Although I often use the flavoring packets that come with instant ramen, i got a little tired of eating the same thing over again. That’s why I decided to make my own broth. The broth in this vegetarian ramen recipe uses 2 main ingredients for umami flavor: shiitake mushrooms, and kombu.
HOW TO MAKE GOOD VEGETARIAN RAMEN BROTH
While it’s more common to find ramen recipes made with pork, beef, or chicken, vegetarian ramen is pretty damn good too. The key is to find the right ingredients to impart umami flavor to the broth. My favorite ingredients to use are dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu.
DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
KOMBU
Kombu, which is dried kelp, is often used for flavoring broths in Japanese cuisine. For example, it is a very common ingredient in miso soup. Because kombu is harvested in salt water, they contain natural iodine. As a result, you don’t need to add as much salt to your dishes. To cook the vegetarian ramen broth, all you need to do is boil the mushrooms and kelp with a few other spices and let the broth simmer. You’ll be amazed by how delicious it tastes!
A NOTE ABOUT THE NOODLES USED FOR RAMEN RECIPE
I used Nongshim’s shin ramyun noodles because I like how thick they are. You can use other types of instant ramen noodles as well. Alternatively, you can use yakisoba (pictured below) if you want more fresh noodles.
NOTE ABOUT THE RAMEN EGGS
I served the noodles with ramen eggs (adapted from Just One Cookbook’s recipe), which are soft-boiled eggs that are marinated in a soy sauce mixture. If you want something simpler, just serve the noodles with regular boiled eggs. The ramen broth will be flavorful enough for the entire dish. The soy sauce marinade is just an extra touch. I prefer making hard boiled eggs with white shell eggs over brown shell eggs because I find them easier to peel. With white shell eggs, the shells don’t get stuck to the egg as easily. I usually let the eggs marinate for a few hours before serving. If you are pressed for time, you can make the ramen eggs right before you begin making the ramen broth and serve the eggs when the noodles are all done. The eggs will pick up quite a bit of flavor even during that short period of time. You can make these eggs up to 2 or 3 days ahead.
CAN YOU MAKE THE VEGETARIAN RAMEN BROTH AHEAD?
Yes! You can make the ramen broth up to 3 or 4 days ahead.
MORE NOODLE RECIPES
Spicy Sambal Noodles with TofuChow Mein with Green Beans and TomatoesGreen Curry NoodlesHomemade Noodles with Spicy Peanut SauceSee all noodle recipes here.
