The first time I had proper vegan ramen was in an amazing family run Japanese restaurant in our home town. It was our friend’s birthday, and he suggested we go there as they had such great vegan options.
It was one of the best things I have ever tasted and I have done my best to recreate my own version ever since. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Japan yet (though I very much hope to one day!), so this is my take on it and although it may not be 100% authentic, it is close to the flavours and very tasty!
In place of the traditional fish-based stock (dashi) I have included aonori seaweed flakes (available online or in some supermarkets and wholefood shops), vegan ‘fish’ sauce (again online or in some shops) and porchini mushroom powder to give it depth. I have tried both red and white miso and both work. The red is earthier and the white is sweeter, so play around and see which one you like best.
It is actually very easy to make and you can use a lot of different variations of vegetables (as long as they are quite quick to cook). We used our basic seitian strips in this version, but fried, baked or air fried tofu works really well too.
Prepare everything you need first. Then add the stock and other liquid ingredients to the pan and simmer. Finally add the vegetables and the noodles, and serve once cooked. Simple, healthy and so delicious.
Ingredients
The broth
- 2 litres water
- 4 tbsps light soy sauce (we use Blue Dragon)
- 2 tbsps red miso
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsps vegan 'fish' sauce
- 4 tsp vegan stock powder (we use Marigold Boullion)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp aonori seaweed flakes
- 1 tsp dried porchini powder
The toppings
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1 green pepper sliced
- 1 pak choi washed and sliced
- 1/2 leek finely shredded
- 200g seitan or firm tofu sliced
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds to serve
- 4 spring onions sliced to serve
Instructions
- Add the water and other stock ingredients to a large pan, stir, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 mins to allow the flavours to develop.
- Add the peppers and mushrooms and simmer for 5 mins. Stir occasionally.
- Add the noodle nests and simmer for 5-10 mins or until the noodles are cooked. Add the shredded leeks, pak choi and bean sprouts a minute before the end to cook through slightly.
- Meanwhile fry the sliced seitan or tofu until crisply (5 mins).
- Spoon the noodles and veg into large bowls and pour over the broth.
- Arrange the seitan or tofu slices and spring onions on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve piping hot and enjoy!