Vegan Miso Ramen Recipe

There's nothing like slurping a steaming hot bowl of ramen noodles in a rich, savory broth. It's the ultimate comfort food, like an edible hug. A good bowl of ramen typically takes hours — sometimes days! — to make from scratch, which is why most of us leave the task to our favorite ramen restaurants. The problem with most traditional ramen places, though, is the lack of vegan options.

Turns out, homemade vegan ramen is actually quite simple to make and takes less than an hour. Below, recipe developer Alex Shytsman of the plant-based blog The New Baguette breaks down the process step by step. This shiitake miso broth is surprisingly rich and creamy, and is sure to satisfy your ramen cravings, right in the comfort of your own home (i.e. on the couch in your stretchy pants). Loaded with plenty of vibrant and flavorful vegetables, this ramen is sure to hit the spot!

To make this vegan broth, you'll need shiitake mushrooms, fresh garlic and ginger, scallions, chili flakes, sesame paste, soy sauce, vegetable broth, non-dairy milk, and of course, miso. The mushrooms will infuse the soup with a "meaty" flavor and the miso will make it pop with umami. To build the rest of the bowl, you'll need ramen noodles (fresh or dried), bok choy, corn, and sesame seeds.

To start, cook the mushrooms in a pot until they're lightly browned — caramelizing the mushrooms is key to forming the foundational flavor of the broth. Then add the ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and ⅓ of the scallions, and cook just until fragrant, about one minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the sesame paste and soy sauce, and stir to combine with the vegetables. Sesame paste (also known as tahini) is the secret ingredient to this magical broth. It makes it rich and nutty, and mimics the depth of meat-based ramen broths. Next, add the vegetable broth and milk, and whisk to incorporate the paste into the liquid. Milk is another key, imparting a creamy texture and cloudy look to the broth, which typically comes from bone collagen.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and briefly cook the bok choy. You want the greens to retain their color and crunch, so don't cook them longer than a minute. When they're ready, pull them out into a strainer and immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking process.

In the same water, cook your noodles according to package directions. Then drain and toss them with a bit of sesame oil to prevent sticking.

Cook the corn in a small skillet just until it's heated through and lightly golden.

To serve, divide the noodles among bowls, ladle in the broth, and arrange the other ingredients on top. If you wanna play around with other toppings, try chili oil, Sriracha, toasted nori, roasted broccoli, or seared tofu. And, just like that, you have a hearty bowl of homemade ramen — and it's completely vegan!