Swap Lasagna Noodles With Ramen For A Twist On A Classic

Over the past few years, an unusual food trend has bubbled up on TikTok: ramen lasagna. Popular videos from accounts like @ramenkingivan and @fooddudescook show folks lining baking dishes with dried ramen noodles and topping them with red sauce, cheese, and add-ons like pepperoni. Even Nissin Foods, a popular ramen brand, has a recipe.

Many video commenters are skeptical. Recipes for ramen lasagna even ended up on r/StupidFood, a subreddit for questionable culinary combos. Admittedly, the dish isn't a match for high-quality Italian pasta, but noodles are noodles if you're looking for quick comfort food at the end of the day. Plus, many commenters who've tried it love it. One Redditor likened the recipe to other classic Italian casseroles, like pasta al forno.

While dissenters point out that making lasagna with ramen isn't much easier than using regular noodles, ease isn't the only reason to substitute. Some like the texture, others like the practicality. After all, ramen is dirt cheap and readily available just about everywhere. If you don't have a grocery store nearby, a well-stocked gas station can set you up with ramen, pasta sauce, and shredded cheese. And, while a box of lasagna might necessitate a trip to the store, there's a good chance that you can find a few packets of ramen in the back of a cabinet. (That said, there are plenty of ways to use up noodles without making lasagna if your pantry is overflowing with pasta).

Making ramen lasagna isn't that different from standard lasagna. Preheat your oven to around 350 to 375 degrees F, then gather a baking dish, tomato sauce, cheese (ricotta and mozzarella are standard), and fillings like onion or Italian sausage. Make sure you have enough ramen to cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1 to 2 layers of blocks.

Some recipes recommend breaking the ramen blocks in half so they cook thoroughly. However, for some brands, this might be unnecessary. Ramen noodles are parboiled before they're dried and packaged, so they're already partially cooked. If you're worried, take a tip from Ina Garten and soak the noodles in hot tap water beforehand. 

Layer the blocks on the bottom of your dish, then add tomato sauce, cheese, and other add-ons on top. Keep adding layers until you're satisfied — or run out of ingredients. Some videos show cooks seasoning the lasagna with ramen packets, but others maintain that it's better to use herbs and spices. Ultimately, it's up to personal taste. Just forego salt if you decide to add the packets, and use a light hand. If you skip the ramen seasoning, you can enhance the dish with salt, along with Italian seasonings like oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

Put the dish in the oven for 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the casserole. Check it regularly, removing it when the top is browned and the lasagna is cooked through. Let it cool, then enjoy. Just be warned: You might get flashbacks to college.

Okay, a note for the lasagna purists out there: Technically, this isn't lasagna. The casserole is named for its iconic flat noodles, which likely got their name from laganum, a type of flatbread eaten in ancient Greece and Rome. Without the noodles, it's just a baked pasta dish.

Throughout Italy, many regional variations of the dish would be unrecognizable to Americans. Many Italians skip the tomatoes and add ingredients like egg, truffles, and prosciutto to a white sauce base instead. But one thing stays the same: The noodles are a necessity. They make lasagna lasagna.

But here at The Takeout, we're not purists. We're down to add chocolate to hummus or substitute barbecue burnt ends for hot dogs. Most people outside of Italy know lasagna as a casserole made with red sauce, ricotta, and fillings like veggies or ground beef, so there's no harm in calling the dish lasagna. The important thing is that the recipe works — and "ramen casserole with ricotta and tomato sauce" isn't as catchy.