Is Cameron Diaz’s “Whatever-You-Got” Ramen Worth the Hype? We Cooked It to Find Out

We got our Negroni recipe from Stanley Tucci, our gluten-free biscotti recipe from Courteney Cox and everything else from Ina Garten. Basically, our Instagram feed has become a playlist of celebrity recipes—and we’re not mad about it. That’s why PureWow has launched an all-new YouTube series, Celeb Bites, where we attempt to cook and bake like the stars to see if their recipes are worth the hype. Our second episode tackles Cameron Diaz’s “Whatever-You-Got” Ramen.

If you’ve never upgraded a packet of instant ramen with your own mix-ins, Diaz’s not-quite-a-recipe recipe will be a game changer. Not only is it a breeze to prepare, but it’s also endlessly riffable (and a great way to get rid of all that neglected produce in your crisper drawer).

The actress shared her rendition on Instagram back in October 2021. As Diaz explains in the video, she uses whatever vegetables she happens to have on hand. “Below is what I used in my ramen,” she wrote in the caption, “but feel free to use whatever you have that fits your flavor profile and enjoy!”

Watch us prepare it here, or read on for the ridiculously easy recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken stock
• Vegetable or olive oil
• ½ cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup carrot, diced
• ½ cup celery, diced
• ½ cup broccoli florets
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon shallot, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon crunchy garlic chili sauce (aka chile crisp)
• 2 packets instant ramen, any flavor (Diaz uses lemongrass ginger and garlic pepper)
• 1 egg
• Juice from ½ a lime
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions

Step 1: In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in an oiled skillet, sauté the mushrooms until slightly crisp. Transfer to a bowl. In the same skillet, add another drizzle of oil and sauté the carrot, celery and broccoli until tender. Add the shiitakes back to the skillet. Add the sesame oil, shallot, garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant. Add the chile crisp. Turn off the heat.

Step 3: Add the flavor packets to the chicken stock. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Crack the egg into the pot and immediately whisk to break up the egg. Add the vegetable mixture to the pot.

Step 4: Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with the lime juice, rice vinegar and cilantro.