I Made the Easiest Ramen Ever

The easiest Ramen that's not instant, 3 different ways.

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I Made the Easiest Ramen Ever
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Ingredients

Shoyu Ramen

Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Cook Time: 15-18 minutes 

Dashi (optional): 

  • 1 quart (960ml) water
  • 2 - 2” (5cm) squares of kombu
  • 1.25 cup (17g) katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

Broth:

  • 6 cups (1.5L) stock, either a 50/50 mix of dashi and chicken stock or all chicken stock 
  • 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 4 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 
  • 2 green onions, thinly slice the white and light green section only 
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed but still whole 
  • 1” (2.5cm) knob ginger, finely grated
  • ¼ cup (60g) soy sauce
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Splash of shiro dashi, optional

Glazed Chicken:

  • 2 Tbsp (30g) soy sauce, ideally dark soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp (18g) honey
  • 2 tsp (12g) light corn syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 4 boneless chicken thighs with skin on
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Soft Boiled Egg: 

  • 1 large egg 

Assembly:

  • 8 oz (113g) dry ramen noodles (4 oz per serving) 
  • 2 pints (960ml) shoyu broth (1 pint per serving) 
  • Seared shiitake mushrooms 
  • 1 soft boiled egg, halved (ajitama egg)
  • 2-4 pieces shoyu chicken, sliced ¼” (6mm) thick
  • 2 green onions, greens thinly sliced (use what is left from the broth)
  • 2-4 tsp (9-18g) toasted sesame oil

Spicy Miso Ramen

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes 

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Dashi (optional): 

  • 1 quart (960ml) water
  • 2 - 2” (5cm) squares of kombu
  • 1.25 cup (17g) katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

Broth:

  • 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil 
  • ⅓ lb (150g) ground pork
  • 5 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 
  • Kosher salt, to taste 
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (keep whites/light green and dark green sections separate) 
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 1” (2.5cm) knob ginger, finely grated
  • 1 tsp (4g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp (4g) toasted sesame oil
  • ½ tsp (2g) ground white pepper
  • 2 tsp (9g) doubanjiang
  • 1 Tbsp (15g) mirin
  • 1.5 cups (360ml) dashi or chicken stock 
  • 1 quart (960ml) chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp (9g) toasted white sesame seeds, lightly ground in a mortar and pestle 
  • 3.5 Tbsp (50g) red miso
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Soft Boiled Egg: 

  • 1 large egg 

Assembly:

  • 8 oz (113g) uncooked ramen noodles (4 oz per serving)
  • 2 pints (960ml) spicy miso broth (1 pint per serving) 
  • 1 soft boiled egg, halved (ajitama egg) 
  • 1 corn on the cob, kernels removed
  • Thinly sliced green onion, (use what is left from the broth)
  • Julienned pickled ginger, optional 
  • 2-4 tsp (9-18g) chili oil

Tonkotsu Ramen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Broth:

  • 2.5 lbs (1.1kg) pork hocks
  • 2 lbs (900g) pork neck bones
  • 2 gelatin sheets
  • ½ lb (227g) pork fatback
  • 1 bunch green onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
  • 1” (2.5cm) knob ginger, thinly sliced

Tare:

  • ¼ cup (60g) sake
  • ½ cup (120ml) soy sauce
  • ½ cup (120ml) mirin
  • ¼ cup (60g) shirodashi

Soft Boiled Egg: 

  • 1 large egg

Assembly:

  • 8 oz (113g) uncooked ramen noodles (4 oz per serving)
  • 4 oz (112g) tare
  • Kosher salt, to taste 
  • 2 pints (960ml) tonkotsu broth (1 pint per serving)
  • 4 slices Chashu pork or any other protein you have on hand, heated through 
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 soft boiled egg, halved 
  • 1 sheet of nori, cut into 6 pieces 
  • 2-4 tsp (9-18g) toasted sesame oil

Directions

Shoyu Ramen

Dashi:

  1. In a medium sized pot add the water and kombu. Heat over medium heat until the water begins to steam. Maintain this temperature, without letting it boil and let the kombu steep for 5 minutes.
  2. Once the kombu has steeped, remove the pot from the heat, stir in the bonito flakes and cover the pot with a lid. Let the dashi steep for 8-10 minutes. Strain the dashi through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and let cool completely. 

Broth:

  1. Begin by heating a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the oil and let it heat until it's beginning to smoke. Add the mushrooms and sear for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and softened. Remove to a small bowl and set aside. 
  2. Stir in the green onion, garlic and ginger and saute for 30-45 seconds or until fragrant. 
  3. Pour in the stock followed by the soy sauce and stir to combine. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer the sauce for 5-10 minutes. 
  4. Season the broth with salt to taste and a splash of shiro dashi, if using. Keep warm until ready to use. 

Glazed Chicken:

  1. Preheat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
  2. While the pan is heating, stir together the soy sauce, honey, corn syrup, and garlic. Set aside. 
  3. Use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and let the oil heat up. 
  4. When the oil just begins to smoke, place the chicken, skin side down into the pan and sear the chicken for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 4-6 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the second side is browned.  
  5. Brush the chicken with the glaze, flipping and glazing until evenly coated on both sides. Place on a cooling rack over a baking sheet until ready to serve. 

Soft Boiled Egg: 

  1. Fill a saucepan ¾ of the way with water and bring to a boil. Have an ice bath ready. To the boiling water, gently lower in the eggs. Cook for exactly 6 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath to cool completely before peeling. Slice in half before serving. 

Assembly:

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. 
  2. While the water is coming to a boil, begin to heat the broth to just under a boil.
  3. Place the cooked noodles into the ramen bowls and ladle the broth over the top. Top each with the seared mushrooms, half a soft boiled egg, 1-2 sliced glazed chicken thighs, green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve. 

Spicy Miso Ramen

Dashi:

  1. In a medium sized pot add the water and kombu. Heat over medium heat until the water begins to steam. Maintain this temperature, without letting it boil and let the kombu steep for 5 minutes.
  2. Once the kombu has steeped, remove the pot from the heat, stir in the bonito flakes and cover the pot with a lid. Let the dashi steep for 8-10 minutes. Strain the dashi through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and let cool completely. 

Broth:

  1. Heat a large pot or rondeau over medium heat. Add the oil and let it heat up. Add in the ground pork and break it up into small pieces with the edge of a wooden spoon. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the pork is broken down into very small pieces which are golden brown and crispy in parts. 
  2. Add the mushrooms to the pan with the pork and season with salt. Saute until the mushrooms have softened and are just beginning to brown. 
  3. Stir in the white and light green sliced onions, shallot and ginger. Season with another pinch of salt and saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
  4. Add the sugar, sesame oil, white pepper, doubanjiang, and mirin. Allow to cook for 1 minute, stirring to evenly incorporate.
  5. Pour in the dashi, if using, and chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Stir in the sesame seeds and cook for 3-4 minutes or until everything is heated through. 
  6. Remove from heat and place the bottom of a mesh strainer into the broth. Add the miso to the strainer and use the back of a spoon to push the miso through the strainer into the broth. Dipping the miso into the hot broth will help warm it up so it is easier to press it through the strainer. Once added, stir the broth to evenly combine the miso. 
  7. Keep warm until ready to serve. 

Soft Boiled Egg: 

  1. Fill a saucepan ¾ of the way with water and bring to a boil. Have an ice bath ready. To the boiling water, gently lower in the egg. Cook for exactly 6 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath to cool completely before peeling. Slice in half before serving. 

Assembly:

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. 
  2. While the water is coming to a boil, begin to heat the broth to just under a boil.
  3. Place the cooked noodles into the ramen bowls and ladle the broth over the top. Top each with half of a soft boiled egg, spoonful of corn, green onions, pickled ginger and a drizzle of chili oil. Serve. 

Tonkotsu Ramen

Broth:

  1. Place pork hocks and neck bones in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for about 5 minutes, skimming the top of any scum that rises to the top and discarding. Strain the pork and discard the water. Rinse the pork with cold water. 
  2. Place the blanched pork hocks and neck in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot and cover with cold water. Add in the gelatin sheets and pork fat. Place the lid on and pressure cook on high for 1 hour and 30 minutes. 
  3. Release the pressure cook and remove the cooked fat to a blender. Add about 1 quart (1L) of the hot liquid to the blender, making sure not to add in any solids. Blend on high speed until emulsified and smooth. 
  4. Strain the rest of the liquid into a large pot, discarding the bones. Add the green onions, garlic, ginger and the blended fat mixture. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10-20 minutes or until the broth is heated through and reduced slightly.
  5. Keep warm until ready to serve. 

Tare:

  1. In a small saute pan over medium heat add the sake. Bring to a boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the soy sauce, mirin and shirodashi. 
  2. Set aside until ready to serve. 

Soft Boiled Egg: 

  1. Fill a saucepan ¾ of the way with water and bring to a boil. Have an ice bath ready. To the boiling water, gently lower in the egg. Cook for exactly 6 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath to cool completely before peeling. Slice in half before serving. 

Assembly:

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. 
  2. While the water is coming to a boil, begin to heat the broth to just under a boil.
  3. Add 2 oz (56g) of tare to each ramen bowl and season it with a pinch of salt. Ladle in the broth and taste for seasoning, add more tare and salt as needed. Top each with the cooked noodles, cooked protein, green onion, half of a soft boiled egg, nori and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.