How Ramen Can Elevate The Flavor Of Homemade Dressing

Aside from being served in bowls, instant ramen and homemade salad dressing don't have much in common. However, there's one essential component in every package of instant ramen that can upgrade your scratch-made dressing with virtually no extra effort. By jazzing up a homemade dressing with instant ramen seasoning, you can enjoy the flavor of the convenient Japanese dish in entirely new ways.

At its most basic, a salad dressing is a combination of acid, fat, sweetness, spices, and herbs. While you'll still need to select your source of acid and fat, instant ramen seasoning contains all the spices and herbs you need to flavor your dressing. Because they're made with bold flavoring agents designed to bring life to the otherwise one-dimensional taste of dried ramen noodles, there's no contesting that instant ramen seasoning packets have what it takes to elevate the flavor of a boring homemade dressing. Although they offer dozens of options for (literally) shaking up a dynamic-tasting dressing, most instant ramen packets are assembled with dehydrated alliums (like garlic and onion), veggies, herbs, and stock powder. These tried and true flavoring agents work in just about any recipe.

Because they're pre-curated, using instant ramen seasoning packets to boost the flavor of your homemade dressing eliminates the brain power that goes into selecting herbs and spices that may or may not work well together. Simply tear open a package, introduce it to your liquid ingredients, shake it up, and pour it over your favorite salad or grain bowl.

If you're a beginner in the kitchen, homemade anything can sound intimidating, but salad dressings are one of the easiest and most rewarding made-from-scratch foodstuffs. Introducing ramen seasoning packets doesn't complicate the process, either. However, it's helpful to keep a few tips in mind to ensure a well-balanced flavor and silky smooth dressing.

For starters, always select ramen seasoning packages that mingle nicely with the ingredients in your salad or bowl. Mindlessly using the first package you find in your pantry can have some unappetizing consequences. For example, use shrimp-flavored instant ramen seasoning packets to jazz up ocean-inspired dishes or beef-flavored packets for a hearty steak salad. When you're not sure what works best, veggie-flavored packets usually contain the spices and herbs you need to deepen the flavor of just about any dish that calls for a dressing. When assembling your dressing, consider your ingredient ratios. When making a vinaigrette, use a ratio of 3-to-1 for oil and vinegar and introduce ½ teaspoon of ramen seasoning for every tablespoon of vinegar. Don't forget a sweetener like sugar or maple syrup to balance the acidity. Of course, every dressing is different, and the benefit of making one from home is that you can taste as you go and adjust as needed.

Using instant ramen seasoning packets to make a flavoring dressing isn't an excuse to waste those noodles. Use them in stir-fries, casseroles, chicken noodle soup, and other creative recipes. Ramen noodle mac and cheese, anyone? Although it's just one of many clever ways to use ramen seasoning packets, introducing them to your homemade dressings is one of our favorites.