There are nights when I come home tired and the idea of small comforts wins over elaborate plans, I pull a pot onto the stove and the gentle simmer of bones and aromatics becomes my quiet ritual, that slow, nourishing smell is why I keep a simple Ramen Broth Recipe in my rotation, it feels like a small, doable act of care you can make even on a weeknight.
Why You’ll Love It
This ramen broth is approachable, forgiving, and perfect for someone making broth for the first time, it fills the kitchen with warm, comforting aromas, works with whatever protein or toppings you like, and scales easily so you can simmer a big pot on the weekend and use it all week for quick bowls that feel special.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes |
Cook Time: 240 minutes |
Total Time: 270 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork bones (neck and knuckle work well)
- 1 pound chicken carcass or wings
- 10 cups cold water
- 1 piece dried kombu about 4 inches square
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 large onion halved
- 1 large carrot roughly chopped
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger sliced
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 4 scallions tied in a knot or left whole
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake or dry white cooking wine
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fine sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse bones under cold water to remove surface blood, place bones and chicken in a large stockpot and cover with cold water, bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse bones to remove impurities, this step keeps the broth clear and less gamey.
- Return cleaned bones to the pot, add 10 cups fresh cold water, add kombu and shiitake, bring just to a simmer over medium heat, remove kombu after 20 minutes to avoid bitterness, keep the shiitake in.
- Add onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, and scallions, reduce heat to low so the broth barely simmers, cover partially and simmer gently for 4 hours, skim foam from the surface in the first hour as needed.
- In the last 30 minutes, stir in soy sauce, mirin, and sake, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if you prefer a lighter shoyu style add less soy and more salt to control sodium.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot, discard solids, let the broth settle briefly, then skim off excess fat from the surface if you want a clearer bowl, or leave some fat for richness.
- Reheat gently when ready to assemble bowls, ladle over cooked ramen noodles and top with your favorite garnishes like soft boiled egg, chashu, scallions, and nori.
Recipe Variations
- Rich Tonkotsu Style Simmer pork bones longer on high simmer until emulsified for a creamy, opaque broth, omit kombu and shiitake.
- Quick Shoyu Lighten the base by using only chicken carcass and kombu, reduce simmer to 2 hours and emphasize soy sauce and mirin for a clearer shoyu broth.
- Vegetarian Dashi Use 8 cups water, kombu, dried shiitake, and a handful of dried kelp flakes simmered 30 minutes, finish with soy and mirin for a vegan-friendly ramen base.
- Spicy Miso Finish Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons miso paste and a teaspoon of chili oil per serving when assembling bowls to create a savory spicy miso ramen without changing the base broth.
Make Ahead: The broth can be made 2 to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container, for longer storage freeze in portions up to 3 months, cool completely before refrigerating or freezing, thaw overnight in the fridge and gently reheat on the stove, refrigerate leftover bowls within 2 hours of serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I simmer bones for best flavor
Simmer at a gentle pace for 4 to 6 hours for a deep flavor, longer can extract more collagen but watch liquid levels and add water if it reduces too much.
Can I make this broth in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot
Yes use high pressure for 1 to 2 hours which speeds up extraction, release pressure carefully and then strain, adjust seasoning after pressure cooking.
How do I make the broth clearer
Blanch bones first, keep a low simmer, skim the surface during the first hour, and strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove fine particles.
Is kombu necessary
Kombu adds umami and depth, but you can omit it for a meat forward broth or replace with extra shiitake for vegetarian nuance.
Ramen Broth Recipe
This ramen broth is approachable, forgiving, and perfect for someone making broth for the first time, it fills the kitchen with warm, comforting aromas, works with whatever protein or toppings you like, and scales easily so you can simmer a big pot on the weekend and use it all week for quick bowls that feel special.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork bones (neck and knuckle work well)
- 1 pound chicken carcass or wings
- 10 cups cold water
- 1 piece dried kombu about 4 inches square
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 large onion halved
- 1 large carrot roughly chopped
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger sliced
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 4 scallions tied in a knot or left whole
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake or dry white cooking wine
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fine sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse bones under cold water to remove surface blood, place bones and chicken in a large stockpot and cover with cold water, bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse bones to remove impurities, this step keeps the broth clear and less gamey.
- Return cleaned bones to the pot, add 10 cups fresh cold water, add kombu and shiitake, bring just to a simmer over medium heat, remove kombu after 20 minutes to avoid bitterness, keep the shiitake in.
- Add onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, and scallions, reduce heat to low so the broth barely simmers, cover partially and simmer gently for 4 hours, skim foam from the surface in the first hour as needed.
- In the last 30 minutes, stir in soy sauce, mirin, and sake, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if you prefer a lighter shoyu style add less soy and more salt to control sodium.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot, discard solids, let the broth settle briefly, then skim off excess fat from the surface if you want a clearer bowl, or leave some fat for richness.
- Reheat gently when ready to assemble bowls, ladle over cooked ramen noodles and top with your favorite garnishes like soft boiled egg, chashu, scallions, and nori.
Conclusion
This ramen broth is meant to be kind to a beginner but flexible enough to grow with your cooking, the steps are simple and forgiving, and a pot of homemade broth lifts even a quick bowl into something warm and memorable, take it slow, taste as you go, and treat the broth as a base to experiment with toppings and regional styles so you can build the ramen that suits your kitchen and your appetite.
