How to Upgrade Instant Ramen with Egg and Mayo
Elevate standard instant ramen into a rich, creamy, tonkotsu-style broth using Japanese mayonnaise, fresh garlic, an egg yolk, and an emulsifying tempering technique.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Deep serving bowl
- ✓ Medium saucepan
- ✓ Whisk or chopsticks
- ✓ Garlic press or chef knife
- ✓ Liquid measuring cup
- ✓ Tongs or cooking chopsticks
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 1 pack instant ramen with seasoning sachet
- ✓ 1 large fresh egg
- ✓ 1 tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
- ✓ 1 clove fresh garlic
- ✓ 1 stalk green onion (scallion)
- ✓ 1 tsp chili oil or toasted sesame oil
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Use clean, pasteurized eggs when preparing lightly tempered broth bases.
- • Pour boiling noodle water in a steady, controlled stream to avoid splash burns.
- • Turn saucepan handles inward away from the stove edge while boiling water.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (5 Steps)
Prepare the Creamy Soup Base
Crack one fresh egg into your deep serving bowl, or use just the yolk for a richer texture. Add one tablespoon of Japanese mayonnaise, one finely minced or grated garlic clove, and the dry seasoning packet from your instant ramen. Whisk the ingredients vigorously with chopsticks or a small whisk until completely smooth and uniform.
- • The mixture turns into a smooth, glossy, pale-orange paste without dry seasoning lumps.
- • Leaving garlic in large chunks rather than finely mincing, which creates harsh raw bites.
Boil the Ramen Noodles
Bring approximately two cups (500 ml) of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Drop the ramen noodles into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently to loosen the strands. Aim to cook the noodles slightly firmer than usual, as they will continue to soften in the hot broth later.
- • Noodles are fully untangled, slightly translucent, and retain a firm springiness in the center.
- • Overcooking the noodles until mushy before adding them to the final broth.
Temper and Emulsify the Broth
Ladle out roughly 1.5 cups (350 ml) of the boiling cooking water directly from the pot. Pour the hot water slowly into your prepared egg-mayo base in a thin, continuous stream while whisking rapidly. The heat will cook the egg gently and melt the mayonnaise, transforming the base into an opaque, velvety broth.
- • A thick, milky, frothy broth forms with no visible curds or scrambled egg bits.
- • Dumping hot water in all at once, which scrambles the egg instead of creating an emulsion.
Transfer and Fold the Noodles
Use tongs or cooking chopsticks to lift the cooked noodles directly out of the remaining pot water, letting excess water drain off for two seconds. Submerge the noodles into the center of the creamy broth bowl. Gently fold the noodles into the broth twice so every strand is evenly coated with the rich sauce.
- • Noodles sit neatly centered in the bowl surrounded by a ring of rich, creamy broth.
- • Dumping all remaining cooking water into the bowl, which over-dilutes the broth flavor.
Garnish and Serve Immediately
Finely slice the green onion into thin rounds and scatter them across the top of the ramen. Drizzle one teaspoon of chili oil or toasted sesame oil over the surface for aromatic depth and heat. Serve immediately while piping hot to enjoy the ideal noodle texture and emulsified broth.
- • Bright green scallions stand out against the milky broth alongside shimmering red or golden oil drops.
- • Letting the ramen sit before serving, which causes the noodles to absorb all broth and bloat.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by That Little Puff — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Japanese (Kewpie) mayonnaise? Standard mayonnaise mixed with a pinch of sugar and a drop of rice vinegar
- No Chili oil (Rayu)? A dash of Sriracha or red pepper flakes steeped in warm neutral oil
- No Cooking chopsticks? A kitchen fork or small silicone-tipped tongs