needed
- 1 teaspoon pre-toasted black and white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat.
- Whisk the tahini, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl until smooth and thick.
- Heat the neutral oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and scallion whites and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until softened.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- While the mushrooms cook, add the ramen to the boiling water. Cook until the strands separate and are just tender, checking at the earliest package-specified time.
- Reserve 3/4 cup of noodle water, then drain the noodles promptly.
- Whisk 1/2 cup of hot noodle water into the tahini mixture until smooth. Pour the sauce into the skillet and warm briefly over medium-low heat.
- Add the drained noodles and toss gently until coated. Add reserved noodle water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick, or toss briefly over medium-low heat if it is too thin.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Divide the noodles between two shallow bowls, spoon the remaining sauce and mushrooms around them, and top with scallion greens and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Use pre-sliced mushrooms and ramen with a 2- to 3-minute cook time to help the meal come together quickly.
- Start with 1/2 cup of noodle water and add more gradually until the sauce clings to the noodles.
- Whisk the hot noodle water into the tahini mixture before adding it to the skillet to help keep the sauce smooth.
- Drain the noodles as soon as they are just tender so they do not soften while waiting for the sauce.
Variations
- Spicy Sesame-Garlic Ramen: Add a pinch of chili flakes or a little chili sauce to an individual serving.
- Vegetarian Sesame-Garlic Ramen: Replace the oyster sauce with vegetarian oyster sauce in the same amount.