9 Instant Noodle Recipes To Become The Next MAMA Masterchef At Home

Creative dishes from instant noodles

Images adapted from: Brent Hofacker and Inspiralized

Cooking is a great way to relieve stress and keep your anxieties at bay while stuck at home during the pandemic. Some of you might have also stocked your pantries up with lots of instant noodles – but just how many bowls of MAMA noodles can we take?

Here are 10 unique and fun dishes you can make with a packet of instant noodles that just might impress Gordon Ramsey.

1. Crunchy noodle nuggets

Image credit: FoodTravelTVChannel

Homemade chicken nuggets are better for your health because you will know exactly what it’s made from. Moreover, to coat it with instant noodles, your nuggets will become more crispy.

Everybody loves chicken nuggets. But these aren’t the healthiest snacks around, so why not make your own so you know exactly what goes into it? Plus, coat your nuggets with bits of instant noodles instead of breadcrumbs or flour to give it that extra crunch.

Ingredients:

1 pack of instant noodles
200g minced chicken
150g tempura flour
Water
Oil for frying

Steps:

Crush the instant noodles into bits
Mix noodle seasoning with minced chicken
Form minced chicken bite-sized nuggets
Prepare the tempura flour by mixing it with water
Dip the nuggets into flour mixture
Coat the chicken with crushed instant noodles and fry in hot oil until golden brown
Serve with tomato sauce or a cheese dip

2. Joke Mama

Image credit: @nuammie

Joke is the Thai word for porridge, and MAMA is basically a Thai staple. This dish might sound strange, but it’s one of the easiest things to prepare. Plus, it’s bringing 2 comfort foods together: porridge and instant noodles!

If you’re looking for a quick cost-saving meal that will save you both time and money, here’s the recipe even those who can’t cook can whip up:

Ingredients:

1 pack of instant noodles
1 cup/pack of instant porridge
Vegetables and meat for toppings

Image credit: a day magazine

Steps:

Cook your instant noodles and mix it with seasoning powder (with no soup)
Cook your instant porridge
Combine both in a bowl
Add more toppings as you’d like – we recommend boiled vegetables like cabbage, and minced pork for some protein
Extra: Drizzle some sesame oil or Maggi seasoning for extra flavour

3. Instant noodle fried rice

Image credit: GOODLIFEupdate

If Joke MAMA is possible, then so is any other combination of dishes. Fried rice is one of the simplest wholesome dishes to make at home, so why not make it more special with some extra texture from instant noodles?

Ingredients:

1 pack of instant noodles
1 cup of rice (overnight cold rice recommended)
1 egg
Diced garlic
Chopped spring onion
Soy sauce
Pepper

Image credit: GOODLIFEupdate

Steps:

Boil your instant noodles and keep them aside
Prepare a hot pan with oil
Once the pan is hot enough, cook the diced garlic until fragrant
Add in your egg and scramble
Add in your cooked egg and rice and stir till combined
Season with soy sauce and pepper. If you want, you could add in a little seasoning powder from the noodles too.
Garnish with spring onions and serve!

4. MAMA noodle pizza

Image credit: Eat The Pizza

Prepping pizza dough can be a challenge for some, so if you’re craving for some pizza and would like to try something new in the kitchen, this one’s for you.

Ingredients:

2 packs of instant noodles
2 eggs
Pizza sauce (or any tomato-based sauce)
Mozzarella cheese
Oregano
Oil
Toppings of your choice, like: sausages, crab sticks, ham, mushrooms, bell pepper

Image credit: The Vegetarian Ginger

Steps:

Mix boiled instant noodles with your eggs
Heat oil in a frying pan (non-stick is highly recommended)
Add your noodles in and flatten it into a circular pizza shape
Cook well on both sides, or till edges crisp up
Plate your noodles and top with pizza sauce and toppings
Top it with mozzarella cheese and oregano

You can also bake your “pizza” in the oven at 200°C for 10 minutes. Frying it will result in a crispier texture akin to thin-crust pizzas, while baking it will make it slightly chewier.

5. Cheesy noodle omelette

Image credit: CP Brandsite

Here’s a great meal even the kiddos can help prepare using some of their fave ingredients, like eggs, cheese, noodles, and bacon.

Ingredients:

1 pack of instant noodles
2-3 eggs
Toppings like bacon, ham, sausages, carrot, spring onion
Oil
Cheese (cheddar or mozzarella recommended)

Image credit: CP Brandsite

Steps:

Boil the instant noodles
Once the noodles have cooled, combine with eggs
Add toppings like meat and veggies
In a hot pan, pour the mixture and fry till golden brown
Sprinkle crispy bacon, pepper, or paprika on top and enjoy!

6. Instant noodle lasagna

Image credit: EasyCooking

Ingredients:

1 pack of instant noodles
Ham
50g minced pork
Chopped onions
Tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Parsley
Oregano

Image credit: EasyCooking

Steps:

Soak instant noodles in water to make it soft in order to use it instead of lasagna sheets
Cook the sauce by mixing minced pork, tomato sauce, chopped onion, and oregano in a hot pan
Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Once sauce thickens, set aside.
Set the “lasagna” layers in a tray starting with a noodle base, sauce, ham, cheese – and repeat for around 2-3 layers!
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 6-7 minutes

Tip: Those who wish to use a microwave can do so in “grill” mode.

7. Instant noodle cheese burger

Image credit: Brent Hofacker

I usually steer away from burgers as I’m not a huge fan of buns, but this instant noodle burger just might be the perfect solution.

Ingredients:

2 packs of instant noodles
2 eggs
Meat to make your patty – you can use anything from minced pork/chicken, a fillet of fish, to vegan “meat”!
Vegetables – lettuce, onion, tomatoes recommended
Slice of cheese

Image credit: สมาชิกหมายเลข 1738964

Steps:

Cook your instant noodles. Once done, combine it with an egg
Shape it into 2 circles to act as your “buns”. Using a cookie cutter mould or even a cup as a base can help. Place in the fridge to cool and set for 5-10 minutes
Prepare your meat by seasoning it with salt and better. Wrap it in plastic and place in fridge until ready to cook.
In a hot pan, cook your patty and noodle buns until nice and golden brown.
Prepare your extra toppings like egg, bacon, and veggies.
Build your burger stack and enjoy!

The noodle buns are chewier and can have a better crunch depending on how much you fry them, making this quite an interesting dish.

8. Crispy snack mix

Image credit: Easy Cooking

Have you ever enjoyed munching on uncooked MAMA noodles? That was my favourite snack as a child. I used to crush it, put in the seasoning powder, shake it, and eat without boiling it.

If you’d like to try this super easy-to-make old school Thai snack for yourself, here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients:

MAMA noodles in your flavour of choice (Tom Yum is our pick!)
Crispy snacks: Pork skin, crackling, fried fish skin, nuts

Steps:

In the packet, crush your noodles to bite sized pieces
Combine with crunchy snacks
Pour in your seasoning powder and mix well. Voila!

9. Chocolate noodle pancakes

Graphic designer Nannicha Sriwut said that this dish was inspired by her friends who used to eat noodles as a dessert
Image credit: a day magazine

People might think about instant noodles as a savoury snack, but here’s how to level up your MAMA Masterchef game and turn in into a yummy dessert!

Ingredients:

1 pack of instant noodles
Chocolate milk
Unsalted butter
Ice cream
Whipped cream
Icing sugar
Fruits

Steps:

Cook instant noodles in chocolate milk – make sure not to overcook it so that it doesn’t turn mushy
Divide the noodles and fry into pancakes in unsalted butter
Let them cool for 2-3 minutes
Top with icing sugar, ice cream, fruit, whipped cream, – whatever you’d like!

Noodle pancakes taste just as yummy and offers a unique texture of stringy and chewy noodles.

Image credit: Inspiralized