These crispy, pan-fried Ramen Pancakes are a savory, quick comfort food dinner and a great way to use up left over ramen noodles. Ready in just 15 minutes, they are golden on the outside, with crispy edges and soft, chewy noodles on the inside. I like to think of these as the noodle-based equivalent to fried rice. Use whatever leftover chopped veggies you have in the fridge.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’ve got that crispy edge and chewy middle that’s sooo satisfying. Add a little creamy mayo and spicy chili oil on top and it’s magic.
- They make leftover noodles and veggies feel like a super tasty new meal. Future me always says thank you when the fridge is cleared out.
- They’re extra quick (about 15 minutes start to finish) so they’re perfect for busy work days.
- You can make them with any leftover veggies you need to use up – chopped broccoli, greens, carrots, onion etc – it all works.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe leans on easy pantry staples and a few fresh add-ins, so nothing here should be tricky to find. Go to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients with measurements.
Here’s a list of what you’ll need:
- Chickpea flour
- Maggi seasoning sauce (or soy sauce also works fine)
- Sesame oil
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Chili flakes or fresh chili (optional)
- Cooked instant ramen noodles (with seasoning sachets)
- Leftover green veggies (peas, broccoli, green beans, etc.)
- Panko or breadcrumbs
- Neutral oil for frying
- Mayo
- Chili oil
- Sesame seeds
- Spring onions
Instructions
When I was testing out this recipe, I new had to make it as simple as possible – and I’m pleased to report I got this down to just 15 minutes, one bowl and one frying pan. So minimal clean up and as little effort as possible! Here’s how I made it at home or jump to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for more detailed instructions.
Step One: Whisk together the chickpea flour, seasoning, water and aromatics until you have a smooth batter.
Step Two: Fold in the cooked noodles, chopped veggies, and breadcrumbs, making sure each strand and piece is coated. It’s okay if the noodles break apart, the batter will keep them stuck together.
Step Three: Heat a little oil in a pan, then spoon in portions of the mixture. Flatten gently with the back of a spoon to shape them into pancakes.
Step Four: Cook until the edges turn golden and crispy, then carefully flip to crisp up the other side.
Step Five: Transfer the pancakes to a plate and finish with your favorite toppings like mayo, chili oil, sesame seeds, and spring onions.
Substitutions & Variations
- You can use whatever vegetables or inclusions you’d like in your ramen pancakes. Think of them as the noodle equivalent of fried rice – it’s a just a tasty way to use up leftovers. I made mine with chopped broccoli and peas, but I’ve also tested them out with cabbage (make sure it’s finely diced) and corn works well too. Whatever you use, make sure it is pre-cooked and I’d recommend chopping up whatever you have so it is in small bite size/half inch pieces. That way everything will hold together nicely with the batter.
- Now, I know this is called Ramen Pancakes BUT you don’t necessarily have to use ramen noodles. Leftover spaghetti, rice noodles or other noodle varieties (like hokkein) will work too.
- To lean into the Asian-inspired flavors, stir some chopepd kimchi through the batter. It adds so much fresh flavor with a tangy, spicy kick.
- If you want to get your ramen pancakes extra crunchy, smush them down with the back of your spatula in the pan to spread them out. The thinner the pancakes, the crispier the edges!
Storage
As these are already made with leftover noodles and vegetables, for food safety, I don’t recommend storing them for reheating. If you cooked the noodles and the veggies fresh especially for this recipe, then it should be safe to keep them in the fridge for about 3 days, however they won’t be nearly as crispy when reheated in the microwave (they’ll go kind of soggy). I really recommend eating these fresh out of the frying pan.
Expert Tips
These ramen pancakes are the perfect way to use up leftover noodles and vegetables. If you’re cooking them from scratch, make sure your veggies are already well cooked. Allow the noodles to cool down before mixing them in the batter if you don’t want them to break apart too much (but it doesn’t really matter if they do).
FAQ
Make sure your pan is properly heated and add enough oil to coat the base, or use a non-stick pan. I do most of my cooking with Hexclad pans (they’re an investment but excellent quality).
Yes, any noodles will soba, rice noodles, or even spaghetti all work. Just make sure they’re cooked and cooled before mixing in.
Anything small works best as it is easier to mix it evenly into the batter and it’ll all stick together well. I like it with chopped broccoli, peas, corn… but honestly, whatever’s in the fridge (and is pre-cooked) should work fine.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
If you want to make these into more of a meal, you could serve them with some steamed greens on the side like bok choy or stick to the theme and serve them with other Asian dishes like dumplings or fried rice for a full style spread.
For toppings, I think ramen pancakes would also be great with Japanese flavors like sushi ginger, thinly sliced nori and fresh sliced avocado. If you want to see how to slice the nori – check out my Miso Garlic Pasta. I sliced up a few sheets into fine strips using scissors and I think it’s an easy way to make a simple meal look a little fancy! Plus it adds a hint of fishy flavor which is delicious.
If you like the concept of noodles as pancakes then definitely check out the Italian inspired spaghetti pancake by the Kitchn.
Or for more easy noodle recipes, my Healthy Instant Noodles are a good one for meal prep, and my Udon Noodle Stir Fry has that chewy, bouncy noodle magic with sooo much fresh flavor. Or for something super quick, try my sizzling Spicy Garlic Oil Noodles – you pour hot oil over fresh garlic, onion and spices then slop the noodles through and it is 10/10 delicious.
So next time you have some leftover noodles or are craving some quick comfort food try these for yourself! I’d love to know what veggies you added and how they turned out for you, so please let me know what you thought in the comments below or feel free to tag me on social media (I’m mostly on Instagram) @glowdiaries___.
Ramen Pancakes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chickpea flour 85 g
- ½ cup water adjust as needed for a thick batter (120 g)
- 1 tbsp Maggi seasoning sauce or soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil 5 g
- 2 cloves garlic minced (2 tsp / 6 g)
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 5 g
- 1 tsp chili flakes or fresh chopped chili — optional
- 8.8 oz cooked instant ramen noodles cooled (250 g, use included seasoning sachets)
- 1 cup chopped leftover green veggies such as peas, broccoli, or green beans (140 g)
- 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs or use from stale bread (14 g)
- Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil works best)
To Serve
- Vegan mayonnaise for drizzling
- Chili oil for drizzling
- Sesame seeds for sprinkling (7 g)
- 2 green onions finely chopped (30 g)
Instructions
- Chop leftover veggies into small, bite-sized pieces — about 1–2cm for larger veg like broccoli or beans, and roughly the same size as peas for everything else. This ensures they cook through quickly and distribute evenly in the batter.
- Whisk chickpea flour, water, Maggi Seasoning Sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chilli, and the noodle seasoning sachets until smooth.
- Fold in cold cooked noodles, chopped leftover greens, and panko, tossing until everything is coated in the batter.
- Heat 1–2 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spoon portions of the mixture into the pan, flattening slightly into small pancakes.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes until the bottom is golden and crisp, then carefully flip and cook the other side for another 3–4 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle with vegan mayo and chilli oil, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions. Serve immediately.
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