I’m stressed out, exhausted, hungry and broke. As a college student, this is my natural state of being, and I am now accustomed to the bland taste of ramen noodles. This past weekend, however, I ventured out of the ramen rut and used this collegiate staple food in several creative ways. All of these recipes can be prepared with a microwave, and I tried to keep the cost per serving as low as possible.

Cuban Carnitas Soup

I started off easy and decided to try and spice up one of the most underrated ramen flavors. Using just the pork flavored ramen and a few simple accents, I created a carnitas-inspired dish that was exponentially more satisfying than the sum of its parts.

First, prepare the pork ramen as directed. It would be best to leave as much of the broth as possible. Then add a few pinches of cilantro, a slice of lime and hot sauce to taste. Feel free to use more lime juice and less hot sauce if you are not a fan of spicy foods. Remember to save your lime for any beverages you may prepare later.

Ramen and Vegetable Stir-Fry

My next dish made use of canned fruits and veggies to keep costs low and flavors varied. Stir-fry dishes may not seem microwave-friendly, but I assure you it is possible. You just need to heat your food, add ingredients, stir and heat again. For this dish I used one can of mixed veggies and one small can of sliced mandarin oranges.

First, cook the noodles as directed (I did not use the included flavor packet). Then, drain all the water and add the mixed veggies and mandarin oranges. A good ratio to use is two parts veggies to one part oranges. Mix these all together with your favorite teriyaki or soy sauce and heat in the microwave until warm. Feel free to use packets of sauce from Chinese restaurants to cut down on costs.

Chicken Parma-Ramen

Disregarding the flavor packets, ramen is just cheap pasta. I used this to my advantage and created the cheapest, easiest form of chicken Parmesan. For this dish, I made use of microwave-ready chicken breast, regular spaghetti sauce and sliced provolone.

Cook the noodles first. Remember that if noodles get cold, they can always be reheated under a damp paper towel, but meat loses flavor every time it is reheated. Once the noodles are ready, cook the chicken as directed. Then add a slice of cheese to the chicken and heat for about 15 seconds on high. This is just enough to melt the cheese. Serve the chicken on a bed of noodles, and drench in the spaghetti sauce heated to your preference.