Kimchi Chili Oil Ramen (Only 10 Minutes!)

Published: Feb 17, 2022 / Modified: Feb 17, 2022 by Mei / This post may contain affiliate links / Leave a Comment

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Kimchi chili oil ramen is our twist on the trending garlic chili oil ramen on social media. This simple ramen takes only 10 minutes to make, which is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. It is savory and spicy with bouncy, chewy noodles that keeps you wanting more!

Kimchi Chili Oil Ramen (Only 10 Minutes!) | Two Plaid Aprons (1)

Chili oil ramen has been trending across all of the social media, and we finally gave it a try. It was soooo good that we decided to add a twist to the trend and made kimchi chili oil ramen!

The noodles are perfectly chewy and bouncy. The kimchi chili oil that coated the ramen noodles is super flavorful. Spicy. Savory. Light funky-ness and tang. The occasional sweetness from the vegetables. It was a party in our mouth!

For more quick lunch or dinner recipes, you may also like this simple budae jjigae (for one), Korean sausage stir fry, and spicy Korean BBQ chicken rice bowl.

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Ingredients
Instructions
What to enjoy with chili oil ramen
Recipe tips
FAQ
📖 Recipe
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Ingredients

To make this kimchi chili oil ramen, you'll need:

Instant noodle - Any instant noodle or your favorite brand will do. We are partial to Shin Ramyeon, so that's what we used.
- Shin Ramyeon is also spicy. So if you don't like too much heat, make sure to get a non-spicy or mild ramen.

Fermented kimchi - This is the key seasoning for this chili oil ramen, besides the ramen seasoning. Make the kimchi is fermented! It will give your ramen extra flavors that fresh kimchi, like geotjeori, won't provide.
- If you're interested in making your own fermented kimchi, try our traditional napa cabbage kimchi.

Garlic and green onion - These are great aromatics for making chili oil. Although, you could do without them, we highly recommend them.

Sesame seed - This is for garnishing the kimchi chili oil ramen, but it also adds some nuttiness to the noodles.

Kimchi Chili Oil Ramen (Only 10 Minutes!) | Two Plaid Aprons (2)

Instructions

This kimchi chili oil ramen is super easy to make and takes only 10 minutes!

1. Boil the instant noodles just until done, about 3 to 4 minutes. Don't overcook!

2. Meanwhile, prepare the kimchi chili oil. Place the fermented kimchi, ramen vegetables and seasonings, garlic, and green onion in a heatproof bowl.

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or any neutral oil) until it's shimmering and just starting to smoke.

4. Carefully, pour the hot oil on the bowl of seasonings and aromatics. Quickly stir until well combined.

5. Once the instant noodles are done, drain the noodles and add it into the kimchi chili oil. Toss and mix the ramen until it's well coated with chili oil.

6. Garnish with some toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Kimchi Chili Oil Ramen (Only 10 Minutes!) | Two Plaid Aprons (3)

What to enjoy with chili oil ramen

This kimchi chili oil ramen is meant to be super easy to make and take only 10 minutes to make. So to easily dress up this simply chili oil ramen, you could add a crispy fried egg to make the ramen extra creamy.

If you have low spice tolerance like me, you have to enjoy the ramen with Yakult! For those of you not familiar with Yakult, it's a Japanese sweetened probiotic milk beverage. It tastes kind of like yogurt, and you can usually find them at your local Asian market and sometimes even at your local grocery store.

Kimchi Chili Oil Ramen (Only 10 Minutes!) | Two Plaid Aprons (4)

Recipe tips

Don't overcook the instant noodles. This will add more texture to your chili oil ramen and a better mouthfeel.

Use fermented kimchi to add more flavor to this simple chili oil ramen. Fermented kimchi is pungent, spicy, savory, and slightly tangy. BUT when cooked with the hot oil, it mellows out and adds ton of flavor to the chili oil.

Cut the kimchi into smaller pieces so that it's easier to mix and eat.

Fully cover the chili oil ingredients with hot oil. This will cook all the raw aromatics. So make sure to pour the hot oil over over all of the ingredients.

Quickly toss the ramen noodles with the kimchi chili oil to prevent the noodles from getting stuck together.

Kimchi Chili Oil Ramen (Only 10 Minutes!) | Two Plaid Aprons (5)

FAQ

What is the best instant noodles for chili oil ramen?

Any instant ramen will do, however, thick instant ramen are the best because it retains its boucy chew the longest. One of our favorite ramen brands is Nongshim Shin Ramyeon. It keeps its texture much longer than many other instant ramen brands.

When is the oil ready to pour over the chili oil ingredients?

When the oil is shimmering and heated until just starting to smoke, pour the hot oil over the chili oil aromatics and seasonings.

If you’ve made this recipe or any recipes from our blog, please tag us on Instagram using #twoplaidaprons! You can also tag us in your Instagram stories using @two_plaid_aprons. We would love to see your creations! It absolutely makes our day! 🥰

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Kimchi Chili Oil Ramen (10 Minute Recipe)

Kimchi chili oil ramen is our twist on the trending garlic chili oil ramen on social media. This simple ramen takes only 10 minutes to make, which is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

▢ 1 pack instant noodle
▢ ¼ cup fermented kimchi cut into small pieces
▢ 1 clove garlic minced or grated
▢ 1 stalk green onion thinly sliced (plus more for garnish if you want)
▢ 3 tablespoons oil or your preferred neutral oil (plus more for the egg)
▢ 1 egg (optional)
▢ Toasted sesame seed (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Cook the instant noodles:
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the instant noodles and cook until just done, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Make the chili oil:
While the noodles are cooking, add the fermented kimchi, instant noodle seasonings and dehydrated vegetables, garlic, and green onion into a heatproof bowl.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Carefully pour the hot oil over your bowl of seasonings and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Assemble the chili oil ramen:
Once the instant noodles are cooked, strain and add it to the prepared chili oil mix. Toss and mix until well combined.
Optional:
In a small pan over medium high heat, add about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Heat the oil until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Crack an egg into the oil and fry until the whites are set.
*You can also spoon the hot oil over the whites to help cook the eggs more evenly without overcooking the yolk.*
Garnish and enjoy:
Place the fried egg over the chili oil ramen and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and more green onions. Break the egg into the ramen and enjoy!

Notes

Please refer to the post above for step by step photo references, tips, and FAQ!

Kimchi - We recommend trying this chili oil ramen with some fermented kimchi because it gives the ramen another depth of flavor. However, you can totally do without the kimchi.
- If omitting the fermented kimchi, reduce the hot oil to 2 tablespoons.