Vegan Ramen
Most vegan ramen recipes are bland, relying on store-bought vegetable stock. Our vegan ramen is made with a vegan stock bursting with umami and rich flavor.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the vegetable stock:
- 1/2 napa cabbage
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 7 slices ginger (20g or 0.7 oz.)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and cut in half)
- 2 cubes white fermented bean curd (23g or 0.8 oz.)
- 1 large onion (peeled and quartered)
- 1 pound carrots (450g, peeled and cut into large chunks)
- 8 scallions (ends removed)
- 8 ounces daikon radish (225, peeled and cut into chunks)
- 1 5x5 inch piece dried kelp (kombu) (13x13 cm, rinsed)
- 16 dried shiitake mushrooms (rinsed)
- 16 cups water (1 gallon, or about 4 L)
- salt (to taste)
To complete the ramen broth:
- 2 1/2 teaspoons spicy bean sauce (la doubanjiang)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk
To assemble the ramen:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 pound fresh ramen noodles (450g)
- 8 ounces baby bok choy (225g)
- 1/2 cup chili bamboo shoots (see photo in post)
- 2 scallions (chopped)
- toasted nori (seaweed)
Instructions
Make the stock (skip this step if you already pre-made the vegetable stock)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Take your napa cabbage half, and cut it in half again lengthwise. Place the cabbage on a sheet pan and drizzle lightly with oil. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned. Add the fermented bean curd and cook for another minute. Then add the onion, carrots, scallions, daikon, kelp, dried shiitake mushrooms, and water. When the napa cabbage is done roasting, add it to the pot as well.
- Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low, and simmer with the lid on for 4 hours. Strain the stock, and season with salt to taste.
Create the ramen broth:
- In a separate pot over medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil. Fry the spicy bean paste for 1 minute. Then strain the stock into the pot (you will need about 8 cups to make 4 bowls of ramen).
- Add the miso paste and sesame oil, stirring until the miso paste is dissolved. Stir in the soy milk. Taste for seasoning and season with salt if desired. Keep over low heat (do not boil, or the soy milk will curdle), cover, and leave on the stove while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
Assemble the ramen:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil for the noodles and bok choy. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Add the corn and season with salt. Sautee the frozen corn until it’s tender and heated through.
- Meanwhile, your water should be boiling. Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Blanch the bok choy for 30 seconds in the same pot you’re using to boil the noodles.
- Ladle your ramen broth into 4 bowls. Add the noodles, and top with the cooked corn, blanched bok choy, chili bamboo shoots, scallions, and nori. Serve!
Notes
Note: 5 hour cook time includes time to make stock. If you make the stock ahead of time, total time to prepare ramen is more like 30 minutes!