If you’ve ever wondered whether a meatless ramen could still be rich, creamy, and full of deep flavor, this soy milk miso ramen will convince you in one slurp. This Vegetarian Ramen brings together nutty miso, earthy mushrooms, creamy soy milk, and a fiery little kick from chili bean paste. It’s fast enough for a weeknight but special enough to impress any ramen lover at your table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Velvety rich broth that feels like tonkotsu but is totally plant-based
- Ready in 30 minutes if you prep your dashi ahead
- Customizable toppings – keep it vegan or go big with a ramen egg
- No weird ingredients – just pantry staples and some easy-to-find Japanese seasonings
Key Ingredients for the Broth
This broth is where the magic happens. Let’s talk about the four must-haves that give this ramen its flavor and body:
- Unsweetened Soy Milk: Adds richness and that signature creamy texture. It’s important to use plain, unsweetened soy milk—no vanilla or sweetened versions here.
- Vegan Dashi: Made from kombu (dried kelp) and dried shiitake mushrooms. This plant-based stock delivers deep, savory umami. If you’re not vegetarian, feel free to swap in chicken stock or traditional dashi.
- Miso Paste: Awase miso (a mix of red and white miso) or Koji miso both work beautifully here. Miso gives body, flavor, and that lovely fermented note that makes ramen taste like ramen.
- Chili Bean Paste: Just a little of this spicy fermented paste goes a long way. It adds heat, saltiness, and serious depth. If you’re cooking for kids or don’t love spice, go for a mild version or skip it entirely.
What You’ll Need
- Aromatics: Garlic, ginger, scallions
- Condiments: Soy sauce, sake, white pepper, sesame oil
- Base: Kombu, dried shiitake, soy milk, miso, doubanjiang
- Noodles: Fresh or dried ramen noodles (check labels for vegan-friendly options)
- Toppings (all optional): Ramen eggs, corn, scallions, bok choy, spicy bean sprouts, kimchi, seaweed, tofu, edamame
How to Make It
Make the Dashi
Let kombu and dried shiitake soak in water for at least 30 minutes—or overnight in the fridge. Then bring it almost to a boil, remove the solids, and your vegan dashi is ready.
Sauté the Aromatics
In a saucepan, heat some sesame oil and sauté garlic, ginger, and scallions until fragrant. Stir in doubanjiang and miso, then deglaze with sake and soy sauce.
Build the Broth
Pour in the dashi and soy milk. Let everything simmer gently—don’t boil!—so the soy milk doesn’t curdle. Season with white pepper and a pinch of salt.
Prepare Noodles + Toppings
Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Blanch your veggies, warm up your corn, or prep any other toppings while the broth simmers.
Assemble Your Bowl
Divide the noodles between bowls, ladle the broth over them, and add your favorite toppings. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a drizzle of chili oil if you like it spicy.
Tips & Variations
- No soy milk? Oat milk or cashew milk can work in a pinch, but make sure they’re unsweetened and unflavored.
- Want extra protein? Add cubes of fried tofu or a jammy ramen egg.
- Don’t overboil the broth after adding soy milk—it can split! Gentle simmer only.
- Spicy or mild: Adjust the doubanjiang to your taste. Start small—you can always add more.
Make It a Meal
Serve this ramen with:
- Spicy Edamame or Pickled Veggies
- Vegetable Gyoza or Tofu Skewers
- A cold glass of barley tea or crisp Japanese beer
Storage Notes
- Fridge: The broth keeps well for 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: You can freeze just the broth (without soy milk). Add the soy milk when reheating.
- Leftovers: Reheat gently to avoid splitting the broth. Best to cook noodles fresh each time.
FAQ
Is this vegan?
Yes—just skip the ramen egg and make sure your noodles don’t contain egg.
Can I use store-bought broth?
You can, but homemade dashi really makes a difference. If you must, go for a low-sodium vegetable broth and add dried mushrooms while it simmers.
What can I substitute for doubanjiang?
Try gochujang for heat or doenjang for umami. Both are Korean pastes that work in a pinch, but the flavor won’t be exactly the same.
Vegetarian Ramen
If you’ve ever wondered whether a meatless ramen could still be rich, creamy, and full of deep flavor, this soy milk miso ramen will convince you in one slurp.
Ingredients
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp), 5g (2 x 2 inches)
- 1 cup water
- 1 to 2 dried shiitake mushrooms (3–5g each, depending on thickness)
- 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
- 1½ teaspoons grated ginger (from a 1-inch knob)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 green onions/scallions (reserve green parts for garnish)
- 1½ tablespoons miso
- 1½ tablespoons doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 dash white pepper powder
- 1 cup vegan dashi (prepared above)
- 1 large head Shanghai bok choy
- 2 servings fresh ramen noodles (10–12 oz fresh or 6.3 oz dry)
- Toppings of your choice: ramen eggs (omit for vegan), corn, nori seaweed, vegan kimchi, spicy bean sprout salad
Instructions
- To Make the Vegan Dashi-Add kombu and shiitake mushrooms to 1 cup of water in a bowl. Use a small dish to keep the mushrooms submerged and soak for 30 minutes.
- Once soaked, transfer the mixture to a saucepan and slowly bring it close to a boil over low heat. Just before it boils, remove the kombu and mushrooms to avoid bitterness.
- Transfer the dashi to a measuring cup and top it up with water if needed to make 1 full cup.
- To Prepare the Ingredients- Boil water in a large pot for the bok choy and noodles. While that heats up, grind the sesame seeds in a Japanese mortar and pestle.
- Grate the ginger and press or mince the garlic. Separate the green onion whites and greens, slicing both thinly and keeping them in separate bowls. Quarter the bok choy lengthwise and rinse thoroughly.
- To Make the Soup Broth- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook until aromatic.
- Stir in the doubanjiang and miso, cooking for another minute while stirring to avoid burning. Pour in the sake and scrape the pan to loosen any stuck bits.
- Add the ground sesame seeds and soy sauce. Gradually add the soy milk while stirring, then pour in the vegan dashi. Taste the broth and adjust with salt and white pepper. Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside.
- To Blanch the Bok Choy- Prepare a bowl of cold water and keep it nearby. In the large pot of boiling water, add the bok choy stem-side first.
- Boil for about 2 minutes until tender, then remove and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking. Keep the hot water for the noodles. Once cool, squeeze out excess water and set aside.
- To Reheat the Broth and Cook the Noodles- Reheat the soup broth until piping hot, but don’t let it boil over to avoid curdling.
- Loosen the fresh noodles by hand, then cook them in the boiling water according to the package. Stir with chopsticks to separate. Once done, drain thoroughly and transfer noodles to bowls.
- To Serve- Pour the hot broth over the noodles. Top each bowl with bok choy and your preferred toppings like ramen eggs, corn, nori, spicy bean sprout salad, and vegan kimchi. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Note that this recipe requires 30 minutes of kombu soaking time. A standard ramen bowl holds about 1200–1400 ml of liquid. This recipe makes 1½ cups (360 ml) broth per bowl. Prepare extra broth if using larger
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 1240Total Fat 52gSaturated Fat 16gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 32gCholesterol 208mgSodium 5890mgCarbohydrates 142gFiber 15gSugar 13gProtein 54g
Easy Shrimp Recipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
