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Easy One-Pot Ramen Carbonara Best College Dinner

Easy one-pot ramen carbonara - featured image
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A quick, budget-friendly carbonara made with instant ramen, eggs, and parmesan. Ready in under ten minutes with just one pot and simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 packet instant ramen noodles (seasoning packet discarded)
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon butter (salted preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more for topping)
  • Pinch of salt (only if needed)
  • Optional mix-ins: frozen peas, leftover chicken, crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, sriracha, spinach

Instructions

  1. Fill a medium pot with about 2 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the ramen noodles (discard seasoning packet) and cook for 2 minutes, breaking the block apart with a fork, until noodles are just tender but still firm (al dente).
  2. Before draining, reserve about ¼ cup of the starchy cooking water and set aside.
  3. Drain the noodles in a colander or by tilting the lid slightly. Do not rinse.
  4. Return the pot to low heat and add the butter. Let it melt slowly. If adding extras like garlic or leftover chicken, toss them in now and warm for about 30 seconds.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the whole egg, extra yolk, grated parmesan, garlic powder, and black pepper until combined and slightly frothy.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat completely.
  7. Add the drained noodles back to the pot and toss in the melted butter. Let cool for about 30 seconds.
  8. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the noodles and stir vigorously with a fork or chopsticks for about 30 seconds, until a silky, creamy sauce forms. If too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water and stir again.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or more pepper if needed.
  10. Serve immediately, topped with extra black pepper and additional parmesan if desired.

Notes

Do not use the ramen seasoning packet. Take the pot off the heat before adding the egg mixture to prevent scrambling. Let noodles cool about 30 seconds after adding butter for perfect egg cooking. Reserve starchy pasta water to adjust sauce consistency. Best eaten immediately; leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated gently in a skillet with a splash of water or milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: ramen carbonara, easy college dinner, one-pot pasta, budget-friendly, quick dinner, dorm cooking

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