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!
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
Ingredients
- 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.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
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 Iโve had ramen for at least 4 days in a row. Iโve made the coconut curry and creamy mushroom. They are delicious. I am vegetarian so I donโt use the seasoning packets. I add the better than bouillon to the water.