Microwave ramen carbonara
Instant noodles tossed with egg, parmesan, black pepper and crispy bacon into a silky carbonara-style sauce, the dorm upgrade that tastes like a restaurant plate.
- 12 min total
- 8 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 1
- About $2.01 a serving
- 780 calories
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 1 servings.
- 2 slices bacon
- 1 package ramen noodles, seasoning packet not needed
- ¼ cup frozen peas
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
From your pantry
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch garlic powder
Each serving has about 780 calories, 25 g protein, 59 g carbs and 47 g fat, and costs about $2.01 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No frozen peas? Frozen mixed vegetables work.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Lay the bacon between paper towels on a plate and microwave 2 to 3 minutes, until and no longer see-through.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Timer: 2 min 30 sec
Food safety: Cook bacon until it’s crisp and no longer translucent.
Put the noodle block, peas and water in a large microwave-safe bowl, set it on a plate, and microwave 3 minutes.
Timer: 3 min
Loosen the noodles with the fork and microwave 1 minute more, until tender.
Timer: 1 min
Dip a mug in to save 2 tablespoons of the cooking water, then the rest off, holding the noodles back with the fork.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
the egg, parmesan, pepper and garlic powder into the saved water with the fork.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Pour the egg mixture over the hot noodles and fast until every strand is coated.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Microwave 15 seconds, toss, and repeat 2 or 3 times, until the sauce thickens and clings to the noodles with no runny egg left.
Timer: 15 sec
Dolly’s tip: Short bursts cook the egg into a silky sauce. One long blast scrambles it.Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
the bacon over the top, add another grind of pepper, and eat right away.
Crumble. Crumbling means breaking food into small, rough bits with your fingers or a spoon, like feta or ground meat in the pan. Small bits spread through the dish, so there’s some in every bite.
How you’ll know: The pieces are small and uneven, about pea-size, with no big clumps left.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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