As "cooking" Ramen noodles without heat

Most people think that hot water is needed to cook ramen noodles. For years, I’ve eaten ramen noodles on camping trips, car rides, and many other times when I’ve been away from a heat source.

Ramen noodles normally take 3 minutes to cook. The directions say to simply add the packet of noodles to at least two cups of boiling water and it’s ready to eat in 3 minutes.

In order for the ramen noodles to “cook”, they must completely absorb the water until they are soft. Heat helps speed up this process, but it’s by no means absolutely necessary. Ramen noodles can absorb cold water just as easily as hot water. The main difference is that it takes longer. Here is a short guide to help you cook your Ramen noodles without heat:

1. Find a container that holds a minimum of 12-16 ounces of water.

2. Empty the packet of noodles into the container

3. Fill the container with cold water

4. Wait 30 minutes

5. Mix the seasoning

6. Enjoy!

That’s all. Pretty simple, right? I found that 30 minutes is a good amount of time for the noodles to fully soften. Sometimes I can wait up to an hour. The time may vary depending on the water temperature. If it is very cold, it will take longer than if it is warm. Just check it once in a while if you’re in a hurry.

Of course, this whole method assumes you don’t mind eating cold noodles, but I have found that they are just as tasty when cold as they are when hot.