Try this 15 Minute Thai Red Curry Ramen Recipe.
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1 large chicken breast
- 2.5 cups no sodium chicken broth
- 14 ounce can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons sesame paste tahini, or nut butter of choice
- 1-2 tablespoons red curry paste depending on spice preference
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 portions ramen noodles
- 2 large handfuls spinach
- fish sauce or salt to taste
- lime and cilantro to finish
- Carbohydrate 5.0288 g
- Cholesterol 82.2614454545455 mg
- Fat 10.0202929717868 g
- Fiber 1.24 g
- Protein 36.7537650956113 g
- Saturated Fat 1.62335925862069 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (194g)
- Sodium 95.9095509404389 mg
- Sugar 3.7888 g
- Trans Fat 0.883479258620691 g
- Calories 258 calories
Step-by-step
- In the Instant Pot insert, add the chicken stock, coconut milk, sesame paste, red curry paste, garlic, ginger, chicken breast, and mushrooms.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- While the Instant Pot is doing it’s thing, slice up your peppers and cook and drain your noodles and divide them between two deep bowls.
- When the Instant Pot is done, quick release the pressure.
- Carefully remove the chicken and shred.
- Add the chicken to the bowls with the noodles.
- Stir the peppers and spinach into the soup.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce, salt, or even more curry paste if needed, then divide evenly between the two bowls.
- Finish with lime and cilantro and enjoy!
- Note: If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make it in a regular pot on the stove. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, sesame paste, red curry paste, garlic, ginger, chicken breast, and mushrooms to a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breast.
- Continue with the remaining steps.
Quick-releasing the pressure on an Instant Pot requires caution to prevent hot liquid from sputtering through the valve, making the initial depressurization stage the most critical moment for safety and texture control. This technique accelerates what traditionally takes hours of simmering into a five-minute pressurized cycle. Thai red curry paste relies on a pounded base of dried red spur chilies, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, garlic, and shallots. Historically, these aromatics were ground in a heavy granite mortar to break down cellular structures and release essential oils before being fried in coconut cream until the oil separated. Modern commercially prepared curry pastes shortcut this labor while retaining the pungent, spicy profile needed for broths. Combining this Southeast Asian flavor paste with Japanese wheat noodles creates a fusion bowl that bridges distinct culinary traditions. Substituting tahini or nut butter for traditional roasted peanut paste introduces a different fat profile that alters how the coconut milk emulsifies in the broth, requiring thorough whisking to prevent separation. Ramen noodles, originally derived from Chinese wheat noodles introduced to Japan, demand precise boiling until al dente to avoid gumminess when hot broth is added. Simmering the chicken breast directly in the liquid infuses the stock with protein while keeping the meat tender before shredding. Finishing the dish with fresh lime juice provides necessary acid balance, cutting through the heavy saturated fats of the coconut milk. Fresh cilantro adds volatile aromatic compounds that degrade rapidly under high heat, which is why it belongs exclusively at the very end of preparation. Adjusting seasoning with fish sauce supplies umami depth through fermented anchovies and salt, replacing standard sodium chloride with complex savory notes developed over months of natural fermentation.
