I am not here to argue about the best Thanksgiving leftover dish. That would be, of course, the epic Thanksgiving sandwich, which melds turkey meat, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and whatever bits of vegetables remain in the refrigerator into a jaw-unhinging, extra-thick meal that’ll send you into just as much of a food coma as dinner the night before. No, I am here to tell you about the second-best Thanksgiving leftover dish: spicy miso turkey ramen.
It’s a dish that’ll make good use of shredded bits of turkey meat pulled from the bone, as well as that vat of turkey broth you’ll so diligently simmer on Black Friday. It’s a dish for Saturday and Sunday, generously spiced and full of umami, that doesn’t taste like Thanksgiving, really. It’s a dish that’ll get you ready for Monday morning without a weight in your belly.
The preparation couldn’t be easier: First, cook instant ramen noodles in a pot of boiling water until they’re nearly tender. Drain and divide between serving bowls. Next, combine broth and turkey meat in the empty pot. Bring the turkey mixture to a low simmer to heat the meat without drying it out. Meanwhile, whisk together light miso and spicy gochujang. Add a bit of hot broth to the miso mixture to temper, and then stir it all into the pot of broth to thicken and flavor it. From there, simply top the noodles with the broth and turkey.
I like to garnish the dish with a piece of nori and a few sliced scallions, but if you’ve got other Turkey Day leftovers, like roasted Brussels sprouts or sauteed green beans, throw them on top as well. It’s far from traditional, but that’s not really the point of this dish, anyway.
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