Everyone needs a healthy dose of comfort food from time to time, and there’s nothing more comforting than this Easy Harissa Garlic Ramen.

I must confess, I’m addicted to the instant kinda Ramen noodles. Despite the warnings that come with it, I can’t help but keep reaching for it when I’m hungry.  T’was a sad day really, when I had to admit the fact that 
I’m not in my 20s anymore, and I no longer have the excuse (or the body) to continue with guilty pleasure foods anymore. 

But the heart wants what the heart wants, and mine wanted my regular ‘instant’ ramen. So I set out to see if I can make my own in under 10 minutes, which is about 5 minutes longer than the kind that comes with it’s own flavor packet, but it’s a trade-off I was willing to make if it meant I can keep slurping these near indefinitely. 

And that was how I stumbled upon this recipe. Now I’m not going to claim that it tastes exactly like the store-bought instant kind. BUT, it is delicious nonetheless, comes with a hearty topping of fresh vegetables and you control what goes into it. 

This is my favorite Harissa recipe (I add 5 cloves of garlic instead of 3 and keep the chilli seeds while grinding) and it works magic to the ramen broth. 

Now, there are TWO ways you can make this: 

1. Boil the noodles separately, make the broth in a separate pot and assemble just before eating, like traditional ramen. 
2. Boil the noodles IN the broth for a more ‘instant packet’ feel, where the sauce is thicker and coats + flavors the noodles. 

In the photos here, I’ve boiled the noodles in the broth, which is why it’s not floating in a bowl of delicious broth, but I’ve made these both ways, and they’re equally delicious. On a nice, cold winter’s day, it is particularly comforting to slurp a bowl of liquid-y ramen, as the air around you is swirling in a steaming pocket of harissa + garlic flavored deliciousness. 

And so, before the Holiday mayhem hits you in the next few days (I have a dreadful amount of baking in store!), take this time to treat yourself to self-care. Starting with a delicious, warm bowl of this Harissa Garlic Ramen. 

You know you want it. 

Note:

This is the kind of Ramen noodles I buy from my local Asian store. One cake is usually enough to serve two, but if you are using other kinds of noodles/pasta, use your judgement to add enough noodles for two servings.

And when you make this delicious Harissa Garlic Ramen (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!