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We’re going to show you how to make some real vegan ramen! You won’t see any rock-hard bricks of noodles here. There are also no seasoning sachets, folks. In fact, we’re going to put this ramen together with healthy ingredients. Firstly, there’s a rich and delicious broth that’s packed with umami. Then, there are tasty ramen noodles you will slurp up with glee! Finally, we top everything off with piles of fresh veggies! What’s more, we have recipes for making these ramen noodles in an instant pot, slow cooker, or on the stove-top.
Are you hungry yet?
What is Ramen and who Invented it?
Ramen has a fascinating history! So much so, that NYU Professor George Solt wrote an entire book about it! Ramen evolved from a Chinese recipe based on broth and wheat noodles. It’s hard to figure out exactly when ramen jumped to Japan. However, we do know it was widespread by the early 1900s.
Sadly, ramen’s availability crashed during and after World War II. Food supplies were tightly regulated, and it was illegal to earn a profit selling food! You could go to jail for hawking ramen! Even so, black market ramen shops cropped up and kept the population fed. See what we mean by “fascinating?”
What is Ramen Made Of?
Vegan “ramen” is, of course, an entire dish – not just the noodles. There is considerable variation in the ingredients used. However, the noodles themselves are quite simple. Ramen noodles ingredients are water, wheat, salt, and kansui. What is Kansui? Well, it’s a particular type of alkaline water. It is essential because it reacts with the wheat to give ramen noodles their yellow color and “springy” texture. In fact, without kansui, it’s not ramen at all!
How to make Vegan Ramen
If noodles are the heart of our vegan ramen recipe, then the broth is its soul! There are as many ramen broth recipes as there are ramen cooks. However, one fact is true for all of them – if the soup isn’t tasty, neither is your ramen!
How to Cook Ramen Broth
You might have heard tales of recipes that simmer ramen broth for hours and hours. Of course, you probably don’t have time for that (neither do we). That’s why we make our vegan ramen broth in an instant pot. Instead of watching a bubbling pot all day, your broth can be ready in 30 minutes (not including preparation time). We’ve also added instructions for making the broth on the stove-top and in a slow cooker, just in case.
We also promised umami flavors in the title of this post. Well, we weren’t kidding. We infused as many umami-rich ingredients as we could, including:
- Soy sauce
- Bamboo shoots
- Green onions
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Carrots
- Garlic
- And the big one – Kombu (super-tasty edible seaweed)!
Assembling your Ramen Bowl
Assembling your ingredients is the simplest part of the recipe! Put some ramen noodles at the bottom of each bowl and ladle on the vegan broth. To finish the soup and freshen it up, add your fresh, delicious add-ins! We used:
- Firm tofu
- Fresh mushrooms
- Raw bamboo shoots
- Sliced green and red onions
- And if you’re feeling adventurous, try some vegan furikake seasoning!
Of course, you should also have fun with your ramen! There are endless add-in options out there – mix them up!
Can Ramen be Frozen and Reheated?
You can certainly save some of your ramen broth for another time. Just divide it into meal-sized portions and freeze! When it’s time to eat, reheating is easy – thaw the frozen liquid in a saucepan (or in the microwave if you’re rushing). The ramen broth will last in the freezer for about 3 months. However, don’t try to freeze the whole meal, the thawed noodles and add-ins will not be pretty!
We hope you think this vegan ramen is as interesting and delicious as we do! Have fun making this tasty noodle soup. If you try it, please let us know what you think with a comment and rating! Every bit of feedback helps make the blog even better.
Are you looking for more tasty soup options? Try out herby zucchini, comforting tomato, and spicy sweet potato curry soup recipes!
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Vegan Ramen with a Delicious Umami Broth!
- Total Time: Up to 8 hours
- Yield: 4 bowls 1x
Description
Let’s talk about vegan ramen! Check out our delicious ramen noodle recipe, with a rich broth, and options to use an instant pot, stove top and slow cooker!
Ingredients
Ramen Broth
- 10 cups water
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 bunches green onions, roughly chopped
- 3 ounces / 85 grams dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half
- 1 thumb of ginger (2 inches/5cm long), sliced
- 2 tablespoon mirin
- 0.5 ounce / 12 grams kombu
- Sea salt, to taste
Noodles + Toppings
- 8 ounces / 225 grams ramen noodles
- 12 ounces / 340 grams firm tofu, cut into small cubes
- 2 cups mushrooms (such as oyster, shiitake and enoki mushrooms)
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Serrano pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons vegan Furikake (optional)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
Ramen Broth
-
- Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot method: Place all ingredients into the pressure cooker, seal and cook on high pressure for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Slow Cooker method: Place all ingredients into a slow cooker, cover and cook on “low” for 8 hours or “high” for 4 hours.
- Stove Top method: Place all ingredients into a large broth pot, cover with water (around 10 cups), place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1-2 hours.
- Strain: Allow the broth to cool for at least 15 – 20 minutes (to prevent burning yourself), then pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer. Push the vegetables down to release all the liquid and flavor, and then discard the vegetables by placing them in your compost.
- Serve or store: Divide ramen broth into four portions (around 2.5 cups per serve).
Build your Vegan Ramen Bowls
- Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Divide noodles between four deep soup bowls. Keep warm.
- Reheat ramen broth and then carefully divide it between four bowls. Evenly distribute tofu cubes, mushrooms and bamboo shoots between the bowls. Top with green onion and Serrano pepper slices, a sprinkle of Furikake and a drizzle of sesame oil.
Notes
- Nutritional information is to be used as a guide only as calories and nutrition vary between products and brands worldwide.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes to 8 hours
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 10.1 g
- Sodium: 2152.3 mg
- Fat: 8.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 78.8 g
- Fiber: 8.7 g
- Protein: 22.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: vegan ramen
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