Boost The Flavor Of Instant Ramen With This Rich Addition

Instant ramen is the perfect example of quick and easy meals, but what if you could add some richness to your bowl? In 2016, Kylie Jenner, the renowned mogul and occasional ramen whisperer, took to Snapchat to share her trick for enhancing instant noodles. Her tip was to add a dollop of butter for silkier, richer ramen, as well as an egg and a sprinkle of garlic powder.

Today, the 2016 hack has resurfaced on TikTok. Videos recreating Kylie Jenner's recipe with hashtags like #kyliejennerramen have received millions of views, with one clip by @dimsimlim alone reaching over 6.2 million views as of July 2025. Gen Z foodies have embraced this kitchen shortcut and added their variations, like spicy chicken flavor, parsley, cheese, and even spicy mayo ramen. The "instant noodles reinvented" concept of recent years has definitely led to a significant increase in ramen sales, driven by TikTok's innovation, and of course, nostalgia. But why does this particular recipe work so well? 

There are several ingredients that can upgrade simple instant ramen, but butter is the star here. It adds some tasty fat and depth, balancing out all the flavors. Sure, eggs provide body, creaminess, and some character, but butter gives ramen a velvety feel and causes the flavors to stick to the noodles. Plus, the combination of butter with egg can elevate plain instant ramen from simply filling to a thicker, tastier meal. It's a fancier makeover with stuff you probably already have hanging in your fridge.

To enhance the flavor of your ramen with butter, boil the noodles in water first. Afterwards, drain most of the water, leaving about a quarter cup or less in the pot for the broth. Now, for the rich upgrade: Return the pot with noodles and reserved water to low heat and stir in your pat of butter until it melts completely into the broth. Right off the bat, you should notice a silkier finish. Let the butter coat the noodles thoroughly before you add any other ingredients, like the seasoning and garlic powder (and if you forego the seasoning, don't throw it away, as ramen seasoning has many other clever uses).

Butter does more than just taste great. It adds richness to an otherwise watery broth and mellows the harsh saltiness of the seasoning packets as well as the heat of the spicier ones. A pat is all it takes to make the soup thicker and much more fulfilling, so there's no need to go overboard either.

You can also add egg to your buttery instant ramen for an even creamier bowl. Usually, there are two techniques for adding the egg: stirring an egg into the noodles while they boil (before whisking in the butter) or poaching one directly in the simmering broth, and both are worth trying. And when you're done mastering the quick butter hack, you can begin to incorporate more powerhouse ingredients into your ramen for an even more flavorful meal, like giving it a unique textural upgrade with canned quail eggs.