Vegan Ramen

This homemade vegan ramen recipe is perfect for nights when you want comfort food but are in a rush.

The noodles are cooked with the creamy broth and then topped off as desired.

This is my favorite vegan quick dinner, and I hope it soon becomes one of your family favorites!

Vegan ramen noodles creamy

Ramen was a big part of my culinary experiences as a kid growing up in Tokyo. We would visit the local ramen restaurant for dinner or lunch at least once a month. This was my first experience with tofu.

After becoming vegan in my teens, I was delighted that large and small Japanese restaurants offered veggie ramen.

Jinya Ramen Bar has several locations in the United States and Canada. They offer two vegan options and gluten-free ramen, which can be made vegan.

What is Ramen?

The Chinese introduced ramen, a Japanese noodle broth, to Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The original version of ramen is non-vegetarian and often contains soy sauce, miso, and a broth based on meat (chicken or pork) with Chinese-style wheat noodles.

Ramen has four types: shio, shoyu, miso, and curry.

Tonkotsu Ramen is another popular ramen made with pork bone stock. This is not vegan-friendly!

This recipe is for Japanese-style Ramen. Korean ramyeon tends to be spicier and is made with curly Korean instant noodles. Nongshim Ottogi and Samyang are popular brands of Korean Ramen.

Vegan ramen ingredients

You’ll need uncooked ramen, rice vinegar, sesame or vegetable oil, coconut aminos or soy sauce, a sweetener, minced garlic, and non-dairy milk.

Add a few drops of sriracha to the broth for a spicy vegan ramen. You can adjust the amount of heat by adding more or less hot sauce. Add the hot sauce just before serving to each bowl if only one person is interested in spicy ramen soup.

Coconut milk in full-fat canned form is my favorite dairy-free milk for the best creamy veggie ramen. Almond and soymilk also work.

If you don’t want peanut butter, go for a nut butter that is more neutral in flavor, such as cashew or almond butter. You can omit the peanut butter if coconut milk is used in a can.

Ramen soup toppings

Enjoy decorating your ramen bowls. I like to garnish mine with chopped scallions and sesame seeds for both taste and presentation.

Some healthy ramen toppings include green or fried onion, wakame, nori, corn, fermented bamboo, sesame, garlic, umeboshi, vegan butter, sliced radishes, kimchi, or white miso.

Vegetables and proteins

Please make it a hearty one-bowl meal; make vegan ramen soup with veggies and meatless proteins to use extra-firm tofu that is either pan-fried or baked. Try edamame or seitan. You can also try packaged vegan beef or chicken crumbles or Vegan meatballs.

Vegan ramen noodle brands

Check the ingredient list of any of these brands to ensure that the noodles you purchase are vegan: Koyo rice ramen, Lotus Foods rice noodles, Wegmans Ocean’s Halo Simply Asia, or Nona Lim Fresh Ramen Noodles.

If you cannot find plain dried ramen at your local supermarket, you can substitute frozen ramen noodles or vegan noodles found in a package of instant Ramen Noodle Soup.

Ramen noodles can be substituted with udon, soba, lo Mein, rice noodles (gluten-free), or regular spaghetti.

How to prepare the recipe

Gather all the ingredients and read through the instructions.

Bring a medium-sized pot of water up to a rolling boil. Add the ramen to the boiling water and let it cook for 2 minutes, uncovered. If using another type of noodle, cook it until it is al dente.

While the ramen is cooking, whisk together the soy sauce with the vinegar, oil, and sweetener in a separate pot. Add the garlic, nut butter, broth, and milk. Add the ginger, vegetables, tofu, or other plant-based protein and hot sauce if desired.

Add the ramen to the broth. If using greens, add them and heat until they wilt. Add your favorite garnishes to the vegan ramen. Enjoy.

Ramen leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to four days. Reheat ramen on the stovetop or in the microwave before eating.

Ramen Tips and Tricks

It’s best to follow the recipe exactly the first time. Don’t change anything, substitute any ingredient, or reduce the amount. You can then experiment by adjusting the amount of oil, soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar.

The vegan ramen soup should be cooked first before the noodles are added. Avoid overcooked, gummy, or mushy noodles in the finished soup.

Keep leftover ramen in a covered, airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can freeze the soup for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat in a pot before serving.

Ingredients

Uncooked 8 oz ramen noodles or choice of noodles

Use two tablespoons of white or rice vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 tbsp sesame or vegetable oil

Sweetener of Choice: 1 1/2 tbsp

1 tbsp of minced garlic

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups of milk or coconut milk

You can omit the 1/4 cup of almond or peanut butter if you use coconut milk.

Optional 1/4 tsp of ground ginger

Add sriracha to your taste

Optional cooked diced vegetables (tofu or other protein of choice),

If desired, garnish with limes, scallions, and sesame seeds if you like.

An optional handful of baby bok Choy or Spinach

Instructions

In a medium-sized pot, bring water to a boil. Add the ramen, and cook it uncovered until soft for 2 minutes. Drain. Combine all ingredients except the garnishes and greens in a separate pot and heat on medium. Combine the ramen with the creamy broth once it has been drained. If using greens, heat until they are wilted. Divide into bowls. Serve garnished as desired. You can serve leftovers hot or cold.