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Shoyu Ramen

You will LOVE how quick and easy this Ramen is to make at home – and it can be made with whatever you have on hand! This Shoyu Ramen recipe comes together quickly with tender, juicy pork (or chicken), vibrant vegetables, and rich, fragrant broth without simmering bones for days! This shortcut Ramen Soup is still a flavor bomb from its aromatic base of ginger, garlic and green onions along with plenty of umami and chili paste so it’s savory, rich and fragrant with just the right amount of kick plus it’s much healthier than those college-days Ramen packets!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

PORK

SOUP

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable or other neutral oil divided
  • 4 green onions, white and green parts separated, both parts sliced on the bias into 1-inch lengths*
  • 4-6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 8 oz. shitake mushrooms wiped clean, stemmed and sliced (optional)
  • 8 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (may sub soy sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons Japanese rice wine
  • 1-2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste) use less if using Asian chili paste
  • 3 baby bok choy white parts thinly sliced on the diagonal; green leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2 packages instant ramen noodles only!

FOR SERVING

Instructions

PREP – Pork & Toppings

  • Whisk 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon sesame oil together in a large bowl or freezer bag. Add sliced pork and toss to evenly coat; set aside.
  • Fill a medium saucepan with water (just enough to cover eggs) and bring to a boil. Gently lower the eggs into the water and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 6-7 minutes for soft-boiled or 9-10 minutes for medium-boiled. Remove the eggs to an ice bath until ready to use, then peel and slice in half.
  • While the eggs are simmering, use a mandolin or the large holes on a box grater to coarsely grate the carrots and zucchini; set aside. Prepare/chop all remaining ingredients.

MAKE SOUP

  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add pork, breaking up any clumps and let cook without stirring until pork begins to brown, about 1 minute. Stir the pork and continue to cook until cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer pork to a plate and set aside; don’t drain pot.
  • Add one additional tablespoon oil to the pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and green onion WHITES and cook until lightly browned and softened, 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  • Add chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, chili paste, and bok choy WHITE PARTS ONLY. Bring soup to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cook ramen separately according to package directions. Drain, rinse in cold water, then toss with a drizzle of sesame oil.
  • Add pork back to soup along with bok choy GREENS, green onion GREENS and cook until bok choy is wilted, about 1 minute.
  • Divide ramen between bowls and top with broth, eggs, carrots, and zucchini. Serve with sesame seeds and additional sesame oil and/or chili paste if desired.

Notes

*Each bulb with 2-3 stalks sticking out represents one  green onion

PANTRY FRIENDLY RAMEN

You can keep this Ramen recipe extremely simple and pantry friendly by replacing the fresh aromatics with powders and only adding Ramen noodles if you like. To use all powders, you'll need:
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder 
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

TIPS AND TRICKS 

  • Make it vegetarian:  omit the pork and swap the chicken broth for mushroom or vegetable stock.  If you are vegan, omit the classic soft-boiled egg.
  • Make it gluten free:  use tamari instead of soy sauce. Use gluten free Ramen noodles such as Lotus Foods Organic Brown Rice Ramen.  
  • Shiitake Mushrooms:  you may substittute cremini/baby bella although shiitake  are more flavorful. 
  • Rice wine:  I use “Kikkoman Aji-Mirin: Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning” which is commonly found in the Asian section of most grocery stores or you can Amazon it. I highly suggest you google image before you head off to the grocery store so you know exactly what you are looking for.  Do NOT substitute with rice vinegar -it is not the same. 
  • Rice wine substitute:   the best substitute for rice wine is pale dry sherry.  If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic substitution, the best substitute is white grape juice mixed with some lemon juice.
  • Gochujang: is increasingly easy to find at your local grocery store or there is always Amazon (here).  I use Annie Chun’s Gochujang Sauce. It is located in the Asian section of my grocery store or you can use your favorite chili paste.
  • Use less chili paste:  if you use sriracha or another Asian chili paste rather than Gochujang, take care you add less because they are spicier than Gochujang.
  • Chicken substitute: you can swap the pork tenderloin for one pound of chicken thighs.  Sear the chicken thighs on each side just until golden, then add back to the soup with the broth.  Simmer the chicken for 12-15 minutes or until tender enough to shred; shred then add to the soup along with the green parts of the bok choy.  You can also use rotisserie chicken and add at the end to warm through. 
  • Ground pork substitute:  brown the pork in the soup pot, transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, then use the drippings to sauté the aromatics.
  • Freeze pork: it is much easier to slice pork (or any protein) if it is partially frozen.  Place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes prior to slicing. 
  • Marinate pork:  this might seem like one extra step but is definitely worth it. It tenderizes the pork, protects it from overcooking and infuse it with flavor.
  • Cook ramen separately!  This seemingly extra step prevents the noodles from overcooking, becoming gummy or soaking up too much broth, especially in leftovers.
  • Customize toppings:  use whatever you have on hand but I recommend something crunchy (zucchini, carrots), so something creamy (soft boiled egg) and something spicy (favorite chili sauce).
  • Discard packets.  Use only the ramen noodles and discard any flavor packets that accompany the noodles.

PREP AHEAD

Ramen Soup is best served fresh so I don’t recommend assembling the entire soup ahead of time but you can prep the ingredients in advance so it can come together quickly.
  • Pork:  can be marinated and cooked in advance.  Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for later.
  • Vegetables and Aromatics: chop the mushrooms, grate the ginger, mince the garlic, chop the green onions, chop the bok choy, slice the carrots and zucchini.  Group in separate airtight containers according to when the ingredients are added to the soup.
  • Broth: alternatively, you can partially make the broth up to five days in advance and store into an airtight container in the refrigerator – hold the pork, bok choy and green part of the onions and add when reheating.
  • Eggs:  can be boiled and refrigerated for up to 3 days ahead of time.
  • Noodles: cook the ramen noodles in boiling water until al dente, drain and toss in a bit of sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together.  When ready to serve, don’ warm first; just make sure the broth is boiling hot before you pour it over the noodles in individual bowls.

STORAGE

Store the broth, noodles and toppings separately.   Drizzle the Ramen noodles with sesame oil, toss to coat, then store in an airtight container.  Soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

HOW TO REHEAT

You can reheat Ramen, but only reheat the broth and not the noodles. Take care to reheat the broth until boiling hot and then pour over the cold noodles; the noodles will warm right up once enveloped in piping hot broth.  
  • Stove: bring soup to a boil, stirring occasionally until heated through. Pour over Ramen noodles in individual bowls. Top with desired toppings.
  • Microwave: transfer individual servings to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 60 seconds, stir, then warm at 35-second intervals, as needed, until piping hot. Pour over Ramen noodles in individual bowls. Top with desired toppings.