Nothing quite screams "comfort" like a hot ramen bowl topped with charred spicy tofu. And not the instant ramen you eat from a box, but one made with fresh, vibrant ingredients.
This Vegan Tofu Ramen gets its flavor from a few essential ingredients in Japanese cooking - miso, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Combined with fresh shiitake mushrooms and soy milk, you get the most flavorful and creamy broth within minutes!
I feel like I don't have to even say this, but it's very obvious that this is not an authentic ramen recipe. Having said that, it is one you'll definitely remember and make time and time again!
Enjoy it with your favorite toppings such as sesame seeds, scallions, chili oil, and bok choy.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Get all the details on these simple ingredients in the recipe card at the post's bottom.
- Ramen noodles: I like to use wheat ramen noodles, but if you need to make this recipe gluten-free, you can use rice noodles.
- Tofu: For best results use extra-firm tofu. It doesn't have as much moisture as other types of tofu, which allows it to crisp up more.
- Shiitake mushrooms: I like to use fresh shiitake mushrooms when they're in season. If you don't have them on hand, you can also use dried shiitake mushrooms, just make sure to soak them in hot water 1-2 hours before and save the water to use as a broth!
- Miso: Miso is a soybean paste that has been fermented for several weeks, which gives it a sweet, umami, and salty flavor. I like to use white miso paste because it's sweeter and more mellow than dark miso.
- Soy sauce: To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari instead.
- Sesame oil: Just a touch of toasted sesame oil gives this vegan tofu ramen so much aroma. Don't skip it!
- Bok choy: This is optional, but I like to add something green to this recipe and bok choy is a perfect choice if you're making an Asian dish.
- Rice vinegar: To balance out the rest of the flavors with some tanginess.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: You can find these two in most Asian dishes, and with a reason.
- Sriracha: You'll need it for marinating the tofu. You can also use another hot sauce of your choice.
- Corn starch: It helps the tofu crisp up.
- Vegetable broth: Make sure to use low-sodium vegetable stock, as we are already adding enough salt with the soy sauce and miso.
- Soy milk: I like to use soy much because it's rich and creamy, but if you don't you can also use almond milk or coconut milk (from a carton). Note that the coconut milk may leave a coconut taste.
How to Make Vegan Tofu Ramen
- Cut tofu into medium-sized cubes, then add to a bowl. Add soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, a pinch of salt, and black pepper and toss to coat. Add the corn starch and stir, making sure every piece is well coated.
2. To a frying pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it heat over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu pieces and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and once hot, add the mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Don't stir too often to give the mushrooms a surface area to brown.
4. Then, add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook for 30 more seconds, until fragrant. Add the vegetable broth, miso paste, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5-6 minutes over medium-low heat.
5. Add the soy milk and the noodles to the ramen broth. Cover with a lid and cook the ramen for 2-3 minutes, or for half of the time as per the package instructions. Finally, stir the sesame oil.
Serve in a large bowl and top with the fried tofu, blanched bok choy, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions if desired!
Top Tips
- Press the tofu to get rid of the excess moisture. Either use a tofu press or wrap a tofu block in a few layers of paper towel. Place something heavy on top and press for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Brown the mushrooms well. If your pot is small, you'll need to cook the mushrooms in 2 or 3 batches. Don't stir too often and don't add any liquid to them, you want a nice even browning to get umami and smoky flavor.
- Under-cook the noodles. They continue to cook as the soup cools down, so if you cook them all the way through, chances are that the noodles will be mushy by the time it's time for leftovers.
- Don't skip key ingredients. With such a long ingredient list, you may be tempted to skip a few thinking "how much of a difference does this one make", but it does. Each ingredient enhances the flavors of this vegan tofu ramen and gives depth to it. And besides, almost all of them can be found with a single visit to the Asian market.
- Cooking the noodles in the broth releases some starch, which makes the broth thicken a little bit, but I like it. However, if you're looking for a thinner and lighter broth, you can cook the noodles separately and combine them with the broth before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I recommend soaking them an hour in advance to get the most flavor, then using the liquid as a broth. Just keep in mind that you'll need to use half of the amount since dried mushrooms have a stronger taste than fresh mushrooms.
Yes. However, I recommend freezing just the broth without the ramen or the tofu. If you freeze it all together, the tofu will get soggy, and ramen noodles will become mushy.
For best results, cook the ramen in a separate pot, drizzle with oil to prevent sticking, and save it in a separate container from the broth.
You can also make a batch of the broth, and a batch of the tofu at the beginning of the week, save them in the fridge and cook the noodles when you're ready to eat.
Yes. If you don't have the time to marinate and fry the tofu, you can add it raw to the broth with the mushrooms. In this case, both extra-firm tofu and soft tofu will work well.
Serving
Serve this vegan tofu ramen with bean sprouts, a tablespoon of chili oil, and fresh cilantro on top. If you eat eggs, I highly recommend topping the ramen with a soft-boiled egg as well.
If we're talking sides, I suggest serving ramen with dumplings, spring rolls, kimchi, and/or edamame!
Storage
Let the ramen cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container for 4-5 days. For best results, store ramen and tofu in separate containers.
Remember that the noodles will absorb some of the liquid, so you may need to thin it out with a splash of veggie broth when reheating.
Easy Vegan Tofu Ramen
Ingredients
Tofu
- 9 ounces (250g) extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari if gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoon corn starch
- A healthy pinch of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoon oil, for frying
Ramen
- 2 tablespoon oil, for cooking, divided
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
- 5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced (*see notes on using dry mushrooms)
- 4-6 cups vegetable broth (add more for a thinner consistency)
- 3 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cups soy milk (or almond milk)
- 7 oz (200g) vegan ramen noodles
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 bunches bok choy, blanced (**see notes)
Instructions
- Cut tofu into medium-sized cubes, then add to a bowl. Add soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, a pinch of salt, and black pepper and toss to coat. Add the corn starch and stir, making sure every piece is well coated. Set aside to marinate.
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and once hot, add the mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Don't stir too often to give the mushrooms a surface area to brown.
- Then, add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook for 30 more seconds, until fragrant. Add the vegetable broth, miso paste, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5-6 minutes over medium-low heat.
- In the meantime, fry the tofu. To a frying pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it heat over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu pieces and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Add the soy milk and the noodles to the ramen broth. Cover with a lid and cook the ramen for 2-3 minutes, or for half of the time as per the package instructions. Finally, stir the sesame oil.
- Taste and adjust the flavor if needed, adding more sesame oil, or rice vinegar to taste. Serve in a large bowl and top with the fried tofu, blanched bok choy, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions if desired!
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
- Press the tofu to get rid of the excess moisture. Either use a tofu press or wrap a tofu block in a few layers of paper towel. Place something heavy on top and press for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Brown the mushrooms well. If your pot is small, you'll need to cook the mushrooms in 2 or 3 batches. Don't stir too often and don't add any liquid to them, you want a nice even browning to get umami and smoky flavor.
- Under-cook the noodles. They continue to cook as the soup cools down, so if you cook them all the way through, chances are that the noodles will be mushy by the time it's time for leftovers.
- Don't skip key ingredients. With such a long ingredient list, you may be tempted to skip a few thinking "how much of a difference does this one make", but it does. Each ingredient enhances the flavors of this vegan tofu ramen and gives depth to it. And besides, almost all of them can be found with a single visit to the Asian market.
- Cooking the noodles in the broth releases some starch, which makes the broth thicken a little bit, but I like it. However, if you're looking for a thinner and lighter broth, you can cook the noodles separately and combine them with the broth before serving.
Nutrition
Post photography by: Petranka Atanasova.
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