7 Ways Corn Can Add Zest On Your Ramen

Corn and Ramen are one of the great love stories of our generation and from a basic standpoint, it makes a ton of sense. Corn tastes good with almost all of the base flavors of ramen, from garlic to ginger, soy sauce, and green onion. This is why you'll find some of the tastiest bowls of ramen in Izakaya and ramen shops worldwide include roasted, or marinated corn as a central ingredient or available as an add-on.

One of the best things about corn as an add-on or ramen topping is you can easily add fresh, delicious corn to your instant ramen anytime you want. Corn is inexpensive and easy to keep around, making it simple to build out the perfect bowl of ramen whenever you're in the mood.

Whether you're looking for a quick addition to add some texture and depth to your next bowl of ramen or want to reimagine your instant ramen experience completely, corn should 100% be at the top of your list for incredible ramen ingredients.

If you're wondering what is the best way to incorporate corn into your next bowl of highly addictive Mike's Mighty Good Craft Ramen, just take a look at these 7 incredible ways to add zest to your ramen experience!

7 Incredible ways to add Corn to your Instant Ramen Noodles!

Adding corn to your ramen is one of the simplest ways to kick your ramen flavor level into high gear. You can use all of these simple ramen hacks by themselves or combine a few of them for a super corny instant craft ramen experience.

psst: know what goes great with all these hacks we're about to show you? Really really awesome ramen. We suggest you try one of our bundles. Maybe our Pillow Pack Best-Sellers pack is right for you? It has a sampling of our Fried Garlic Chicken, Savory Miso, Vegetarian Kimchi, and Savory Beef flavors. 

1. Spice it up with Korean Cheese Corn Ramen

Korean corn cheese is a super common side dish feature in Korean Barbecue joints and on Instagram feeds everywhere. This super-rich, cheese/corn explosion is bound to blow your mind. While corn works well in more traditional, broth-based ramen, this is definitely more a full-on ramen hack as opposed to an add-on or addition. 

Once you've tried this Korean Cheese Corn Ramen recipe, you'll definitely find yourself making sure you've got corn in your pantry at all times. You can use any corn you have on hand, but frozen options work really well because they retain so much flavor and provide a super fresh corn flavor year-round.

2. Save Time and Use Canned Corn for a Simple Ramen Hack! 

Canned corn is a super-easy way to introduce amazing corn flavor into your next bowl of ramen. While canned corn kernels are usually higher in salt than frozen or fresh corn, it's also completely cooked and ready to use right out of the can. Plus the kernels are large, sweet, and packed with flavor because they are picked and processed at the height of ripeness in the summertime.

This is an incredible hack to use when you're looking to add some texture and freshness to your ramen but don't have a lot of time, and it absolutely makes this Vegan Tofu Ramen Recipe Shine. Once you've opened a can of corn, it will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days before you really need to use it up. This should be no problem if you've got a regular ramen habit, corn is always a delicious and quick topping or add-on. 

3. Step Up the Flavor and Grill Fresh Corn on the Cob.

Grilling corn is one of the easiest ways to create incredible levels of sweet roasted flavor in fresh corn on the cob. You can achieve this in a few different ways, both indoors and out, but it's best to use corn during the height of the summer season when the flavor is the freshest.

If you don't have a grill, you can use the broiler function on your oven or pop the ears of corn into your air fryer to get a nice high heat roast. Once, you've roasted the corn to perfection, allow it to cool before stripping the perfectly charred corn kernels from the cob.

You can store grilled corn in an air-tight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days without a noticeable change in the flavor or texture.

Try using grilled corn in this awesome Creamy Sriracha Ramen Recipe. The grilled corn accentuates the sweet spiciness of the sriracha and the rich chicken flavor in the broth! 

4. Cook with the Corn Cobs for Even More Corn Flavor.

 Using corn cobs as a base for a quick broth is one of the easiest ways to add a ton of depth to your noodle soup without a lot of work. Corn stock lasts for a week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months when frozen, plus it makes you feel good using as much of an ingredient as possible!

To make easy corn stock, simply place the cobs into a pot after you've removed the corn from them, and then cover them with water. Bring the pot of water and corn cobs to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the stock for 30-40 minutes before straining and cooling the corn broth.

When it's time to cook your ramen, you can substitute the corn stock for some or even all the cooking liquid. It might seem odd at first, but the corn stock will help give your ramen an added boost of flavor. If you're using an instant cup product like Vegetarian Miso Ramen Cup from Mike's Mighty Good Craft Ramen, just bring the liquid to a boil, pour it directly into the cup, and allow the noodles to cook before enjoying the incredible miso/corn flavor combo! 

5. Try Freeze-Dried Corn Kernels as a Topping!

Corn is incredible in all its different expressions, from fresh corn on the cob, to creamed corn, roasted corn, corn salad, or as an ingredient in soups, stir-fry, or ramen, but if you haven't had the opportunity to try freeze-dried corn, you definitely need to get on it.

Like freeze-dried ice cream or fruits, freeze-dried corn retains almost all of that sweet, rich corn flavor, while providing a completely new textural experience. Freeze-dried corn is crispy, and crunchy while not feeling heavy or dense. It can provide an amazing textural sensation, especially when paired with saucier ramen dishes like this recipe for Dan Dan-style Ramen Noodles.

The oil-based dressing for these Dan Dan-style ramen noodles provides the perfect flavor profile and environment to accentuate the crispy freeze-dried corn. While freeze-dried corn will rehydrate fully when placed in broth, in this Dan Dan dressing it remains crispy and provides an amazing textural counterpoint to the rich spicy noodles and veggies!

6. Try Elote Style Ramen For a Fusion Flavor Bomb.

Elote or Street Corn is a classic Mexican snack or side dish composed of fresh corn on the cob, mayo, Elote seasoning, and cotija cheese. This incredible combination also makes a really flavorful ramen hack that you have to experience to believe. 

This Elote Ramen recipe is a great way to spice up your ramen experience and an awesome way to incorporate a lot of different ingredients you may have on hand into one insane ramen dish. The combination of corn, cheese, spice, and ramen is highly addictive, so you'll probably want to stock up on these ingredients. 

7. Add a Spoonful of Creamed Corn for a Richer Ramen Experience.

Creamed corn may seem like something you only eat at the holidays or when visiting grandparents, but it can also have a lot of really cool uses in your kitchen, like providing a richness to your ramen broth that's hard to compare. 

The sweet, starchy, creamy corn mixture emulsifies into the broth, providing a sweet, roasted counterpoint to any delicious ramen stock. You'll find success adding a spoonful of creamed corn to any of the Mike's Mighty Good Craft ramen flavors but it works especially well with styles like the Fried Garlic Chicken or the Spicy Pork Tonkotsu Ramen!

Corn and Craft Ramen Noodles. 

Ramen can be hacked in so many different ways and it works especially well as a palate for ingredients like corn. In turn, corn works well as a topping, broth base ingredient, or even as a building block for a completely unique ramen/ corn dish altogether.

Whichever way you decide to mix it up, corn and ramen will almost always create an incredibly delicious combination. 

If you have any corn/ramen combinations you think deserve to be mentioned on this list, let us know in the comments and we'll give them a try ASAP!