Instant Noodles and Beyond
Most of us have eaten some kind of instant noodle, whether that’s ramen, microwaveable mac and cheese, or something else. Some of us have modified instant noodles with other ingredients: adding veggies or an egg, for instance. Robin Ha’s book is here for people who want to get fancier and more adventurous, all with the starting point of a humble noodle package.
Instant Noodles and Beyond begins with a comic book guide to ramyeon (the Korean word for ramen). It briefly covers the history of instant ramyeon, how it’s made, and its nutritional profile before shifting into cookbook mode: after a few pages of recommendations for staple ingredients to have on hand, the book dives into its many clearly and cheerfully illustrated recipes. There is a section for ramyeon soups, one for brothless ramyeon (like stir-fried noodle dishes), and one for cold ramyeon recipes. Then there’s Think Outside the Bowl, with instructions for using instant ramyeon in dishes ranging from popcorn to puffed rice treats to scallion pancakes. This section also includes some recipes using boxed macaroni and cheese.
The recipes – most of which make one or two servings as written – are inspired by cuisines from all over the world, with everything from Shrimp Alfredo Ramyeon to Pad Thai Ramyeon to Elote Mac and Cheese. Occasionally, there will be a short comic about the historical or cultural background for a specific recipe. Scattered through the book are a few longer comics (usually still just a page or two) that tell fun personal stories, like one about the author’s friend who hosts ramyeon parties.
The comics that illustrate the recipes are drawn in a realistic style, which makes them useful and informative: they include pictures of the packages of recommended brands of ramyeon for each recipe, and they clearly show how to prepare the meat, veggies, and other ingredients. The comics at the beginning of the book get a little more whimsical, with talking ramyeon packs, a cartoon cat cooking, and more.
As a cookbook, this has a fun and novel premise: make your instant noodles fancy! Of course, two major appeal factors of instant noodles are that they are fast and easy to make, and that situation changes somewhat once you have a recipe that requires adding a bunch of other ingredients, which often have to be diced or otherwise prepared. But many of the recipes are still fairly simple, with peppy and straightforward instructions that make them feel accessible, and those other ingredients can add significant nutritional value as well as flavor and texture. Hand this cookbook to inexperienced cooks looking to expand their recipe rotation, or to anyone who likes noodles and wants to try something new.
Instant Noodles and Beyond A Comic Book with Recipes for Souped-Up Ramen, Mac & Cheese, and More
By Robin Ha
William Morrow / Harvest, 2026
ISBN: 9780063437142
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
Creator Representation:Â Korean,
