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    Home » Soups

    Vegan ramen noodles with tahini miso broth

    Published: Dec 5, 2021 · Modified: Mar 29, 2023 by Cadry Nelson
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Text overlay: Vegan ramen with tahini miso broth. Bowl of ramen on table.

    Upgrade instant noodles with this easy vegan ramen noodles recipe. The broth is beautifully creamy thanks to the addition of tahini.

    Finish with your favorite toppings and get a variety of tastes and textures with every bite.

    Overhead ramen noodle soup with corn, jalapenos, pickled onions, cucumbers, and peas.

    I’ve been making instant ramen since I was just a kid. It was one of the first things I ever learned how to “cook.”

    Boiling noodles with a packet of seasoning mix isn’t haute cuisine, but it kept me full. And I enjoyed making little tweaks with how al dente I liked the noodles, or how much seasoning packet to use.

    Nowadays when I travel, I love going out to have fancier vegan ramen at places like Ramen Hood in Los Angeles or Moto-I in Minneapolis.

    It’s my dream to visit Japan someday and have endless bowls of ramen while I’m there. (I’ve had my first Tokyo meal planned for years. I don’t know when I’ll get there, but someday!)

    However, I don’t have any local vegan options for restaurant ramen.

    So when I’m craving a hot brothy noodle soup, I pick up a package of instant ramen from the market.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Doctoring packaged ramen
    • Should I use the seasoning packet?
    • Ingredients
    • Vegan ramen toppings
    • Step by step instructions
    • Can I replace ramen with other noodles?
    • How to store leftovers
    • 📖 Recipe

    Doctoring packaged ramen

    Bowl of ramen with tofu, jalapenos, radishes, onions, carrots, and cabbage.

    Even though many ramen options aren’t vegan, you can usually find some that are on the grocery store shelves. Just read the ingredient label.

    (I buy Koyo ramen, and all of theirs are vegan.)

    As a kid, my ramen sold in stores for 25 cents a package. The seasoning packets were questionable in terms of ingredients.

    Nowadays, the instant ramen I buy is a dollar more. Still not too shabby all things told.

    The noodles are baked not fried.

    And the ingredient list is a lot more straightforward. It doesn’t contain any artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.

    I like to doctor the broth to make it more full flavored. And I add tahini for creamy body, miso paste & tamari for umami, and rice vinegar for tang.

    Then I finish it with my favorite part – the toppings. Toppings add nutrients, color, and variety to what can be a pretty beige meal.

    This quick broth and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink take on toppings aren’t traditional. It’s not classic ramen that takes hours to make. But it is an easy lunch or dinner that tastes delicious.

    Should I use the seasoning packet?

    It depends!

    Because my favorite ramen has a very mild seasoning packet, I usually use it and then add other flavorful ingredients.

    However, many ramen brands are super salty or have very specific flavors that might compete with other seasonings. In that case, I’d leave the seasoning packet out, and use Better Than Bouillon or vegetable broth instead.

    Use your best judgment.

    • You can add part of the seasoning packet. Then see how you feel & if you want to add the rest.
    • You can omit it, and replace it with ½ teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon no chicken base.
    • Or if you know you love the seasoning packet and it isn’t overly salty, add it in full.

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

    Labeled ramen soup base ingredients.

    Tahini: Look for this sesame seed paste near nut butters or Mediterranean ingredients. It’s sold at Trader Joe’s.

    Or you can order it online. My favorite brands are Soom and Seed + Mill.

    White miso paste: This fermented paste adds salt & umami to this soup.

    Look for it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It’s often near the tofu.

    Tamari: This Japanese soy sauce adds salt & richness.

    It can be replaced with any soy sauce you enjoy, coconut aminos, or Bragg’s liquid aminos.

    Rice vinegar: Vinegar adds tanginess & balances the saltiness of the broth.

    Brown rice vinegar is sold in the center aisles of the grocery store, near the soy sauce, in the health market, or with other types of vinegar.

    Ramen: To keep this dish vegan, look for vegan ramen noodles, which includes a vegan seasoning packet.

    You can replace ramen with an equal amount of any Asian-style noodles that you enjoy. See ideas below.

    Vegetables: Use any pickled, raw, or cooked vegetables that you enjoy. See ideas below.

    Baked tofu: Prepared baked tofu is a convenient option. Alternatively, you can brown your own tofu, or replace with seitan.

    Vegan ramen toppings

    Bowl of vegan ramen with pickled onins, seitan, jalapenos, and cabbage.

    My favorite part of the ramen experience is the toppings. That’s what makes one bowl to the next (or even one bite to the next) so unique.

    You can satisfy whatever cravings you’re having that day. It’s also an easy way to clean out the refrigerator, because you don’t need too much of any one thing.

    A little leftover tofu or seitan, the last radish in the container, the remaining pinch of shredded cabbage…

    All of those odds and ends pack a lot in terms of variety, color, and flavor.

    Depending on the topping and your preferences, you can leave it raw, steam it, brown it, air fry it, or pop it in the microwave before adding it to the bowl.

    Here are some topping ideas to get you started.

    Veggies

    • Shredded cabbage mix
    • Sugar snap peas or English peas
    • Sliced carrots
    • Bell peppers
    • Corn – fresh or frozen
    • Edamame
    • Spring onions
    • Daikon or radishes
    • Cucumbers
    • Bok choy
    • Sprouts
    • Spinach
    • Mushrooms
    • Brussels sprouts

    Protein

    • Baked tofu – teriyaki, sriracha, or satay style
    • Eggy tofu or vegan egg
    • Seitan chicken, seitan bacon, or smoked seitan

    Pickled or fermented things

    • Quick pickled jalapeños
    • Pickled red onions
    • Pickled ginger
    • Vegan kimchi (Remember to look for a fish-free variety!)
    • Gochujang (Try this instead of or in addition to miso)

    Garnishes

    • Toasted sesame seeds
    • Cilantro
    • Nori
    • Chili oil
    • Sesame oil (Don’t get too heavy-handed with this. A little goes a long way.)
    • Sriracha

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Put the following into a small to medium sized soup pot:

    • Water
    • Tahini
    • White miso paste
    • Tamari
    • Rice vinegar
    • Vegan seasoning packet or ½ teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon no chicken base
    Broth coming to boil in pot on stove.

    Stir until dissolved and bring to a boil.

    Ramen noodles softening in broth.

    Add ramen noodles. Cook for about 4 minutes (or whatever time is listed on the package), until softened to your liking.

    Pour the noodles & broth into a bowl. Top with your choice of chopped raw or cooked vegetables, tofu, and/or seitan.

    Can I replace ramen with other noodles?

    Absolutely!

    For this recipe I use the vegan ramen noodles from a 2.1 ounce package of Koyo garlic pepper flavored organic ramen.

    But I’ve also used other noodles for this recipe, and it works great.

    (I also like Momofuku noodles without the seasoning packet. But you’ll need more water, because it’s a larger amount of noodles.)

    If the noodles are more of an instant style (like packaged ramen), and they cook in about 4 minutes, go ahead and cook them in the broth.

    But if you’re using sturdier pasta-style noodles with a longer cooking time (like 10 minutes), I recommend cooking them separately in boiling water according to package directions. Then drain and add them to the flavored broth.

    If you’re using a larger amount of noodles or if you just like a brothier soup, increase the amount of water. About ¼ cup is usually good.

    If you’re craving a chewier noodle, try this udon noodle soup.

    If you’re gluten-free, you’ll want to use gluten-free noodles. Be sure that any broth or bouillon, miso, and tamari you’re using are gluten free as well.

    How to store leftovers

    Ramen noodles are easy to overcook. If they spend too much time in liquid, they can become mushy. So I usually make just the amount I need for one serving.

    However, there are occasions where I get a little overly generous with toppings, and suddenly one serving becomes two.

    On those occasions, I recommend separating the noodles and any raw ingredients. Store them in the refrigerator separately from the broth.

    Then when you are ready to reheat, incorporate the noodles with the broth & heat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. Garnish with any cold toppings.

    Bowl of vegan ramen noodles with corn, jalapenos, peas, cucumbers, and pickled onions.

    📖 Recipe

    Brightly colored bowl of ramen.

    Easy vegan ramen noodles with tahini miso broth

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 4 votes
    Get creative with packaged ramen! Tahini gives the broth a wonderful creamy texture. Then finish with your choice of toppings like shredded cabbage mix, diced carrots, sugar snap peas, sliced radishes, diced bell pepper, pickled red onions, green onion, pickled jalapeno pepper slices, baked tofu, and/or seitan. The only limit is your imagination!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 9 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 people
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Japanese, Vegan
    Keyword: easy lunch
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 ⅓ cups water plus more if desired
    • 1 Tablespoon tahini
    • 1 teaspoon white miso paste
    • ½ teaspoon tamari
    • ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
    • 1 (60 gram) package ramen with seasoning packet
    • ½ cup vegetables raw or cooked, chopped
    • 3 ounces baked tofu or seitan

    Instructions

    • Add water, tahini, white miso paste, tamari, rice vinegar, and the seasoning packet to a small or medium sized soup pot. Bring to a boil and stir until the ingredients are full dissolved.
    • Add ramen noodles. Cook about 4 minutes (or whatever time is listed on the package), until softened to your liking. If you'd like a brothier soup, add up to ¼ cup more of water.
    • Pour the noodles and broth into a bowl. Top with your choice of chopped raw or cooked vegetables, baked tofu, and/or seitan.

    Notes

    If your seasoning packet is especially salty or strongly flavored, you may want to add only a portion of the packet. Or you can omit the seasoning packet altogether & use vegetable broth instead of water or ½ teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon no chicken base. 
    My preferred instant ramen is Koyo in garlic pepper flavor. The seasoning packet is on the mild side. So I add the whole seasoning packet when I use it. But I tried their ginger lemongrass flavor, and the ginger overpowered to me. So with that one, I’d skip it and use Better Than Bouillon or broth instead.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1339mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4643IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 5mg

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    1. Sarah S

      January 27, 2023 at 12:11 pm

      5 stars
      Fully obsessed with this recipe!!!! Such a simple method to elevate a ramen pack! I always have the base ingredients on hand so I can make this when the mood strikes. I’ve served this to company three times so far this winter and they all went home with the recipe. I also made care packages for two different households down and out with Covid, including ready made jars of the broth and separately the toppings so all they have to do is boil the noodles and combine!

      I’ve made this with so many different topping variations based on whatever I have on hand. My favorite combo is to sauté the tofu with some broccoli and frozen edamame and corn as the warm toppings, and finish with green onion, sesame seeds, and a big spoon of chili garlic sauce. 😍😍😍

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        February 09, 2023 at 2:46 pm

        Thank you so much for the great feedback! I’m thrilled you are enjoying it!

        Reply
    2. Shell

      February 07, 2022 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. I agree with your “everything but the kitchen sink” take. Whatever I have in the fridge gets put in this dish!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        February 07, 2022 at 2:09 pm

        Awesome! So glad to hear it!

        Reply
    3. Susan

      December 05, 2021 at 6:10 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds wonderful , I am putting it on my list for when the colder months return. I am lucky to have a few vegan ramen options in Brisbane and surrounds. And I have been to Ts Tan Tan! It was many years ago, but worth the hype. I can only imagine it has gotten even better since then. Definitely a worthy first meal in Japan!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        December 06, 2021 at 9:51 am

        Oh, lucky you! I have been dreaming about going for years. Did you write about it on your blog?

        Reply
        • Susan

          December 12, 2021 at 5:31 pm

          I did! I dug through to find it… that I posted back in 2014 but the trip I took in 2012… so a LONG time ago. But here it is:
          https://kittensgonelentil.blogspot.com/2014/05/japan-2012-part-7-kyoto-to-tokyo.html

          Reply
          • Cadry Nelson

            December 13, 2021 at 11:55 am

            So fun! Thanks for finding that. It was really fun to read. It definitely whets my appetite for a future trip!

            Reply

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    Hi, I'm Cadry!

    I’m a longtime vegan. (16 years!) But I grew up eating a Standard American Diet. I know that all of us crave foods that are familiar, comforting, and delicious.

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