This Hilarious Ramen Hack Makes For A 5-Star College Dorm Meal

Imagine this scene: a college student with little to their name is looking for meal inspiration from their pantry. Since ramen noodles are one of the cheapest things in the supermarket, that's what makes up the majority of their meals. While others may turn their nose up at the sight of those towers of ramen boxes, our college student knows that there are ways to upgrade their ramen dinner. One of those ways fuses two staples of college food by using ramen noodles to make a pizza crust. Sound weird? It is, but pizza crusts can be made from lots of things besides dough. You can use English muffins, cauliflower, and even zucchini, so why should ramen be any different?

For anyone wanting to keep that familiar circular shape to their pizza, remember to boil the noodles beforehand so they're soft and moldable. Once they are, transfer them to a skillet to fry and solidify them with oil. Once crispy and firm, the crust can be topped with mozzarella, pizza sauce, and any other desired ingredients, then moved to the oven. As ridiculous as a ramen crust sounds, the idea works since the wavy noodles provide a solid support for the toppings and a unique texture for the overall pizza crust. While some recipes will suggest adding the flavor packets, this is strictly optional. It would certainly add an extra punch of umami to the savory pizza, but there are other clever ways to use that ramen seasoning.

Understandably, this may be giving the same energy as other fascinating foods like spaghetti tacos, but let's be honest, ramen is simply a versatile dish that gives way to inventive uses. Sticking with the traditional soup perspective, there are a few ways to make even the cheap store-bought ramen restaurant-worthy. The nutrient-packed addition of an egg, or the creamy boost of peanut butter or milk are easy ways to elevate your ramen with just a single ingredient. 

It should be noted that just because the instant variety comes with seasoning, that doesn't mean that your ramen is restrained to just using what you get in the packet. After all, when it comes to taste, 80% to 90% of it is influenced by smell, so the addition of aromatics and sauces like ginger, garlic, and Sriracha can elevate ramen's profile immensely.

In the same way that ramen noodles can be used to form a crust, they can also be shaped and cooked to replace hamburger buns or pressed in a waffle iron as a fun and interesting take on breakfast and dessert staples like Belgian waffles. Both of these unique noodle hacks provide a slightly chewier bite and a nontraditional wavy texture. As a pro-tip, while the bun and waffle can be made without it, adding an egg to the noodles (or aquafaba for our vegan friends) helps to bind and stabilize the shape.