You Only Need Two Trader Joe’s Ingredients to Make This Quick and Cheap Bowl of Noodles.

Instant noodles are one of my favorite convenience foods. They are cheap and quick to make, and you can add all sorts of things to them to make them bulkier. Instant ramen is the most common, but anyone who has been to an Asian grocery store knows that there is a whole world of instant noodles out there, and not all of them are soupy.

Trader Joe’s (to some extent) recently stepped into the non-soup instant noodle game with their Squiggly Knife Cut Style noodles , which they describe as “deliciously chewy” and “desirable, umami-infused noodle base that is perfect suitable for partnership with your favorite protein. and vegetables.” They are a big hit on TikTok , although a few reviewers said they are a little bland and need more sauce.

I took 4 packs of noodles because they have 12 grams of protein per serving, which is more than double what you would normally find in a pack of dehydrated wheat noodles. They’re deliciously chewy, and while I wouldn’t call them “mind-filled,” they’re pleasantly zesty and actually act like a “noodle canvas” on which to paint your masterpiece. Add some soy sauce, chili oil, fermented hot sauce and/or monosodium glutamate and they’ll be filled with umami in no time. (I want to point out that while all of the ingredients listed on the noodle packaging appear to be vegan-friendly, Trader Joe’s does not label them as such.)

An easy way to fill noodles with even more protein is to add meat, tofu, a poached egg, or a fried egg, but I picked up a bag of another new (or at least new to me) TJ product, their Meatless Ground . (Lean mince what exactly? Peas.)

The term “ground” refers to dried, textured pea protein that can be rehydrated and heated in 10 minutes to make soft, savory crumbs meant to replace minced meat in your favorite vegan recipes. On their own, they taste like they’ve been seasoned with a packet of chicken flavored ramen seasoning, which I like. And while they definitely don’t feel like real ground beef on the teeth, they can easily turn into a hodgepodge of nachos, vegan homemade pie, or any other recipe that calls for ground beef but darkens it with a host of other creamy, cheesy, or salty ingredients.

For less than $10, you can get a pack of minced meat and a pack of Squiggly Knife Cut Style Noodles. There are four 24-gram servings per pack of Meatless Ground, and each serving contains 15 grams of protein. Each package of wavy noodles contains four packages of noodles. I think you understand what I’m getting at. The noodles take four minutes of cooking to get to that “deliciously chewy” place, and it takes just 10 minutes to steam the ground. Factor in the time it takes to bring the water to a boil and you get 15 minutes.

All of this adds up to filling a bowl of vegan noodles with 27 grams of protein that will set you back $2.50 and can be ready in a quarter of an hour and processed to your liking. As someone who often comes home from the gym on the brink of starvation, that’s great.

You can add some peanut butter powder , a scoop of chili chips , shake with monosodium glutamate, or stir in a hot sauce. You can also add any leftover roasted vegetables you have in the fridge and sprinkle with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, dehydrated caramelized onions, or roasted garlic . You can even add an egg for a rich, jammy yolk. You have many options, that’s what I’m saying.

All you have to do to assemble the bowl of noodles is prepare each item according to the instructions on the package. Once cooked, divide the lean crumbs into four servings, set aside one portion for your current bowl of noodles, and store the rest in the refrigerator (until your next bowl of noodles). Cook the noodles and toss with the sauce packet, then add the crumbs and toss. (Don’t add the crumbs and then the sauce: they will soak up all the sauce, leaving nothing for your noodles.) Season and garnish with any toppings you want or require, and enjoy.