I’ve teased this recipe for a few days on my Instagram page. It was too hard to keep secret. I mean, honestly, this Pumpkin Ramen dish is the dinner you never knew you wanted until now. I didn’t even know I wanted it, but here we are.
I got the idea because I always try to shop the sale and what’s in season. I don’t really like to limit myself when it comes to grocery shopping but, ya know, the budget is the priority. So, I always check sales before I make my list and head out. I had other dinner ideas in mind, and then I saw that my favorite gluten-free Ramen noodles by Lotus Foods were on sale at my local Whole Foods. And thus, this Spicy Pumpkin Ramen was born.
One-Pot Dinners
I’ve been busy trying to build a business, learn how to run a website, post somewhat interesting content on Instagram/Facebook/Pinterest, etc. and thus sometimes I need a simple dinner, even though it’s part of the gig. I’m trying my best to find a way to also limit clean up in the kitchen because having a small kitchen sucks. You run out of space almost immediately and there is literally never room in the dish rack. And why is there water EVERYWHERE? I know, not worth complaining about but boy does it hinder how much cooking you want to do some days.
I gave you a one-skillet meal last week so this week, why not a one-pot meal?! I use my amazing Le Creuset Dutch Oven that was gifted to me but any large pot (preferably ceramic lined) will do. The fewer dishes the better, it means faster clean up time and then the quicker you can be sitting down enjoying this dish. Chopsticks, optional.
Gluten-Free Ramen
I honestly didn’t’ think I was missing out on Ramen. It seemed like it was becoming a quick fad over the past year or so and I was like okay, I can do without. Honestly, when I thought of ramen, I thought of those crinkly packets with orange writing on them that contained a pad of noodles and a packet of salty flavoring. I was good.
That was until my friend Ashley introduced me to Lotus Foods last year at Expo East. She swore by them and told me I needed to try out their noodles. I was hesitant because, once again, wasn’t all that interested. Well, here’s the thing, curiosity got to this cat and when they went on sale at my local Whole Foods, I decided to oblige. The first recipe I made was from the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook. I then thought, well THAT WAS EASY (and delicious) let me try a stab at my own recipe because let’s be honest those who make recipes are pretty terrible at following them.
Pumpkin Ramen
When I was brainstorming what to make with the ramen (mid grocery trip) I saw that pumpkins and pumpkin puree were being showcased. Duh, it’s October. Anywho, I thought to myself “what would a pumpkin ramen dish taste like?!” I then immediately texted my friend (who I consult with most of my recipe ideas) and asked her opinion. At first, she was hesitant and then when I explained myself further, she was like HARD YES, DO IT!
I’m still a newbie as it comes to cooking ramen, but the good news is, it’s really easy to make. It needs all of 3-5 minutes in boiling water/broth and it’s good to go. The pumpkin adds a touch of sweetness to this dish and also a TON of micronutrients (because hello, dietitian over here).
Pumpkin for Life
While some people may be sitting back thinking I’m being the most basic RD there ever was…I’m just going to let you know I was into pumpkin before it was even cool to be into pumpkin/pumpkin spice/pumpkin spice lattes. My favorite dessert growing up was pumpkin pie and one of my favorite ice cream flavors when in college was Pumpkin Praline from Purity Ice Cream.
I digress, pumpkin is so much more than a sugary-fake latte. It is rich in nutrients and taste. So while you may not eat pumpkin for health/life but just for the gram know that you are supporting your health by eating it. I also love to roast a pumpkin and get fresh puree but if I’m feeling lazy, a can of pumpkin puree will do.
Alright, enough with my love affair of pumpkin, let’s check out this delicious and irresistible Spicy Pumpkin Ramen.
Pro Tip #1: Make your chicken ahead of time and in large batches so you can just toss into recipes like this in a pinch! Or switch up the protein if you have something quicker on hand.
Pro Tip #2: Hate spice? Leave out the Sriracha, it will be the same dish just a little less hot. It will make your dish a Pumpkin Ramen as opposed to a Spicy Pumpkin Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, diced (1 tsp if dried)
- 2 tsp fresh turmeric, diced (1 tsp if dried)
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1-15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 1-13.5 fl oz can coconut milk
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha
- 10 oz. ramen (I used these gluten-free noodles)
- 2 lbs. cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- Soft boiled eggs, optional
- Toppings: sliced green onions, jalapenos, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, and/or sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium heat and add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and onion to saute for 3 minutes.
- Add in bell pepper, saute for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add in mushrooms, pumpkin, coconut milk, broth, and Sriracha, stir to combine.
- Turn up heat and bring to a boil, once boiling, add in ramen noodles and make sure they are submerged, cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Turn off heat and add in chicken, salt, and pepper, stir to combine.
- Top with egg, green onions, jalapenos, mushrooms, red pepper flakes &/or sesasme seeds if desired.
Have you tried gluten-free Ramen yet?! What are your thoughts?
xoxo,
Sassy
…
Pin Now, Ramen Later
[…] I say, I grew up on pasta. So, when I was introduced to Lotus Foods, I found out they had Ramen (see my Pumpkin Ramen here) and I was hooked. They have plenty of types or rice noodles and it’s a great way to add […]