The Reason You Should Add Soy Sauce To Ramen
Soy sauce is one of those condiments that's a great addition to just about any dish but is severely underrated. Soy sauce, according to Healthline, is made from fermented soybeans and wheat, and that fermentation process is what gives soy sauce its unique taste, which is characterized by a savory and slightly salty flavor. Soy sauce originated in China, according to China Live, but it's now used in many dishes, like grilled chicken or pork. It's a great secret ingredient to have on hand.
It's also really delicious when added to traditional Asian dishes, particularly ramen. If you are like a lot of people these days, you are probably obsessed with ramen — and who could blame you? It's filling, cheap, and super easy to make. The World Instant Noodles Association estimates that around 117 billion servings of ramen were consumed worldwide in 2020 alone, making it an undisputably popular dish. And there's one way to make this dish even better — adding soy sauce to it.
Soy sauce adds flavor to ramen
When added to dishes like ramen, soy sauce helps to balance out the sweetness of the broth and the saltiness of the other ingredients added to the noodle dish, such as miso, sea salt, meat, and vegetables. This helps to create a more complex and nuanced flavor. The salty notes found in soy sauce help to complement the flavors of the other ingredients, making them more pronounced.
Soy sauce can also help to provide additional nutritional benefits when added to ramen. Soy sauce is rich in umami, which can help to curb your appetite, Healthline states. It also contains amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that can help to improve overall health. However, it is very high in sodium. In fact, WebMD says that just one tablespoon of soy sauce contains nearly 40% of the daily recommended sodium, so adding it to your recipes can load your food with salt. Additionally, Very Well Fit says that one tablespoon of soy sauce contains 85 calories.
Using soy sauce to cut down on flavor packets
One of the best parts of the saltiness of soy sauce, though, is that you can substitute soy sauce to add the perfect amount of salty flavor without overdoing it. For instance, most people find that the instant ramen flavor packets have too much salt, but they still want to add some saltiness to their noodles. Soy sauce can help! Just cut the flavor packet in half, then add in a dash or two of the sauce for the right amount of flavor.
Of course, you can always kick your ramen up a notch or two by adding your own seasonings, and not relying on the flavor packet that comes in the package. This ensures that you get the perfect flavor, with the right balance of salty and sweet — or even spice — that you want. Then, you can add vegetables, meats, eggs, and other ingredients to make your basic instant ramen an easy-to-make feast.