Easy Homemade Ramen Bowls
Making Ramen Bowls is a newish thing at our house, and what I’ve learned is how incredibly quick and easy they are to make! Especially with whole-grain ramen noodles readily available, this is becoming one of our go-to one-dish dinners for busy weeknights.
And today, I’m excited to share our easy (probably slightly Americanized) version of Ramen Bowls that you could easily whip together for dinner tonight. So full of flavor and such a great way to switch things up from a normally predictable dinner routine!
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The whole family loved this! (Two adults, a 5 yr old and 1 yr old). So quick and easy to make and leftovers were delicious the next day as well!
Our Trip to Japan (where we ate ramen!)
We first got excited about Ramen Bowls when we visited Japan almost four years ago (how glad am I we went on that trip when we could!). I thought we’d be eating sushi, sushi, and more sushi while in Japan, but their cuisine is actually so diverse … with ramen playing a big part.
Here are my girls eating at what definitely felt like a “fast food” type ramen restaurant in Tokyo. I’m not sure if we knew exactly what was in those bowls, but luckily they ate and enjoyed them very much.
What Is Ramen?
Much more than the cheap-o packs of highly processed (flavored) Ramen from the grocery store, it’s actually based on a real food tradition. Ramen is typically a flavored broth-based Japanese soup made with long, thin noodles and topped with meat and vegetables. But there are many, many different variations.
Types of Ramen
When you order Ramen from a restaurant, you’ll notice there are different styles you can order. Mostly the difference comes from broth types and flavorings, but all can be super yummy! Here are some of the varieties you might find:
- Shoyu – This is the most common ramen broth. It’s light-bodied, brown, and clear, and made with soy sauce, like the recipe below.
- Miso – You might be familiar with miso soup served before the main course at a sit-down Japanese restaurant. It’s a cloudy and thicker broth than the others since it’s made with fermented soy-bean paste.
- Shio – Another light broth that is made from chicken or fish bones.
- Tonkotsu – This is a full-body broth that is made by simmering pork bones and is fortified with pork or chicken fat.
How to Make Ramen at Home
Reminiscent of the restaurants in Japan, this dish comes together very quickly at home.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pot and cook the veggies for 3- 5 minutes or until soft.
- Pour in the chicken stock, soy sauce, and fish sauce, and bring to a boil.
- Add the noodles to the boiling water and cok for another 3 minutes until the noodles soften.
- Divide soup into bowls and top with desired garnishes.
Ramen Topping Ideas
Ramen is one of those dishes that can be customized to your liking, especially when it comes to toppings. Here are some other options to add to your own ramen:
- Red bell pepper
- Bok choy
- Chopped green onions
- Bean sprouts
- Pork belly
- Nori (dried seaweed)
- Soft boiled eggs
Ingredients to Make Homemade Ramen
- Toasted sesame oil – For an uthentic flavor I recommend cooking with this.
- Cloves garlic – Peeled and minced.
- Fresh ginger – Freshly grated.
- Crushed red peppers – Add a little extra if you like a kick.
- Carrots – I like to shred them, but you could finely dice them, too.
- Shiitake mushroom caps – Thinly sliced.
- Chicken broth – Use low sodium broth (or homemade) so the result is not too salty. You could also use vegetable broth to make this noodle bowl vegetarian.
- Soy sauce – I recommend using low sodium.
- Fish sauce – For a more authentic flavor, don’t skip this ingredient!
- Dried whole-grain ramen noodles – You can find these in the International aisle at your grocery store or order on Amazon.
- Green onions – Use the white and green parts for garnish.
- Kale – Thinly sliced for garnish.
- Soft-boiled eggs – Instructions for soft-boiling are in the recipe.
Other Asian Inspired Recipes You Might Enjoy
Super Quick Ramen Bowls Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper ((double this if you like a little kick))
- 4 carrots ( shredded or finely diced)
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms (caps thinly sliced)
- 6 to 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth (can sub vegetable broth, amount depends on how soupy you like it)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (reduce amount if using regular soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 10 ounces dried whole-grain ramen noodles (4 "cakes" of noodles, about 2.5 oz each)
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced (white and green parts), for garnish)
- 1 handful kale (thinly sliced, for garnish)
- 2 soft-boiled eggs ( sliced in half, for garnish (see instructions below) )
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, ginger, red pepper, carrots, and mushrooms until fragrant and the veggies begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour in the broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Add the ramen noodles and stir until completely broken up. Boil for 3 minutes and then turn off the heat.
- Divide soup among four bowls and garnish each one with green onion, sliced kale, and soft-boiled eggs (see below).
For Soft-Boiled Eggs
- Place 2 eggs in the bottom of a small pot and cover with a few inches of cold water. Bring to a boil then immediately cover with a lid and remove from heat.
- Let sit for 6 to 7 minutes (depending on how runny/firm you like them!). Drain most of the water, add ice to cool the eggs, then peel and slice in half.
Notes
- We typically use homemade chicken broth, which has no added salt. If you use store-bought broth, use the low-sodium variety or reduce the amount of soy sauce so your ramen is not too salty.
- We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
There’s a lead and cadmium warning on the fish sauce I bought (Richin). Sigh.
Anyone have a favorite noodle substitution to make it gluten free?
The linked noodles in the recipe are gluten-free. -Nicole
I think the Brown Rice and Millet Ramen Noodles from Lotus Foods are gluten-free and available at Amazon and in Asian food stores.
The whole family loved this! (Two adults, a 5yr old and 1yr old). So quick and easy to make and leftovers were delicious the next day as well!
Awesome! Glad to hear everyone loved it. – Nicole
This was a hit with my family! I used coconut aminos (soy free sauce) bc that’s what I always buy, which is much less sodium…so I didn’t have the too salty problem. I was pleasantly surprised how the flavours came together, very tasty!
I also had to substitute cremini mushrooms and used seaweed to replace the fish sauce, and used brown rice vermicelli…believe it or not, it was delicious!
Yeah I found this a bit too salty too! Lots of flavor tho! Will probably halve the soy sauce next time (I used low sodium). Also, a little lime was a nice way to cut the salt and add a fresh flavor! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the tip, we’ll have to try it out next time. – Nicole
It was very nice and easy to prepare. Althought it can be very dark and salty if using the wrong soy sauce (do not use dark Chinese)!
Hi,
I’m not rating this yet because I was wanting to check something regarding the soy sauce. I added about a third of a cup (80ml) instead of half a cup. It was very black and salty. Can you comment so I can rate (as it was not so good with 1/2 cup of soy).
Thanks
Hi Michael, we recommend using low sodium soy sauce, if possible. Do you usually cook with soy sauce? The amount is correct in the instructions. – Nicole
The recipe should say “low sodium” if you recommend low sodium. it’s waaaaaay too salty with regular soy sauce.
Hi Bridget, sorry for any confusion in the recipe. We do link to a GF reduced-sodium soy sauce. – Nicole
This recipe was just what we needed tonight after reminiscing over time spent in Japan! It was SOOO good! Had to leave a review and say THANKS!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it and that it could bring back some memories. – Nicole
My family loved this and I love that it’s so much better for you than the prepackaged kind! My sons requested it two weeks in a row! I didn’t have mushrooms so I shredded a zucchini instead.
My son loves this so much I’m making it for his 16th birthday dinner!
My husband and I loved this recipe! The flavor was wonder and it was easy to make. I’m cooking it for a second time tonight!
This was great! I don’t like mushrooms so I subbed in bamboo shoots, used Ginger Miso broth from Trader Joes, added some ground pork for my protein-loving family, and added corn. Oh, and Kimchi! It tasted very much like the ramen I get from our favorite ramen place.
No one in my family liked this at all. I used bok choi instead of kale, but I don’t think that should’ve altered the outcome greatly. And for our family, I’d say it was more like 5-6 servings.
Hi Jennifer, I’m sorry to hear no one enjoyed it. Could you let us know more so what you didn’t like? Was it the flavor, lack of flavor, ingredients, etc.? – Nicole
Looks similar to the Mark Bittman quick ramen recipe I use. I love to use homemade unsalted chicken stock, so the soup doesn’t become overly salty from the soy sauce. I usually use real ingredient chinese noodles, but am excited to try your suggested whole grain variety.