You know how I love my instant ramen upgrades and this coconut curry ramen might just be one of my most favorite yet! You only need five simple ingredients and about ten minutes to make this bowl of delicious noodles. Plus, there’s no chopping required, so this coconut curry ramen is a really great choice for anyone cooking in small spaces or with limited cooking equipment (dorm room, hotel room, RV, etc.). But what I love the most is just how vibrant the colors and flavors are in this bowl.
P.S. If you like the idea of this recipe but don’t like instant ramen, check out my 15-Minute Vegetable Curry!
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What Kind of Vegetables to Use
I suggest keeping a bag of frozen mixed vegetables on hand for this ramen. Frozen vegetables are already chopped, which makes this recipe a breeze to put together. There are so many different vegetable mix combos available to choose from (see photos below for examples) and you can use just a cup at a time without worrying about the rest going bad. That being said, you can use any fresh vegetables you might have on hand, as well.
I’ve made this coconut curry ramen with a few different mixes of frozen vegetables already, and they’ve all been great. Scroll down to the step by step photos below the recipes to see the three types that I’ve tried so far.
What Flavor Ramen to Use
Another great thing about this recipe is that it’s flexible. You can use several different flavors of ramen. I used chicken, but shrimp would also be good. If you don’t want to use the seasoning packet that comes with the ramen, you can replace the water in the recipe below with any type of broth that you like (vegetable, chicken, mushroom, etc.).
What Kind of Curry Powder to Use
I used a yellow curry powder for this recipe, but it’s quite flexible and I think it would work well with just about any type of curry powder. The flavor of curry powder can vary quite a bit from brand to brand, so you may need to do some experimenting to find one that you like. You can use either a mild or spicy curry powder, whichever you prefer.
What Else Can I Add?
The recipe below is very simple but very delicious, but you can always add more ingredients if you have them on hand! I don’t like to see things go to waste and this recipe is perfect for add-ins! If you have shrimp or cooked chicken, you can toss that in there. You can top it with green onions or a drizzle of sriracha. This would also be a great way to use up an extra handful or two of any leftover greens that you may have (spinach, kale, etc.).
Coconut Curry Ramen
Servings 1 or 2Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables ($0.47)
- 1.5 cups water ($0.00)
- 1 3oz. package instant ramen ($0.25)
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk* ($0.52)
- 1 tsp curry powder ($0.10)
Instructions
- Add the frozen vegetables and water to a small saucepot. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat on to high, and bring the water up to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the ramen noodles (without seasoning). Continue to boil for 2-3 minutes, or until the noodles are soft.
- Shake the coconut can well to combine the solid fat and liquid before measuring. Add the coconut milk to the saucepot and stir to combine.
- Finally, add the seasoning packet from the instant ramen and the curry powder. Stir to combine. Serve hot.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Coconut Curry Ramen – Step by Step Photos
You can use just about any type of mixed frozen vegetables for this recipe. Here are three examples of vegetable mixes that I’ve used and enjoyed. The vegetables used in the ramen bowl pictured in this post were the “stir-fry starters” mix on the top right.
Add one cup of frozen vegetables to a saucepot with 1.5 cups water. Place a lid on top, turn the heat on to high, and bring the water up to a boil.
Once boiling, add the ramen noodles to the pot (without the seasoning). Continue to boil for 2-3 minutes, or just until the noodles soften.
Add ½ cup full-fat coconut milk to the pot and stir to combine. Make sure your coconut milk is very well mixed before measuring, so you get an even mix of the solid fat and liquid.
Finally, add the seasoning packet from the instant ramen and one teaspoon curry powder. Stir to combine.
And that’s it! Your deliciously creamy pot of coconut curry ramen is done and ready to devour!
I think I made this the first time the day Beth first posted it. It has saved me so much money since then – it’s my go-to when my day goes off the rails and I make it instead of going out or ordering take-away. I’ve added tofu (love it with air fried tofu cubes), edamame, and it works with all kinds of vegetables. I do toss the seasoning packet and use Better Than instead. This one and the creamy mushroom ramen are life savers!
If I were to add a meat I’d make 5 pork potstickers from frozen then add them in last and top with plum sauce and mint
I am not kidding when I say I’ve had ramen for at least 4 days in a row. I’ve made the coconut curry and creamy mushroom. They are delicious. I am vegetarian so I don’t use the seasoning packets. I add the better than bouillon to the water.
Absolutely yummy! Have loved every Budget Bytes recipe we’ve ever tried, this one is no exception. My son said he believed he could eat it every day! Have already purchased more coconut milk for the pantry, had everything else on hand. Thanks for this winner, winner, Ramen dinner!
I made this last night to accompany the butter chicken naanpandas I bought at Aldi. I have been dying for curry anything lately, and when I found this recipe and had all of the ingredients, I had to make it! I added like an 1/8 of a cup of diced tomatoes to it because coconut milk and tomatoes are YUM in my book. It was freaking amazing!!!!!!! Just what I was looking for, something quick involving curry powder and coconut milk, I now know what I’m doing with the rest of the Ramen. Thank you!!!
What kind of curry powder do you use? I’ve never used it before.
From the blog post: What Kind of Curry Powder to Use
I used a yellow curry powder for this recipe, but it’s quite flexible and I think it would work well with just about any type of curry powder. The flavor of curry powder can vary quite a bit from brand to brand, so you may need to do some experimenting to find one that you like. You can use either a mild or spicy curry powder, whichever you prefer.
Super easy, very tasty, and VERY filling. I made a double batch for me and my husband because I was worried that a single batch wouldn’t fill us both up. I couldn’t eat all of my half because I was stuffed. I enjoyed every bite and will definitely make this again but probably just the single recipe next time.
This recipe was delicious as written when I made this the first time. Second time around, I added about 3/4 cup of diced cooked chicken and used homemade chicken stock instead of water — made the flavor even better.
This recipe is delicious and perfect for a busy night! I added in some extra fresh veggies in addition to the frozen ones (grated carrot and chopped red bell pepper). It was creamy and delicious. It is lacking in protein though as is, so next time I think I’ll add chicken or tofu or some other sort of protein.
Ramen. 43 grams of fat. Enough said.
Everyone has different dietary needs and preferences. If a recipe doesn’t look good to you, you don’t have to make it.
Don’t be a dick.
Enough said.
Holy cow! I tried the mushroom ramen and it was just okay, but we LOVED this soup although I changed it up a bit (sorry, just didn’t want to use the sodium filled packets!). Doubled the ingredients for 2 people. I sauteed ginger and garlic with a little olive oil and used vegetable broth instead of water. So good and easy!
This is my first time on Budget Bytes & it won’t be my last!
I’m a new mom and my baby and I are both sick. And I am already the slowest cook in the world… chopping veggies just takes me ages. So this recipe was a lifesaver!! I feel so nourished, plus it was delicious, so easy, and of course inexpensive. I have never had a dinner come together so quickly.
My husband and I both went back for seconds and he said it couldn’t be more delicious.
I followed the recipe exactly but added a bunch of mixed greens in the last couple minutes. Looking forward to making this again and again, and playing around with some variations.
Thanks, Ali! Welcome & glad to have you here! — Marion :)
I already doctor up instant ramen because its so easy. Recommend poaching an egg in the next to last few mins. Also my go to to is fresh spinach leaves, altho chinese style cooking can even accommodate something as plain as iceberg lettuce.
Hey Jacqi how do you do the poached egg? Can you do it straight in the soup? New to poaching eggs but looove them.
This was so bland, I threw it out. Had no flavour at all. I know how to cook, so I was shocked. I expected a rich coconut flavour. Nothing.
If you have a curry powder without salt, add in your savory seasonings. Brown the powder and any onion/garlic/ginger in oil before adding water/stock In a pinch, a good soya sauce or fish sauce like Red Boat (not the cheap stuff) or even bouillon powder/concentrate will be an easy final tweak. Otherwise, try (Thai) curry pastes which has a lot of fresh aromatics like ginger and lemongrass. Lastly reduce amount of water used as it can dilute flavor. … I commented separately but I like to poach an egg and add in fresh spinach leaves for the fresher flavors. Think of it as a base, much like a basic hibachi fried rice or buttered toast, add flavors til satisfied.
If you know how to cook you would have tasted it along the way and adjusted accordingly. Just saying
You sure you didn’t have Covid when you tried this? Because I just made this and felt like it was very flavorful and that’s coming from someone who typically eats a ton of salty junk food so my sense of taste is probably dulled compared to someone who cooks a lot of meals at home.
How could this be bland? Seriously, you’re just adding flavor and vegetables. How much sodium intake do you have in one meal? This took normal ramen noodles to the next level, especially with a hint of cayenne.
If you don’t want this to be like soup, reduce the water to 3/4 cup, and the coconut milk to 1/4 cup. All of the liquid will cook off and you will just have a noodle dish. We do this all the time with our ramen.
I really enjoyed this for the simplicity and ease of using frozen veggie stir-fry. Very tasty. Next time I’m replacing 1/2 cup stir fry veggies with frozen red bell peppers because I love them with these flavors. Thank you for such a simple, inexpensive recipe.
Made a double batch (tripled ramen) and turned out great
We love this recipe. We add thin sliced chicken breast that’s marinated in ginger garlic and curry then pan fried on top. It adds a little more curry to the dish and adds a little more protein. Wonderful dish!!
This was so good that I immediately added more to my bowl, and I think I had almost two servings in one sitting. I discarded the seasoning packet and used vegetable Better Than Bouillon instead, to make it vegetarian. I also added red curry paste! It’s simple, but it really hit the spot and I can’t wait to try it again with different vegetable combos.
As is always the case with your recipes the whole family loved it! Added a block of cubed tofu ♥️
Doubled the recipe and added tofu, Asian veggies and added edame yummy!
This is one of my favorite things ever. Thanks so much for another quick/ easy recipe that’s also super tasty and includes veggies. I’ve made it 3 or 4 times since seeing this. I even subbed the coconut milk for low fat, and it’s still great!
Just tried it for the first time. Easy, fast, affordable, and full of flavor. Will DEFINITELY be making this every once in awhile.
We’re busy folks, and as much as I try to meal prep, sometimes it just doesn’t come through or we don’t want what we’ve made. We’ve probably made this twice a week since you published, and it’s spectacular. We like to mix it up by adding different proteins – leftover bo ssam, chicken, and even frozen potstickers. You can’t go wrong.
I made this last night and it was easy and delicious! I love cooking and have a fully stocked kitchen but it’s great to have these quick, pantry staple recipes for busy days. I doubled the recipe and it made 3 good sized servings.
Holy crap, what a meal. Rich, complex, and so satisfying. But so simple! It’s curry. But also, it’s ramen. So good.
Pro tip: let it sit for about 5 minutes so the noodles have the chance to absorb some of the coconut broth.
*This has a happy ending*
I was SO EXCITED to try this out for a quick lunch while working remotely that could get me some veggies and address my curry craving for cheap.
I was so underwhelmed until I realized I left my scoop of curry paste next to the stove. So I reheated everything, stirred it in and now this will be perhaps the most often made recipe of my life! I am literally planning versions with pad thai, butter chicken flavor, etc. Obviously they’re just riffs on popular dishes but this is exactly the easy setup I need to get some tasty food with TONS of veggie varieties.
Beth, I’ve used your recipes for years and try to give you due credit but this one is just the most perfect thing ever!
I’m so glad to hear that, Megan! :D
I didn’t have mixed frozen veggies but I did have frozen zucchini chunks and sugar snaps, and dried tomatoes from our garden so I used those. I buy my noodles plain so I added chicken better than bouillon to the water. This was easy, fast, tasty, and satisfying and it’s going on the list of pantry meals to make when I’m tired and hungry after work. Thank you!
Its very delicious . This is so simple, adaptable, and useful.
I didn’t have any frozen vegetable combinations, so I chopped a red onion, some Bella mushrooms, and an orange pepper, sautéed them in a little olive oil (I’ll try to remember to use sesame oil next time), then added the ramen and flavour packet, along with 3/4 cup water (I don’t like my ramen soupy).
I also added some frozen spinach and a ginger-infused umami pure.
It’s delicious because of the coconut milk.
And for dorm/RV considerations where keeping 2/3 of a can of coconut milk around is impractical, there are a couple of good brands of dehydrated/concentrated coconut milks around. I look Chao Thai when I’m at an Asian grocery store and “Let’s Do Organic” “Creamed Coconut” at natural foods stores.
OMG this is so easy and flexible and good. I didn’t have any frozen vegetable mixes so I just chopped a red onion, some Bella mushrooms, and an orange pepper, sautéed it in a little olive oil (next time I’ll try to remember to use sesame oil) then added the ramen and seasoning packet and water (I only used 3/4c water bc I don’t like mine soupy.) I also added some frozen spinach and a little umami purée with ginger. The coconut milk makes it so so so good. My husband doesn’t like ramen noodles so I made his with rice noodles. My 2 and 4 year old loved it too. Next time I’ll use frozen veggies for more variety
Made this…..couldn’t stop eating it!
I think I love you Beth!
BTW: I added shredded chicken breast.
Yummo!
I don’t leave comments on many recipes in general, but I just made this for a quick dinner tonight and:
A) it came together SO smoothly and in no time at all
B) it was DELICIOUS.
Wowww
I made this last night while trying to stretch out the need to go grocery shopping for another day!
I didn’t have instant ramen on hand so I used regular wheat ramen noodles and for a serving of 2, I made a DIY version of the ramen seasoning packet which worked pretty well:
1 Tbsp ground ginger; 1 Tbsp garlic powder;
1 Tbsp onion powder; 1 Tbsp white pepper. I ended up adding salt and black pepper to taste later. I think it worked pretty well!
Beth, could you please share
what brand of ramen you buy? And do you buy in bulk? I ask because $0.25 seems very low. Thanks, and thanks for the recipe.
I think this was Maruchan brand, and yes, I bought one of those 12 packs and just keep that on hand, even though I only eat ramen once or twice a year. :)
How much sodium would be saved if you didn’t use the ramen seasoning packet? Another question – if I go to an Asian Parker, can I buy plain dry ramen noodles instead if those packets with freeze dried vegetable chips?
The amount of sodium would just depend on the brand. Unfortunately, I don’t have the nutrition info for just the packet alone. I’ve never been to Asian Parker, so I don’t know what is available there.
Hi, I used millet and brown rice dry ramen noodles with in the creamy mushroom version (no seasoning packet) and I couldn’t tell the difference so I would think any ramen like noodle would be fine. Hope this helps! It was so good i came looking for another twist! Yummm
How strong is the coconut? Low? Medium? High?
High :)
I love your ideas for turning instant ramen into a full meal. To this one, I added some coated, oven-fried tofu cubes and a poached egg in each bowl. This was a hit and it was a breeze to double to the recipe. I figured that I was saving time with the frozen veg, so I went for the gusto with the tofu (I learned to freeze my tofu first from you!). I used the Simply Organic curry powder in the glass jar. A delicious winter-time weeknight dinner.
This is my new go-to recipe for when I need to make something fast and easy for just myself. I modified this to be gluten free by using gluten free ramen (Aldi has it as a specialty item every once in a while). I used 1.5 tsp of Better Than Bouillon in place of the seasoning packet.
This was a smash hit at my house. I had some plain brown rice ramen cakes that I’d bought in bulk a while back, so I just added some Better than Bouillon and some extra spice to make up for the lack of seasoning packet. Also added some grilled chicken strips from the freezer to bulk it up some. I plan to keep these ingredients on-hand for quick dinners from now on!
What a dish!!! Love love love this for cold days where you need something quick. Followed the recipe as is and can’t wait to share with friends and family!
That should have Sid it had all the flavor WITHOUT all the sodium and fat.
I have tried several of your recipes and I have never been disappointed. I made the coconut curry ramen this evening and it was delicious!! I used organic low sodium chicken broth and didn’t have to use the salty ramen seasoning packet. I did use the full fat coconut milk but skimmed all the fatty cream off and used all of the watery part and added back only enough of the cream to make a full cup and then mixed it up good. ( I doubled the recipe by the way) I used the exact Kroger stir fry veggies that you pictured and also adds a couple chicken tenders on top of my ramen also with a few drops sriracha it is a keeper and I will be making again and again. I feel t was full of flavor with all the unhealthy sodium and fat. Thank you for the great recipes!!
Would adding an egg to this recipe work? If so, at what point should I add it?
Yes, egg is awesome with instant ramen! There are so many different ways you can do it. You can either cook a hard or soft boiled egg separately and add it at the end, some people just crack the egg right into the hot broth and give it a little stir until it sets into ribbons (like edd drop soup), or you could even just fry an egg and add that on top. :)
I will never make ramen another way again. I didn’t even follow the ingredients to a tee and it was amazing.
I only had reduced fat coconut milk on hand so it didn’t quite offer the richness that the pictures imply, but the flavors were still delicious. Will make sure to pick up the full fat next time I’m at the store and make this again!
So so so much sodium! How would you make this WITHOUT the seasoning packet please??
Use a broth that you like in place of the water, and don’t use the seasoning packet.
You can use your own broth instead of the packet bouillon and add any additional seasonings you’d like. :)
I make homemade chicken stock and intentionally leave it unsalted for use in Asian recipes. When not using leftover bones for stock, I use Mark Bittman’s quick stock recipe, which has you cover chicken legs with water and cook with carrots, onion, celery, parsley, thyme and bay leaf for only 1 hour. Afterwards one can take out the chicken and shred for later use. I also make his homemade ramen recipe, which adds low sodium soy sauce, fresh ginger, fresh garlic and green onion to the broth to mimic the taste of seasoning packet. I use 3 ingredient Chinese noodles (found in Asian aisle of grocery store) in place of ramen.
I usually add just half the seasoning packet and find it’s plenty
This looks very tasty (and easy!)! Thank you.
Do you think you can substitute Better than Boullion for the instant ramen seasoning?
Yes :)
The timing of the was perfect. I had an exhausting day at work and this recipe was as much as I could handle for dinner. It was super simple, creamy and hot (it’s freezing where I live). I added sriracha and it was delicious. Thanks for the great idea!