Takis Ramen Is The Food Mash-Up We Didn't Know We Needed

Few meals are more comforting than a large bowl of ramen noodles on a cold day. Many Japanese restaurants will have this authentic dish with a creamy broth, various veggies, and boiled egg or fish cakes. However, ramen has also become a notoriously budget-friendly meal with the popularity of instant ramen packs like "Top Ramen" selling for less than a dollar for each pack at most grocery stores.

While Top Ramen often feels synonymous with the "broke college student" meal, there are some interesting creations that can come from having these noodles as your base. Since the noodles are extremely soft once cooked, adding a crunchy texture to your soup is a common idea. Some enjoy the spice and crunch of chili crisp in their bowl of ramen but a food mash-up you may not have thought about is adding Takis to your ramen.

The rolled corn chip adds a similar spice and crunch to ramen. Takis may not be the most nutritious addition to your pre-packaged ramen noodles but they are convenient and easily accessible. Plus, the flavor combination is hard to beat. Not only does the crunchy tortilla chip texture pair perfectly with the soft, wet noodles, but Taki's new flavors provide various options for the spicy powdered coating from Fuego to Blue Heat and Dragon Sweet Chili. These flavors get absorbed into the ramen broth, making it even more tasty.

While one Reddit user questioned if others had thought to pair these two random snack foods together, several commenters were familiar with the combo, with one saying, "Yes. It's actually good" and another recommending people crush up the Takis before adding them to the ramen, "for the crunch and spice." Crushing up your Takis can create a more pleasant mouth feel since the texture gets distributed throughout the noodles, similar to croutons or seeds in a salad.

Additionally, another way to pair these two foods together is actually by creating a Taki Ramen salad. Simply drain the noodles from the cooking water and add them to your preferred Taki flavor with other salad toppings like nuts, cucumber, and lime. The mixture creates a cheap, easy, and delicious noodle salad with a slightly fresh zing that balances out the heat.

Alternatively, you can throw out the seasoning packet that typically comes with your Top Ramen and use crushed-up Takis as the powder. This allows the Taki flavor to be front and center as your noodle coating while still adding a slight bit of texture. The meal is simple but surprisingly delicious. There are various ways to make this food mash-up your own and while it may not make your stomach feel the best the next day, it's good for the soul.