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Vegetarian Miso Ramen Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Vegetarian Miso Ramen Recipe

I still remember the first time I made this at home after years of relying on instant packets. I wanted something just as fast, but way more nourishing, and this bowl delivered every single time. Between the salty-savory miso broth, tender kale, and a jammy egg on top, it felt like restaurant-quality comfort food
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Total Time 15 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil or any neutral cooking oil you have on hand
  • 1 clove garlic minced — fresh garlic gives the broth a much rounder flavor than the jarred kind
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated — skip the powdered version here since fresh ginger brings brightness that powder just can't match
  • 4 cups vegetable stock — this is the base of your broth so use a good quality one
  • 1 tablespoon tamari — a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce that still packs in that umami punch
  • 2 large eggs — for the classic jammy ramen egg
  • 7 oz ramen noodles or the noodles from two packets of instant ramen, minus the flavor packet
  • 1/2 cup kale shredded — fresh kale holds its shape and texture far better than frozen, which turns mushy in broth
  • 6 shiitake mushrooms sliced (cremini mushrooms work as a swap too)
  • 2 tablespoons miso paste — the heart of this dish so don't skimp on quality here
  • 1 green onion sliced, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Fill a medium pot with water and set it over high heat until it comes to a rolling boil. You'll use this same pot for both the eggs and the noodles, so no need to dirty extra dishes. While it heats up, move on to starting your broth in a second pot.
  2. In your second pot, warm the sesame oil over medium heat and add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Sauté for about a minute or two, just until the kitchen smells amazing and the aromatics have softened. Pour in the vegetable stock and tamari, then let it come up to temperature.
  3. Once your water is boiling, use a spoon to slowly lower each egg in, dipping it in and out a couple of times first. This little trick helps prevent the shells from cracking from the temperature shock. Let the eggs cook for six and a half minutes for that perfect jammy center.
  4. As soon as the timer goes off, transfer the eggs straight into a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process immediately and keeps that soft, jammy yolk intact. If you prefer a firmer yolk, just leave them in the boiling water for an extra thirty seconds and skip the ice bath.
  5. While your eggs are chilling in the ice bath, add the sliced mushrooms and shredded kale directly into your simmering broth pot. Let them cook for three to four minutes, just until the kale wilts and the mushrooms soften slightly. This is also a great moment to slice your green onion for garnish.
  6. Using the same pot you boiled the eggs in, cook your ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Mine usually took around two and a half minutes since fresh noodles cook much faster than dried ones. Once done, strain them well and divide them between two large soup bowls.
  7. Bring your broth back up to just below boiling, then pull it off the heat completely. This step matters because adding miso paste to actively boiling liquid can destroy some of its beneficial properties. Stir the miso paste in until it's fully dissolved and smooth.
  8. Ladle the hot broth generously over your noodles in each bowl, then top with the cooked mushrooms and kale. Slice your jammy eggs in half and place them on top, then finish with a scatter of sliced green onion. Serve immediately while everything is piping hot.

Notes

  • I always add the miso off the heat since boiling it can dull both the flavor and the gut-friendly benefits
  • I like to taste my broth before adding the miso, since stock brands vary a lot in saltiness
  • I never use frozen kale here since it turns watery and loses its texture in the hot broth
  • I try to slice my mushrooms evenly so they cook at the same rate and soak up more broth flavor
  • I keep an extra minute of buffer time when boiling my eggs the first few times I make this, just to dial in my ideal yolk texture