Hello and welcome to Eight Years In! And if you’re returning, a warm welcome back to you. I would be kidding myself if I said that I wasn’t on a strong ramen kick. And so today we’re talking about making vegan ramen.  

Story time

   I’ve always enjoyed ramen, once I had access to the more authentic stuff. (Even before going vegan I never enjoyed Maruchan instant noodles, sorry.) I’ve gone out to eat vegetable ramen at restaurants and bought packets of instant noodles from Asian grocery store for years. Heck, sometimes we’ve even made a special event out of instant noodles with elaborate chopped and steamed vegetables and steam buns. 

   But recently, I got some inspiration that made my love for ramen come alive. I got to go to a higher end ramen shop recently and while it was expensive for my expectations of eating out, one thing was clear—I had just had one of the best meals I had consumed in a long time. And all of a sudden, I felt compelled to learn all about ramen. 

The vegan of it all

   If you’re vegan in a not-so-vegan-friendly area, this has likely happened to you. You want to get into a cuisine but when you learn about it in the beginning, almost everything you see seems to heavily rely on animal products in one way or another. And ramen wasn’t so different for me. 

   However, I remained undaunted. I’ve been through this with many other cuisines and (save for French food), there has always been a way in. (If any of you have some good tips for vegan French food, please let me know in the comments. I am all ears.) The truth is, a lot of flavorings come from plants anyway. And I would eat my hat if I wasn’t able to make some really satisfying vegan ramen. 

   And so, I set out on a mission. I would learn how to make amazing vegan ramen that my non-vegan loved ones also enjoyed (because that’s become my sort of seal of approval for most of my food anyway). I made bowl after bowl, and each time I learned something new. 

Umami

   As many of you might be aware, there are names for different kinds of tastes—sweet, sour, acidic, salty, bitter, and one that we don’t talk about as much named umami. Now umami is basically what I can best describe as meaty flavor. It’s not salty, but savory. And most of us are used to experiencing it in meat, but that’s not the only way to get it. 

   With vegan ramens, you can get umami flavor from mushrooms, some seaweeds, and tomatoes. You can put any of these things (or a combination of their flavors) in your broth, and it brings a whole new dimension to what would otherwise be nothing more than a simple vegetable broth. It gets more complex and interesting and to be honest, satisfying. For any of you that have tried an instant package of vegetable ramen and thought “this needs something” but weren’t sure what, the answer is probably umami. 

It’s not just the broth

   One interesting thing that I’ve learned about making ramen is that it’s all in the broth. You want to pack in a nuanced flavor while still being balanced. But did you know that traditionally, it’s not just about the broth when you’re making broth? 

   It turns out that usually people will put a few condiments in the bowl before adding the broth they made, and then whisk them together. This helps you build even more flavor, not to mention it makes it more customizable for the different people you’re serving. For instance, I like to put chili oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, miso and soy sauce in the bottom of the bowl and whisk them up before pouring in my boiling broth. For me, this adds a good base of flavor. I might omit or lower the amount of chili oil for someone who doesn’t like as much spice, or reduce the amount of miso for someone with salt concerns (since my soy sauce is currently low sodium). Remember, when it comes to balance, tastes differ. 

Toppings

   There are a few elements to think about in terms of toppings. One, how much access do you have to more authentic and exotic toppings? Or alternatively, how convenient are you looking for this to be? You may want to dig into Korean radishes or chili threads, for instance. And these are delicious options, to be sure! However, if all you’ve got is a can of corn, some chopped carrots, and some green onion, that is certainly sufficient and delicious!

   Secondly, consider if you want to top with elements from your broth. For instance, I like using the shiitake mushrooms and cooked carrots as a topping after I’ve cooked my broth, if I’ve used them in the recipe. I prefer not to throw them away as scraps, both for food waste concerns as well as simply enjoying how they taste. I find that it adds a certain cohesiveness to the dish to use some of the same elements as toppings and in the broth. 

   Third, you want to keep in mind your balance of raw, crispy toppings and cooked or softer toppings. Some toppings that start off crispy can get soggy in the ramen because of the broth. While others like raw carrots will stay crisp. I prefer a mix of both usually, to keep up the intrigue, but it’s all down to preference. 

Add in some plant based protein

   I’m a fan of balanced meals these days. And while past me would have scoffed at the idea of wanting to add extra protein to a vegan ramen, it’s a delicious way to round out your meal. 

   My personal favorite protein to add to ramen has definitely been tofu. Or eating it with a side of soybeans. But I have experimented with different faux meat products. My biggest suggestion for you here is to use ones that have no breading, as breading will get soggy when it sits in the ramen. Old fashioned meat replacements such as tempeh and seitan are good options as well. 

What kind of noodles

   I have to admit, my ramen is still in the experimental phase when it comes to noodles. Some noodles are labeled ramen noodles in the store, other noodles can be used, and I am personally still in search for my own favorites. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Ingredients that make a difference 

   Let’s be honest, you can make ramen with almost anything. It’s basically whatever broth you want to make with noodles and whatever toppings (with some ingredients and flavor profiles being more authentic than others). That being said, there are a few ingredients that you may not frequently keep around the kitchen that, in my opinion, are super worth it. 

Miso

   You don’t need to make miso ramen—not all ramen uses miso as its star. That being said, I absolutely love it, and would be hard-pressed to make a bowl of vegan ramen without using miso. 

   There are different kinds of miso to try. My favorite is white miso. You can buy miso at Asian supermarkets, and increasingly, many grocery stores. It adds a savory flavor with more depth than a simple salt, and you can put it in the broth or use it as one of the seasonings at the bottom of the bowl that you will pour your broth on top of. You can also use it in other ways if you’re looking to use it up. Try putting it in a marinade or a sauce.

Seaweed

   Here’s another ingredient that you may not think of adding to your broth (especially if you are from the United States)—seaweed. The two main seaweeds that I would suggest trying for ramen are kombu or nori. The kombu you’ll steep in the broth until boiling, and you can use nori as a garnish on the dish. 

   If you like seafood, you will especially want to add seaweed. As mentioned earlier, this is another one of those ingredients to add more of that savory, umami flavor that you’re looking for. 

Chili oil

   I use chili oil as a seasoning either in the bottom of the bowl or on top of the ramen as a garnish (or both, sometimes), and it is an ingredient that I had never heard of before this whole ramen journey. 

   I am used to using whole chilis for flavor, or powdered peppers such as cayenne, etc. But chili oil was new for me, and I am so glad I found it. The way that the spice is experienced is so much smoother than usual, and the look is very aesthetically pleasing. 

MSG

   When people hear you say MSG or Monosodium Glutamate, (at least in the United States) they may get a little uncomfortable or just shut themselves off to the idea immediately. It’s gotten a bad reputation over the years, but it’s a great ingredient to work with.

   It doesn’t have any real flavor on its own, but adds an umami note to your dish. Just a few shakes of MSG can transform your broth from “oh, I made a vegetable soup” to “wow, this really is ramen!” Not to mention, it is a really good ingredient to have on hand to make many dishes more authentic and delicious from various cuisines. It can be a little difficult to find in some places, but once you do it isn’t too expensive and is definitely worth it. 

Serving up your vegan ramen

   It’s always fun to serve ramen with the toppings on the side, so everyone can decide how much or how little they want of each thing—we all have our own sense of flavor and texture balance that would be preferred. And consider serving drinks such as Ramune or Sake, to add a little bit of extra flair to the meal. 

   Ultimately, the more I have learned about ramen, the more I have learned that vegan ramen, although not the usual fare, can be made delicious and fun. Thank you for reading my thoughts. If you have any experiences with vegan ramen, let us know your own tips and tricks in the comments of this post! And have a wonderful day!