In the humble ramen, long designated as a last resort meal for the college student, lies potential for meals that some may even call decent. Bachelor pad thai is not only a catchy play on words, but also sets the tone for the dish because, like a bachelor pad, it may be thrown together with cheap materials at the last minute; however, it is still presentable and can even impress on certain occasions.

Bachelor pad thai may not be authentic Asian cuisine, but the strength of the meal is in its easiness to make and cheapness of the ingredients. One serving consists of less than $1 worth of ingredients. With egg and peanut butter added, this dish has about 18 grams of protein.

Depending on your standards, bachelor pad thai may still be a last-ditch attempt at dinner, but there is a lot of room for innovation. The dish can be as simple as three ingredients, but with prior planning (or a decently stocked kitchen) the noodles can be spruced up with other flavors and garnishes like vegetables and garlic to come closer to a more authentic pad thai. This recipe will focus on a simple version that most could find around a residence hall or mediocre pantry.

-Ramen Noodles

-1 Egg

-Peanut Butter

-Sriracha hot sauce

-Optional: Garlic powder, soy sauce, green onions, other vegetables

1. Boil water.

2. Add the ramen noodles and boil as directions state.

3. Crack an egg into the boiling noodles after they have softened. It should take about 1-2 minutes for it to cook.

4. Strain noodles and egg.

5. Add half of flavor packet and 2 tbsp of peanut butter. Allow peanut butter to melt over hot noodles and stir. 

6. Add Sriracha or hot sauce of choice to taste. 

Bonus: Enhance the dish with flavor and garnish with garlic powder, soy sauce, parsley, carrots or green onions.