Budget-Friendly Ramen Carbonara Recipe 💰 Affordable & Delicious! Poor Man’s Ramen and Spam Carbonara

Ingredients

• 1/2 can Spam (12‑oz can, diced into ½‑inch cubes; use reduced‑sodium if preferred)
• 7 g Unsalted Butter (about ½ tablespoon, softened)
• 1 Large Egg (room temperature, lightly beaten)
• 20 g Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
• 1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1 package Ramen Noodles (instant) (≈85 g; break in half before cooking)

Instructions

1. Dice the Spam

   Open the can, drain, and dice half a can of Spam into roughly ½‑inch cubes.

   Time: PT2M

2. Cook the Spam

   Heat the skillet over medium‑high, add ½ tablespoon (≈7 g) unsalted butter, then add the diced Spam. Stir and cook until the pieces are golden brown, about 3 minutes.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: Medium‑high

3. Prepare the Carbonara Mixture

   While the Spam cooks, grate the Parmesan into a bowl, add the beaten egg and a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Mix until smooth.

   Time: PT2M

4. Cook the Ramen Noodles

   Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Break the ramen block in half and drop it in. Cook for 2–2½ minutes, just until al dente.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: Boiling

5. Combine Spam and Noodles

   Drain the noodles, leaving a little cooking water. Reduce the skillet heat to low, add the noodles to the pan with the Spam, and toss, using a splash of the reserved water to deglaze the pan and lift any browned bits.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: Low

6. Finish the Carbonara Sauce

   Pour the egg‑Parmesan mixture over the noodles, stirring constantly. Add a little more hot noodle water if the sauce looks too thick. Keep the pan on low heat and stir for 1–2 minutes until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the noodles.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: Low

7. Plate and Serve

   Transfer the ramen carbonara to plates, garnish with a pinch of extra black pepper or additional grated Parmesan if desired, and serve immediately.

   Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

505

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

60 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

2 g