Really Great Vegan Ramen
Vegetarian or vegan ramen can absolutely be as good as its meat-based counterparts. You introduce your favorite noodles to a rich, miso-scallion nut-milk broth. Add a blitz of seasonal toppings, and spicy turmeric oil to finish.
Today we're going to tackle vegan ramen. Slurping noodles from a big bowl of feisty, aromatic broth is hard to beat, and I wanted to share how great ramen bowls can come together relatively easily, year round. Ramen is incredibly versatile, and I play fast and loose with the concept overall. You have the ability to adapt the noodles, the tare (seasoning), the broth base, and the toppings. I'll talk through a bunch of the ways you can play around below. The goal here is to give you a great jumping off point. This approach allows you to wing it on a weeknight based on what you have on hand.
What Makes a Great Vegetarian or Vegan Ramen?
If I'm eating out, and a vegetarian or vegan ramen is on the menu, I'll order it. I've had some incredible versions, but broadly speaking they can be very salty, and quite oily. This version is not that. In fact, part of what I love about making ramen at home is that you can season your broth to be just how you like it. You can really personalize it. This version delivers a rich miso-scallion nut milk broth. You introduce your favorite noodles, a blitz of seasonal toppings, and spicy turmeric oil to finish.
How to Choose Your Noodles
There are many different noodles you can use here. Seek out fresh udon or ramen noodles, or keep a variety of dried noodles on hand for last-minute ramen. Soba noodles work great. I've also been using some of the whole-grain noodles, and they're pretty good. The one in the photograph is a millet & brown rice ramen.
What is Miso Tare?
Think of this as the seasoning paste for your ramen broth. I've included a base recipe here, but please(!) use it as a jumping off point. It's fine to adapt with other chopped herbs and spices as well. My main advice here - make a big batch of the miso tare and keep it on hand. I keep some in the refrigerator, and the bulk portioned out in the freezer. This is the secret to quick weeknight ramen. If you're avoiding soy, use a chickpea miso.
The Importance of Great Broth
You want to get the broth right. My favorite broth base for this is a blend of homemade cashew milk & almond milk. It has beautiful body and flavor, and grips the noodles nicely. That said, there are plenty of nights when I'm feeling lazy, and I just grab for whatever almond milk is in the refrigerator. Still delicious.
The Secret Turmeric Weapon
This is another component you can keep on hand. Both in the refrigerator and/or freezer. If you have everything else needed to make a ramen bowl, but don't have the spice oil - cheat with a dollop of something spicy from the condiments in your refrigerator, or stir some crushed chile flakes into a bit of oil over gentle heat, and use that as a finishing drizzle, or to toss the raw veggies.
Keep your Vegan Ramen Seasonal
The ramen you see pictured is a late-summer version, but part of the fun here is adapting through the year. Toss quick-cooking vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower into the noodle water for the last minute, and drain everything together. No need to get an extra pot going.
If you like this recipe, be sure to browse all these other favorite soup recipes as well! Other favorite noodle recipes include: my favorite pad thai, sriracha rainbow noodle salad, and black sesame otsu. Pasta with Smashed Zucchini Cream is also really good, or browse this list of tasty noodle soups!
More Vegan Recipes
- Vegan "Fish" Tacos
- Vegan Pozole
- Vegan Sushi
- Vegan Nachos
- Simple Vegan Mayo
- Vegan Tamagoyaki
- even more vegan recipes!
Premium Ad-Free membership includes:
-Ad-free content
-Print-friendly recipes
-Spice / Herb / Flower / Zest recipe collection PDF
-Weeknight Express recipe collection PDF
-Surprise bonuses throughout the year
Really Great Vegan Ramen
You'll have lots of leftover miso tare and spice oil here. Keep it on hand for quick ramen nights later in the week. The spice oil is also good on breakfast congee, savory oatmeals, eggs, etc. I've even use it on salad greens, or vegetable salads as a quick dressing
- 2 tablespoons Spicy Turmeric Oil, or to taste (recipe below)
- 12 ounces dried ramen noodles, or favorite noodles of your choice
- 4 cups cashew milk or almond milk
- 3 tablespoons Miso Tare (recipe below), or to taste
- 2 small cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- basket of halved cherry tomatoes (fresh or roasted)
- 1/2 of a bunch of broccoli florets (toss into noodle water at the last minute)
- 1 1/2 cups of fresh corn
- 1 1/2 cups cubed tofu
- arugula
- torn fresh basil
- sliced scallions
- chopped peanuts
- sliced green beans (toss into noodle water at the last minute)
- shredded kale massaged with a bit of lemon juice and olive oil
- roasted brussels sprouts*
- roasted sweet potatoes*
- roasted onion*
- toasted hazelnuts
- toasted nori
- shaved radish
- shredded cabbage
- shredded kale massaged with a bit of lemon juice and toasted sesame oil
- roasted cauliflower
- asparagus
- peas
- fava beans
- toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds
-
Toss whatever raw vegetables you're using with the Spicy Turmeric Oil, and divide them between bowls. Cook the noodles according to package, and divide into four bowls. Gently heat the cashew milk (if serving hot), just until very hot (not simmering). Stir some of the milk into the 3 tablespoons of Miso Tare to thin it out, and then add it back to the cashew milk. Taste, and add more Miso Tare if needed. The broth should taste great at this point!
-
Pour one cup of broth over each plate of noodles. Top with any extra toppings, nuts, or vegetables you might be using.
Serves 4.
Miso Tare
- 1 cup white miso, or chickpea miso
- 1 teaspoon crushed chile flakes
- 4 scallions (or shallots), thinly sliced, including greens
- 3- inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon spicy paste (for ex: fermented gochujang paste or a favorite curry paste)
-
Combine the miso, chile flakes, scallions, ginger, garlic, mirin, and spice paste in a small saucepan over gentle heat. You just want to warm this for a few minutes, to get the ginger, garlic, and scallions to sweat a bit.
Spicy Turmeric Oil
- 2- inch segment of ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 tablespoons seeds (blend of sesame and hemp)
- 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons hot paprika
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 6 tablespoons organic sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons white or chickpea miso
-
Combine the ginger, turmeric, seeds, red pepper flakes, and paprika with the sesame and sunflower oil in a small saucepan over very gentle heat. Bring barely to a simmer. Stir constantly for a minute, remove from heat and add the sake, brown sugar, and miso. Return to heat, and allow the flavors to combine, stirring constantly for another thirty seconds or so.
Related Recipes
Vegan Fish Tacos
The vegan “fish” tacos to make on repeat. Quick-marinated slabs of golden-crusted tofu, avocado slathered tortillas, and a spicy sesame slaw come together in these favorite tacos.
The Ultimate Vegan Nachos
Oozy, cheesy, loaded vegan nachos everyone loves. When you need a nacho fix, this is how you should roll. At least once. Nachos are always a crowd pleaser, and this is no exception.
Vegan Tamagoyaki
A vegan version of tamagoyaki, the much-loved Japanese rolled omelette. This chickpea-tofu version is seasoned with scallions and herbs.
Vegan Red Pozole (Pozole Rojo / Mexican Hominy Stew)
This favorite meatless red pozole is grounded with cascabel and chipotle chiles and spiked with citrus olive oil.
How to Make Simple Vegan Mayo
A simple vegan mayo to use in all your favorite potato salads, macaroni salads, and coleslaw this summer.
CAP Beauty No Bone Broth
Bone broth is all the rage. But I don't cook with bones, so I'm always trying to come up with nutrient-dense, mineral-rich broths that check all the beneficial boxes.
Super Natural Vegan Sushi
This is homemade vegan sushi made with sweet potato fries, seasoned tofu, avocado, kale chips, and a whole grain sushi rice blend. A quick kiss of strong wasabi-spiked soy sauce is my preferred dipping sauce.
20 Fantastic Noodle Soups to Cook this Winter
Everyone needs an arsenal of great noodle soup recipes for winter. Here are twenty fantastic options from ramens and pho, to soba bowls.
Post Your Comment
Comments
This vegan ramen recipe looks amazing! I love how it can be customized with different toppings for each season. The miso-scallion broth and spicy turmeric oil sound delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Just found this recipe and can’t wait to make it!
Is it best to store leftover Spicy Turmeric Oil in the fridge, if there is any?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa! Go ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.
I love this recipe so much. The paste is criminally delicious – I have to think of other uses for it besides just this. So simple when so many vegan ramen recipes call for twenty different steps. I like using oat or cashew milk and always crispy roasted tofu with seasonal veggie toppings. Nona Lim’s ramen noodles are great and vegan.
Thanks Claire!
This soup is absolutely delicious! I made it first with the cashew milk which was a little too rich for me, so I tried again with Deborah Madison’s vegetable broth as a base for the miso tare and it was perfect! I also added a 7 minute egg on top which made it not vegan, but so yum. I’ve made it 3 times in the last week! My favorite veggie combo so far was roasted brussels, shaved black radish and sautéed tofu, with scallions and peanuts to top. Thank you Heidi! This will likely make it into the weekly rotation. ❤️
My partner and I have been frequenting a neighbourhood ramen joint, once we discovered their vegan ramen—absolutely delicious. That being said, some days (read: most days) it’s just nice to stay cozy and warm at home for dinner. This looks like the perfect answer.
Question: how long does the Miso Tare and Turmeric Oil keep in the fridge?
YUM. This is truly spectacular and unexpected. How do you recommend storing the Miso Tare? How long does it last in the fridge, or should I freeze in portions? I’m assuming the oil lasts a week or so? Thanks!
Hi Mary – yes, go ahead and freeze it if you don’t think you’ll use it up in the short term. Enjoy!
We’ve made this twice since the quarantine started and it’s SO good!
I can not thank you enough for this wonderful recipe!
Just what we needed to get thru this crazy time in Italy!
Grazie mille!
Julie
I usually saute up some onion and garlic, add a few other veg and then add water and the ramen. Once the ramen is cooked I make sure it’s no longer boiling and add a tbsp or so of miso (it’s easier to add if you mix it up in some of the broth first) mix the miso in, but make sure it doesn’t boil or you’ll kill off the probiotics. Sometimes I like to add some chopped avocado in after. With the miso you don’t even really need a flavor packet.
Dear Heidi,
since you’re re-posting this great recipe, I just wanted to make a little comment. I tried different types of milk, and also cow milk (which is very fatty), but the best result I got was with soy milk. I normally wouldn’t use soy milk buy it gives the most rich and creamy broth I ever tried, in a vegetarian ramen…
And also, I just wanted to thank you for the great great recipes that you post. Many of them have became basics in my kitchen and are absolutely loved by my guests.
Warmest regards from Switzerland,
Erminia
Omg this is soooo good! I made the miso tare last night (with Thai green curry paste as the open jar in the fridge), noodles, coconut milk, edamame, roasted onion/capsicum/mushroom/carrot, and a shake of turmeric and paprika. My housemate and I were both feeling exhausted and this absolutely hit the spot. She also messaged me at lunch today to say if she won the lottery she would employ me as her personal chef, so thank you for encouraging my career change 😉 always delish, Heidi xxx
Love this recipe! There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of ramen. I probably eat a bit too much ramen for my own good!
I was planning a meal for my 19-year old daughter, but she just went vegan and I had no idea what to make. This recipe was such a crowd pleaser! For vegetables, I roasted sweet potatoes, yams, and bell peppers, and I made ramen eggs by following a recipe in another blog. It was amazing! Thank you for my first successful vegan meal!
So happy to hear it Sophie! Thanks for the note. 🙂
Made this for dinner and it was great. My partner is allergic to nuts so we made sesame milk and did a 50/50 sesame milk/veg stock blend, which tasted awesome.
We also put fresh turmeric in the tare because we were in a bit of a hurry, and added some of the oil’s other ingredients as toppings.
Another great one, thanks Heidi!
So happy to hear it Jenn – love your adaptations!
HI! I’m thinking about makeing veg ramen for christmas… but my mum is allergic to nuts, aka cashew milk, is there anything to replace it with? Like soy or wheat based milk? Thanx!
HS: Hi Matilda – I think I might try a thick homemade oat milk? Let me know if you give it a go!
I made this tonight & it was delicious – spicy, slightly salty & just the right level of cashew creaminess to balance. Even my 3 & 5 year olds enjoyed.
Thank you for the steady stream of non-run-of-the-mill vegetarian recipes that are not pasta &/or cheese.
Hi Heidi,
Where do you find the best selection of noodles in SF? Also, what type of tofu do you prefer? I was thinking of using firm and crisping it in some spicy oil. Thanks so much for posting……and if ypu want to do a sister a huge favor I’d love to know the best places for vegetarian ramen in sf/bay area.❤ Thx.
HS: I like Shizen! Also, I buy Hodo tofu most of the time….but I love the black pepper tofu I sometimes come across (usually at Faletti’s)…I’ve been making my own noodles a lot, but also really love Odang Udon
Made this last night – the broth is FANTASTIC! I never thought to use almond milk as a base, genius. And the aromatics in the miso tare elevate it to a whole new level.
I dont have sake on hand. Will any other alcohol work?
HS: Hi Karina, you can skip it if you like.
Heidi this Ramen is amazing! We had it twice last week and we’re making it again. Even my seven year old loves it 🙂
How long does the Miso Tare keep in the fridge?
Thank you!
thanks for this — is this the kind of thing you think can rehandle heating (only a microwave at work, alas) or not so much?
HS: Yeah! Give it a go.
Just made the summer version for dinner! It was delicious, as your recipes always are. Thank you for this! Oh and it was also even more delicious two days later.
This looks amazing, but I share the above commenter’s question about substitutes for the nut milk. Almond milk is off the table (as is soy milk). We do eat dairy…would regular milk be a mistake? Skip the milk altogether?
HS: Hmm. No nuts, no soy – I suspect the next thing I would try would be a 50/50 coconut milk & water blend? Something along those lines!
It’s not quite cool enough here to crave ramen yet, but I bet I will be making a version of this all winter long.
Hi Morgan, give a version with this broth chilled a try! It’s delicious, and make the base concept truly flexible year-round! Enjoy.
Stumbled upon your site a few weeks ago and I’m obsessed! So glad to have found you! ❤️
Heidi, could you clarify the amount of sunflower oil needed, please? I want to make this tomorrow. Looks delicious! Thank you.
HS: Hi Karina – 6 tablespoons 🙂 – that said, if you like a strong toastd sesame taste, you could do something like 4 tablespoons of the sunflower oil and 4 tablespoons of the toasted sesame oil. Make sense? I like a bit of sesame flavor, but not so much that it’s overpowering. Enjoy!
Heidi: Thanks so much for sharing this! I too would love the names of some of the brands of noodles you would choose if we can’t get fresh. I am determined and inspired by your blog and will check my local Asian grocery stores.
I’m interested in your spicy tumeric oil. What other recipes do you use this for? I am growing fresh tumeric an would like to try it in this recipe. Ever tried that? Can you suggest other recipes to use fresh tumeric? How long does this oil keep in the fridge? Thanks
Do you think non-nut milks would work as well? We have a nut allergy in the family.
Hi, Just wanted to ask a dumb question: when you say miso, do you mean just the paste, or do you mean made into broth and then used? I assume the former, but just in case. Love your recipes!
Heidi THANKS SO MUCH!!! Have totally been crazy for ramen bowls and always look for you for elaborating inspirations. Commenting because there is disappointed (sob) not having a youtube link to watch one of your GREAT demonstrations…PLEASE MAKE A RAMEN BOWL DEMO FOR YOUTUBE I guess is what I’m really asking. Please! big love!
Where do you get your noodles? Are there some good sources in sf? And the chickpea miso? I’m intrigued. Also if ypu wouldn’t mind sharing your top 2 or 3 places for good veggie ramen……my friends and I usually seem to only find pork-based broths. Thanks in advance Heidi!!! Appreciate.
More Recipes
Weekly recipes and inspirations.
Popular Ingredients