Take the usual ramen up a notch with this quick homemade ramen. Fresh veggies and herbs make this extra delicious, healthy, and cozy!
Quick Homemade Ramen
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Thank you so much for this recipe! Who knew restaurant quality ramen could be so easy. I just made it and it was delicious. Will definitely be returning to this recipe.
Laura
Fresh vegetables? Quick and easy homemade broth? A soft-boiled egg and a pile of our favorite curly-cue packaged ramen noodles that remind us of college? That’s this homemade ramen.
If today is your day for an authentic Japanese cooking adventure, I highly recommend Nami’s amazing blog Just One Cookbook.
On the flip side, this recipe leans more in the direction of I-have-a-package-of-ramen-and-some-vegetables-can-we-make-lunch practical. Sort of healthy and fast and a little nostalgic (packaged ramen!) but also fresh-ly delicious with a ton of flavor.
In This Post: How To Make Instant Ramen Better
- Jump to the Recipe
- VIDEO
- Ingredients
- How to Make This Recipe
- Favorite Ramen Products
- Variations on Ramen
- Frequently Asked Questions
Watch How To Make This Homemade Ramen Recipe
The Classic Packaged Ramen, Reimagined
Controversial opinion alert, but there is a time and a place for a big warm pot o’ ramen noodles, complete with – I’m going to say it – the ramen seasoning packet. For me, that would be circa 2007 sitting on the floor of a small dorm room with millions of Christmas lights hanging up for no reason whatsoever, or on the couch at home during a rainy sick day home from work when that extra-salty broth hits just right.
But I’d like to try to encourage you to go to the Packaged Ramen + level with this recipe. I mean, when you can make your own yummy broth in 20 minutes? And it’s delicate and light and full of flavor, in a more fresh and veg-heavy way? That is the way to do it, says Adult Me.
If you are looking for homemade ramen noodles, here is a great recipe for the ramen noodles made from scratch.
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe
It’s short one! It wouldn’t be easy homemade ramen without it.
- Ramen noodles (our classic Maruchan package is all we need, sans the flavor packet!)
- Garlic and ginger
- Broth (chicken or veg)
- Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Veggies like carrots or kale
- All your favorite toppings like some panko, egg, chili oil, etc.
Now let’s get cooking!
How To Make Delicious Homemade Ramen
This might not follow the exact easy peasy directions on the back of a ramen packet, but the extra few minutes to make this simple-but-elevated ramen are more than worth it.
- Stir-Fry The Aromatics: Garlic and ginger, what a delicious duo. This is where the flavor is, friends.
- Make Your (Easy!) Broth: Add some chicken broth and dried shiitake mushrooms for some umami punch.
- Add Noodles: Cook your noodles right in the broth with some scallions (more flavor, please!).
- Add Veg: Thinly sliced kale, shredded carrots, whatever you’d like! Cook until just tender.
- Top It Off: Add some crunchy panko crumbs, a soft-boiled egg, chili oil, hot sauce, sesame oil, and/or soy sauce, whatever your heart desires.
Simmering some garlic, ginger, and dried mushrooms with your chicken broth makes for a great quickie “stock” for your soup base. A good while in the pot will get some nice flavors going that will soon be soaked up by those noodles. And by good while, I mean 19 minutes, because the whole thing takes 20. The soft egg on top will get you all the Instagram likes, and the panko and extra chili oil or Sriracha will light your mouth up with joy.
At the end of the day, a deep bowl of bright veggies + flavorful broth + golden panko crumbs + soft-boiled egg + chewy, tangled noodles is not going to let you down. ♡
Favorite Products For Eating Ramen
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What To Add To Ramen
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s a (very very) blank canvas. You can add whatever you would like to make it your own and zazz things up!
If you want some direction, here are some options to think about:
- Soft-boiled egg
- Crunchy panko (see details in the FAQ below)
- Scallions or chives
- Sesame seeds
- Toasted sesame oil
- Corn
- Bok choy
- Chili oil
- Nori (dried seaweed)
- Gochujang and kimchi
- Sriracha
- Shredded chicken or thinly sliced beef or pork
Frequently Asked Questions: Homemade Ramen
How do I make the crunchy panko topping?
To make crunchy golden panko crumbs, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the panko, stir for one minute or less, or until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. You can also toss the panko with a little oil and toast them in the oven to get them golden and crispy.
I don’t like mushrooms. Can I leave them out?
Sure! You can swap just about any veggie in its place or leave them out entirely. We’d recommend still cooking with the mushrooms though to give the broth a nice umami flavor and then just remove the mushrooms before serving.
How do I make the soft-boiled egg to go on top?
Good news – this is super easy! Boil water on the stove in a pot. Add your egg straight from the fridge and put the lid on the pot. Boil the egg for 6 minutes. Remove the egg and plunge it into an ice water bath. Peel the shell off, cut the egg in half, and place your beautiful jammy egg on top of your ramen.
All I have is powdered broth. Can I use it?
Sure! Liquid broth levels up this recipe but you can skip the ramen seasoning packet and swap just about any powdered broth in its place. We like this powdered soup base. (Affiliate link)
My local grocery store didn’t have dried shitake mushrooms. Where can I find them?
Good news – you can order them online here. (affiliate link)
Have you used toasted sesame oil in this recipe?
Yes, we’ve used both toasted sesame oil and regular. (affiliate links)
What other vegetables are good in ramen?
The kale and carrots are great here for texture and color, but I also love to use spinach, bok choy, and fresh mushrooms as well.
Could I add meat to this ramen recipe?
You could add some pre-cooked and shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great here!), or throw in some shrimp near the end and let it cook in the broth.
Favorite Ramen Cookbooks
Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession, and Recipes from Tokyo’s Most Unlikely Noodle Joint
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Just One Cookbook Essential Japanese Recipes
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Source Notes: This recipe is what I make at home when I want to enjoy the grocery store 50 cent packaged ramen, but with a little more freshness and fanciness. True Japanese ramen is a work of art and is worth a) trying, if you have access to it! and b) learning more about it. In the Twin Cities I really enjoy Tori Ramen (their Bali ramen is my favorite). I also love the Ivan Ramen cookbook for a really interesting look at the ramen making and eating process (like… slurping is a good thing!). And like I mentioned before, Nami’s website Just One Cookbook is a great resource for authentic Japanese food.
Print
Quick Homemade Ramen
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: makes 6 heaping 1-cup servings 1x
Description
Take the usual ramen up a notch with this quick homemade ramen. Fresh veggies and herbs make this extra delicious, healthy, and cozy!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 teaspoons grated ginger
- 4 teaspoons grated garlic
- 4 cups broth (I used chicken, but vegetable would also work)
- 4 cups water
- 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 packages instant ramen (noodles only!)
- 1/2 cup chopped scallions or chives
- 2 cup chopped kale (or spinach)
- 1 cups shredded carrots (or another vegetable like bok choy)
- Sriracha to taste
- crunchy golden panko crumbs for topping (see notes below)
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the garlic and ginger; stir fry for 2 minutes or until soft and fragrant.
- Add the broth and the water. Bring to a simmer; add the mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have softened and the broth is flavorful.
- Add the instant noodles to the hot liquid and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until the noodles have softened. Add the scallions and stir to combine.
- Remove from heat, stir in the kale and carrots, and top with crunchy panko crumbs (see notes) and a soft-boiled egg (optional). Season with chili oil, hot sauce, sesame oil, and/or soy sauce and salt to taste.
Notes
To make crunchy golden panko crumbs, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the panko, stir for one minute or less, or until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. You can also toss the panko with a little oil and toast them in the oven to get them golden and crispy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Keywords: homemade ramen, easy homemade ramen, ramen noodles
More Delicious Noodle Recipes To Make ASAP
- Coconut Curry Ramen (creamy, golden, and vegan to boot!)
- Sesame Noodle Bowls (fork-twirly noodles that are easy to meal prep)
- Back Pocket Stir Fry with Noodles (a colorful and quick dinner win)
- Peanut Noodle Salad (the best noodle salad to ever be)
Time To Show You Off!
Filed Under: All Recipes Dairy-Free Dinner Healthy Kale Kid-Friendly Lunch Main Dishes Most Popular Pasta Quick and Easy Recipes Spring Stovetop Sugar-Free Vegan Vegetarian
March 15, 2021
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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I’ve been eating instant ramen for as long as I can remember. Why did I not find you sooner? This is an amazingly easy recipe packed full of punchy flavours!!! I added chicken to water and boiled it for stock then shredded it. Afiyet olsun! From Turkiye ☺️
Sooo goood all I can say . Helps beginners like me cook
I questioned the 1:1 ratio of water and broth when cooking this recipe, and I wish I stuck to my gut because the final broth tasted like dirty water . It unfortunately wasn’t flavorful at all until we topped it aggressively with soy sauce, sriracha, red pepper flakes, etc. But then it was kinda just spicy water at that point. I gave it two stars because it does have potential but needs a lot of tweaking and a lot less water.
REALLY good recipe!
I absolutely love the quality and authenticity of Natureland Organics products! From fresh grains to spices, everything feels pure, natural, and responsibly sourced. This is a trustworthy brand for anyone choosing a healthier lifestyle!
I used this recipe for my high school culinary arts students, and it went well! We’re working on seasoning foods to our own tastes, and this was perfect for that lesson.
I see some harsh reviews here, but I think people need to remember that following a recipe does not mean you are beholden to each of its ingredients. Further, homemade ramen will rarely mimic the flavors of authentic Japanese ramen that’s often made with a rich, slow-roasted pork bone broth. One of the joys of cooking is adjusting seasoning to make a dish suit your own tastes/needs. For my class, we made the following tweaks:
Increased the ginger and garlic and added chili flakes to this step in the recipe.
omitted the shitake mushrooms- not in our budget
subbed sliced baby bok choy for kale
used fresh ramen noodles as that’s what our supplier carried.
Thanks for the inspo! I’ve consistently found your dishes to be great for quick meals with simple ingredients. I love, love, love your wild rice soup and ricotta meatballs! 😊
Aww thank you so much, Mrs. B! We love hearing this! We’re so honored that you used this recipe in your class. What a fun lesson that must have been!
So bland, had to drown it in soy sauce
This was terrible. No flavor, and super frustrating to see all the 4+ star ratings and then mediocre reviews, or the repeat of “it was bland”. This was awful – I got to the mushroom stage, boiled for 10mins, and the whole thing tasted like dirty water. Had to add soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, loads more garlic just to get some kind of flavor. Not repeating this recipe and it is NOT a 4* recipe for me.
This recipe lacked ‘depth’…or something. Without using sriracha, (which I don’t like), the base is quite bland. I hoped this recipe would be tasty without the need of ‘hot’ spice, but it was disappointing.
Thank you for this recipe, it was easy and quick. The flavour was light but easy to tailor to your taste. I enjoyed it very much and will make it again.
I found this recipe to be ok, it needed more flavor for my taste buds. I would most likely make this recipe again, I would just add more spices. I will say, it’s very easy to make.
I found the broth rather bland. Adding chili oil or hot sauce wasn’t an option; I don’t like the spice. I added powered Shiitake mushroom and plenty of tamari sauce but with the addition of “hot” spices, the soup was disappointing.
Sad with how this ramen was done. Made a double batch and the noodle absorbed much of the broth. Disappointed with the overall recipe experience… that said im sure others have and will enjoy.
I tried this recipe today, and it was such a game-changer! I loved how simple yet flavorful the broth turned out with the garlic, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms. The toppings really took it to the next level the soft-boiled egg was a nice touch! It’s a perfect way to elevate a quick ramen dish. I also appreciated how customizable it was with veggies like kale and carrots. Definitely bookmarking this one for future ramen cravings!
I can’t wait to try these recipes
Can I replace the ramen for regular spaghetti noodles, or does it need to be specifically ramen noodles? If so, would it be cooked the same?
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Fabulous recipe! This is now my weeknight go-to when I want something quick and satisfying. I added a couple tablespoons of miso for extra umami and I find it really takes it over the top. I also use baby bok choy instead of kale, because I love it in ramen, but that’s just personal preference. <3
I am Japanese. I became interested in what American ramen is like and came across this recipe. When I actually made it, the taste was lighter compared to Japanese ramen, but I really loved it. I think I’ll try making it again!
Thanks for your useful content 💕
I post pasta and spaghetti recipes on my website
you can check them here :
https://howtomakepasta.com
Love this!
I absolutely love this quick homemade ramen recipe! It’s so convenient for busy weeknights yet packed with flavor. The tips on customizing the broth and toppings make it easy to tailor the dish to my preferences. I can’t wait to try adding some of my favorite veggies! Thanks for sharing such a delicious and simple recipe!
Great recipe and instructions!!! no more dry soups!!! Thank you, Lindsay!
Delish!!! And EASY! What more can one ask for when craving a fresh bowl of ramen noodles with fresh ingredients?
Thank you! This recipe is a keeper.
Hi
Your link to toasted sesame oil leads to sambal oelek
And the link for regular sesame oil goes to toasted sesame oil. I was checking them out because I was curious about the difference.
Also I’m using your recipe for Vietnamese salad with rice noodles, sounds wonderful!