Peanut Butter Ramen

Dinner | Korean

Prep time: 2 min Cook time: 5 min Servings: 1

My go-to late night dinner after working a busy shift in a kitchen. This is a 5-minute ramen that uses the seasoning sachets from a packet of Shin Ramen Black as the broth base. All the packets go in: powder, oil, dried vegetables, which gives you a well-seasoned, spiced broth without having to build one from scratch. Peanut butter goes in with the seasoning before the noodles, so it has time to melt into the liquid and emulsify with the broth. It adds fat and body without making it taste noticeably of peanuts. The egg is beaten and stirred in gradually while the broth is still moving, which distributes it in fine strands through the liquid rather than setting it in clumps.

The recipe uses 500ml of water, which is less than the packet instructions suggest. Less water means a more concentrated broth, richer and more intensely seasoned. Pre-cooked chicken goes in with the noodles so it just needs to warm through. The whole cook is about 5 minutes from cold water. I eat this after a long service when I want something hot and savoury without much effort. It scales up easily if you have multiple pots going at once.

Ingredient Notes

Shin Ramen Black: Shin Ramen Black is a Korean instant noodle that comes with three seasoning sachets: a powder packet, a flavoured oil packet, and a dried vegetable and meat packet. It has a higher spice level and more depth than standard instant ramen, and that intensity works well against the peanut butter. Any instant ramen brand works as a substitute, but the flavour of the finished dish will be milder. Look for it in Asian supermarkets or the international aisle of larger supermarkets.

Crunchy peanut butter: Crunchy peanut butter adds both fat and texture. It melts into the hot broth and emulsifies with the liquid, adding body to the broth without thickening it noticeably. The peanut pieces give a small amount of crunch against the soft noodles. Smooth peanut butter works fine if that’s what you have, but you lose the textural contrast. One tablespoon in 500ml of broth is enough to taste it without it dominating. Natural peanut butters can separate in hot liquid, so stir the jar well before measuring.

Chilli crisp: Chilli crisp (also sold as chilli oil with crispy bits) is a finishing condiment, not a cooking ingredient in this recipe. The oil carries heat and flavour, and the crispy fried aromatics in the jar add texture and a roasted, slightly smoky note. Lao Gan Ma is the most widely available brand in Australia. Start with a teaspoon and add more to taste. The Shin Ramen Black seasoning is already spiced, so the total heat level builds quickly.

Equipment

Small saucepan
Small bowl (for beating egg)
Fork
Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Wooden spoon or chopsticks
Serving bowl

Ingredients

130g pkt Shin Ramen Black
½ cup cooked chicken, shredded
1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 spring onion, sliced, white and green parts separated
chilli crisp, to serve

Directions

Place 500ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Empty all the seasoning packets from the ramen noodles packet into the water along with the peanut butter. Stir to combine until water comes to a simmer.
Add noodles and cook for 45 seconds, then stir to break up the noodles a little. Stir in the chicken and spring onion whites.
Gradually add the egg, stirring constantly until incorporated then take off the heat.
Stir through half of the spring onion greens, then transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with remaining spring onion and drizzle with some chilli crisp.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Stir the egg in gradually

Beat the egg well before it goes in so it’s a uniform liquid. Pour it into the moving broth in a slow, steady stream while stirring constantly. This distributes the egg through the broth in fine, silky strands. If you pour it in all at once without stirring, the heat sets it into clumps. Once the egg is fully incorporated, take the pan off the heat immediately. The residual heat will finish it as you transfer to the bowl.

Use less water than the packet suggests

The recipe calls for 500ml of water, which is about 100ml less than most Shin Ramen packet instructions. The reduced volume gives you a more concentrated, richer broth. If you find the result too salty or intense, add 50ml more water when you put the pot on. The peanut butter and egg both have a softening effect on the seasoning, so err on the side of less water rather than more.

Storage

This dish is made to order and should be eaten immediately. The noodles absorb the broth within minutes of cooking and turn soft and starchy if left sitting. If you want to prep ahead, cook and shred the chicken in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Everything else takes 5 minutes from cold when you’re ready to eat.

FAQs

Can I use a different ramen brand? Yes. Any instant ramen works, though the flavour will be different. Shin Ramen Black has a depth and spice level that pairs particularly well with the peanut butter. If you use a milder brand, add a small splash of soy sauce or an extra teaspoon of chilli crisp to compensate for the lower seasoning intensity.

Can I leave out the chicken? Yes. Leftover steak, cooked prawns, or thinly sliced mushrooms all work as substitutes. If you’re using mushrooms, add them with the noodles so they have 45 seconds to soften. A soft-boiled egg on top instead of the beaten egg stirred through is also a good variation if you want a cleaner broth.

Can I make this for more than one person? Yes, though it’s easiest to cook individual portions in separate small saucepans rather than scaling up in one pot. The noodles cook quickly and the egg needs to be stirred in to individual servings for best results. If you have two pots going at the same time, the total effort is only slightly more than making one.