Garlic Parmesan Ramen | Ultralight Backpacking Recipe
By Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN
Updated January 6, 2024
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Are you new to making backpacking ramen recipes, or do you find preparing meals too time-consuming? Backcountry Foodie’s garlic parmesan ramen ultralight backpacking recipe is a Foodie fan favorite for many reasons. It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare at home and on trail, is hands down cheaper than commercially prepared meals, and is delicious! Our backpacking ramen recipe is perfect for getting you started and is one of my favorites. You’re going to love it!
After you fall in love with our garlic parmesan ramen recipe, check out our 10 favorite no-cook backpacking recipes.
Garlic Parmesan Ramen
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View Comments / Leave A ReviewNUTRITION (per serving)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package (85 g) ramen noodles
- 1 Tbsp (1.5 g) parsley, dried
- ¼ tsp (0.8 g) garlic powder
- ¼ tsp (0.6 g) black pepper
- ⅛ tsp (0.8 g) table salt
- ¼ cup (30 g) parmesan cheese, grated, 1/4 cup = 8 x 3.5 g packets
- 3 Tbsp (40 g) olive oil
- 8 oz (240 mL) water
OPTIONAL
- 1 package (70 g) rice ramen noodles (substitution), gluten-free, heart-healthy option
- ¼ cup (28 g) cashew cheese, grated (substitution), vegan, heart-healthy option
- salt substitute (substitution), reduced-sodium option
INSTRUCTIONS (per serving)
HOME
- Discard ramen noodle spice packet.
- Put noodles in a bag or container to be used in the backcountry.
- Put the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bag to be stored inside the noodle bag or container. See meal prep tip below.
- Pack 3 Tbsp (42 g) olive oil in a leakproof container to be added to the meal when consumed. We recommend double bagging the oil in the event there is a leak.
FIELD
- Remove the parmesan herb packet.
- Add 8 oz (240 mL) hot/cold water or enough to cover the noodles.
- Let stand to allow the noodles to rehydrate. This will take approximately 7 minutes if cooking the meal and 30 minutes if cold soaking. Avoid over-soaking noodles as they will become mushy.
- Consume or properly discard the noodle broth to practice the Leave No Trace principle.
- Add parmesan herb packet and 3 Tbsp (42 g) olive oil to the noodles.
- Stir to mix well and enjoy!
NOTES
MEAL PREP TIP
- If preparing the meal for long-term storage, we recommend packing the parmesan cheese in a separate container just before leaving for the trip. This will greatly lengthen the shelf-life of the meal. Single-serving packets, such as those used by pizza restaurants, also work well. 2 x 3.5 g packets = ~1 Tbsp
NUTRITION
- For a low-sodium recipe, replace the ramen noodles with rice ramen and table salt with a salt substitute as desired.
- For a heart-healthy recipe, use rice ramen, grated cashew cheese, and salt substitute.
- To reduce calories by 120, reduce olive oil volume by 1 Tbsp (14 g). We do not recommend leaving out all of the oil, as some oil is required to create a pesto sauce.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian and ultralight long-distance backpacker with over 20 years of nutrition and backpacking experience. She’s also the founder and owner of Backcountry Foodie, an online ultralight recipes and meal planning platform for backpackers. She also enjoys teaching hikers about backpacking nutrition via virtual masterclasses, YouTube videos, and podcast episodes. You can follow Aaron’s adventures in the kitchen and the backcountry via Instagram and Facebook.
5 Comments
Psyche to try it!! Thanks for sharing these yum yum meals.
This looks yummy! I’m going to try it next trip.
Btw, your “Notes” mention pesto…but this isn’t a pesto recipe, ist it?
The ingredients are similar to a parsley pesto sauce. Maybe I should change the notes to “parmesan herb mix” instead of “pesto”?
Last week I went on a 3-day backpack trip in RMNP … I made the “Garlic Parmesan Ramen” for the second day’s dinner with one modification … I added a package of chicken to it … Bottom line it was very tasty and I will definately be making it again … But I think next time I will add dehydrated chicken to it instead of the packages chicken … Reason: To save weight …
Thanks for sharing the recipe … Craig T.
I’m new to cold soaking and I found this recipe an easy intro to no-stove backpacking. I made this recipe vegan by substituting the parmesan with homemade vegan parm (hemp seed, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt). I also added some dehydrated spinach for extra veg and pumpkin seeds for protein and crunch. I’ll be checking out your other tips and recipes!