Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
The goal with this vegetarian ramen recipe was to achieve a tonkotsu-like broth minus the meat. To get there, we built our vegetable stock from the ground up with charred green onions, deeply cooked tomato paste (which brings in tons of umami flavor and earthy sweetness), dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, and soy sauce. To make up for the missing fat, which gives ramen broth body and balance, we finished it off by whisking in a few pats of butter.
Leave the instant ramen noodles in the pantry for this recipe and look for fresh, like those from Sun Noodle, which sells them with and without seasoning packets (they may be in the freezer aisle. Or to make this gluten-free, make your own potato starch noodles and trade the soy sauce for tamari). Since fresh noodles cook quickly and the broth will require your attention, get your garnishes ready beforehand, including jammy soft-boiled eggs, crispy garlic in chili oil, and toasted nori.
What you’ll need
- Blender
- Slotted Spoon
- Sun Ramen Noodles
- Medium Saucepan
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, divided
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp. black and/or white sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp. gochugaru (coarse Korean red pepper powder) or 1½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- 4 scallions
- 1 2" piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 4x3" piece dried kombu
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 baby bok choy (about 12 oz. total), quartered lengthwise
- 4 5-oz. packages fresh ramen noodles
- Jammy eggs, toasted nori sheets, and/or cilantro (for serving; optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Cook ¼ cup vegetable oil and 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir often until garlic is beginning to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp. black and/or white sesame seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. (Don’t walk away; this happens fast, and the garlic can go from perfect to burned in seconds.) Transfer mixture to a small bowl and stir in 1 Tbsp. gochugaru or 1½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; season with kosher salt. Set garlic oil aside for serving. Wipe out pot and reserve.
Step 2
Trim dark green parts from 4 scallions and thinly slice; set aside for serving. Coarsely chop white and pale green parts. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in reserved pot over medium-high. Cook chopped scallions and one 2" piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, stirring often, until scallions are charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to stick to the bottom of pot and darkens slightly, about 2 minutes. Add 8 dried shiitake mushrooms and one 4x3" piece dried kombu, then stir in 5 cups cold water. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and let sit until mushrooms soften, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard kombu.
Step 3
Using a slotted spoon, transfer solids to a blender. Add 1 or 2 ladlefuls of broth to blender and purée until smooth. Stir purée back into broth in pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking to combine after each addition before adding more. Stir in 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce; taste and season with kosher salt if desired. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.
Step 4
Meanwhile, cook 4 baby bok choy (about 12 oz. total), quartered lengthwise, in a large pot of boiling water until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bok choy to a plate. Return water to a boil and cook four 5-oz. packages fresh ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among bowls.
Step 5
Ladle broth over noodles. Arrange bok choy and reserved dark green scallions on top, drizzle with reserved garlic oil and top with jammy eggs, toasted nori sheets, and/or cilantro if desired.
Do Ahead: Broth can be made can be made 5 days ahead. Let cool; transfer to an airtight container and chill, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat over medium, whisking to re-emulsify, until warmed through.