I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Vegetarian Ramen
4.1
(195)
The goal with this vegetarian ramen recipe was to achieve a tonkotsu-like broth minus the meat. To get there, we built our vegetable stock from the ground up with charred green onions, deeply cooked tomato paste (which brings in tons of umami flavor and earthy sweetness), dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, and soy sauce. To make up for the missing fat, which gives ramen broth body and balance, we finished it off by whisking in a few pats of butter.
Leave the instant ramen noodles in the pantry for this recipe and look for fresh, like those from Sun Noodle, which sells them with and without seasoning packets (they may be in the freezer aisle. Or to make this gluten-free, make your own potato starch noodles and trade the soy sauce for tamari). Since fresh noodles cook quickly and the broth will require your attention, get your garnishes ready beforehand, including jammy soft-boiled eggs, crispy garlic in chili oil, and toasted nori.
Not quite what you’re after? Head this way for a vegan ramen soup with tofu and veggies, or over here for our Almost-Instant Miso Ramen with kimchi and store-bought stock that easily goes plant-based.
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What you’ll need
Blender
$40 At Amazon
Slotted Spoon
$11 At Amazon
Sun Ramen Noodles
$5 At Instacart
Medium Saucepan
$50 $39 At Amazon
Ladle
$27 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
4
¼
1
1
4
1
2
8
1
3
1
4
4
Ingredient Info
Preparation
Step 1
Warm ¼ cup vegetable oil and 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until garlic is beginning to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp. black or white sesame seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. (Don’t walk away; this happens fast, and the garlic can go from perfect to burned in seconds.) Transfer mixture to a small bowl and stir in 1 Tbsp. gochugaru or 1½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; season with kosher salt. Set garlic oil aside for serving. Wipe out pot and reserve.
Step 2
Trim dark green parts from 4 scallions and thinly slice; set aside for serving. Coarsely chop white and pale green parts. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in reserved pot over medium-high. Cook chopped scallions and one 2" piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, stirring often, until scallions are charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to stick to the bottom of pot and darkens slightly, about 2 minutes. Add 8 dried shiitake mushrooms and one 4x3" piece dried kombu, then stir in 5 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let sit until mushrooms soften, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard kombu.
Step 3
Using a slotted spoon, transfer solids to a blender. Add 1 or 2 ladlefuls of broth to blender and purée until smooth. Stir purée back into broth in pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking to combine after each addition before adding more. Stir in 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, taste, and season with kosher salt if desired. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.
Do ahead: Ramen broth can be made can be made 5 days ahead. Let cool; transfer to an airtight container and chill (or freeze for up to 3 months). Reheat over medium until warmed through; whisking to re-emulsify.
Step 4
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 4 baby bok choy (about 12 oz. total), quartered lengthwise, and cook until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bok choy to a plate. Return water to a boil and cook four 5-oz. packages fresh ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and divide among bowls.
Step 5
To serve, ladle broth over noodles, then top with bok choy and reserved garlic oil. Top with jammy eggs, toasted nori sheets, and/or cilantro (if using).