We use vegetable stock, mushrooms, miso paste, & soy sauce, to give this soup the savory umami flavor we crave in a bowl of ramen noodles. My vegan ramen recipe uses a rainbow of veggies and flavors to create a simple yet filling meal.
Whenever I visit NYC, I have to enjoy a bowl of vegetarian ramen. It’s always so delicious and soothing after a cold day walking the streets. I love all the bright colors, as well as the complexity of flavors a ramen dish provides.
It makes me feel fancy when indulging in these flavors, yet the reality is it can be quite affordable to make at home. My recipe is for vegan ramen — and can be modified easily depending on your preferences.
Table of Contents
Origins of Ramen
Most people believe ramen originated in Japan, yet it actually started in China. Chinese tradesmen brought their ramen recipe to Japan in the 19th century. What Americans know (and love) as instant ramen, came to America in 1958.
Today, ramen can be found both in 33 cent styrofoam containers, as well as $16+ bowls at fancy restaurants. Vegetarian or not, ramen is a great on the go meal, as well as a fun date-night-in dinner under candlelight.
What Makes This Recipe Vegan
Ramen noodles are often made with a chicken, pork, or beef broth base. This vegan ramen recipe uses a low-sodium vegetable broth. I have tried ramen both ways, and honestly like the lighter taste and feel of a veggie broth over a chicken broth.
If you want to up the protein, then add in tofu. With ramen, there’s really no wrong way to go! Just a side note, vegetarian ramen can still use a meat-based broth, yet full on vegan ramen should only use vegetable broth.
How To Make Vegetarian Ramen
My vegetarian ramen recipe starts with noodles. Sometimes I’ll load the bottom up with mung bean sprouts first. If you have that option available to you, then I highly recommend it. Otherwise, start with the noodles.
After the noodles go in, then it’s time to load up the bowl with your favorite veggies. I love adding bok choy, shredded carrots and sliced shiitake mushrooms, as well as purple cabbage. The heat of the hot broth helps soften the veggies a bit. If you prefer the veggies to be more tender than crisp, saute or steam the veggies before adding them to the bowl.
Add a little drizzle of sesame oil and tamari over the veggies and green onions. Next ladle piping hot, just-simmered vegetable broth to the bowl next.
Then it’s topping time! Add your favorite toppings – keep this vegetarian ramen simple, or go fully loaded. I go with a basic trio of cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, and red pepper flakes. Other ideas: avocado, tofu cubes, more bean sprouts or microgreens, thinly sliced hot chili, or even a drizzle of sriracha.
Vegetarian Ramen Ingredient Swaps
I try to stay away from gluten, so instead of wheat noodles, I love using Lotus Foods millet and brown rice ramen noodles. They’re super delicious, and I can get a big bag at Costco.
If you aren’t able to find bok choy, swap in swiss chard instead.
Coconut aminos are a great swap for tamari. If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, then why not switch them out with some tofu?
More Vegan Recipe Options
Eating plants doesn’t have to be difficult. I hope you enjoy this vegetarian ramen recipe! The truth is: a little prep, as well as a plan goes a long way in helping you naturally incorporate more veggies into your diet. Check out a few of these plant based recipes:
- Teriyaki Bowl
- Zoodles in a Jar
- Vegan Taco Salad
- Chickpea Tacos
- Loaded Sweet Potato
- Sweet Potato Pad Thai
- Almond Butter and Veggie Zoodles
I challenge you to incorporate 1 plant based meal into your dinner rotation every week. If you already do ‘meatless Monday,’ then try adding in a second plant fueled meal.
Eating more plants doesn’t have to be an all or nothing choice, yet taking steps to add more plants will only benefit you and your family. If you start with the vegan ramen recipe below, don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know how it turned out!
Simple Vegetarian Ramen
Ingredients
- 2 packages ramen noodles gluten-free
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 head baby bok choy halved
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms sliced
- ½ cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- ½ cup carrot shredded
- ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp tamari
- red pepper flakes
For garnish
- radish
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add ramen noodles and cook according to package directions.
- While noodles are cooking, get out two wide, deep soup bowls.
- Add cooked noodles and all your veggies to the bowls.
- Ladle the hot broth over the veggies and noodles. Drizzle with sesame oil and tamari, and garnish with red pepper flakes, radish slices, and cilantro, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This ramen is also very good made with miso or mushroom broth.
- For a grain-free version, feel free to substitute spiralized vegetables such as zucchini or sweet potato in place of noodles.
Yum! This recipe looks delicious! My favorite type of food is Asian, hands down. I love how simple this recipe looks too. I am constantly looking for new plant based dishes to inspire and feed my meat-eating husband. Exploring new recipes is tons of fun and I would love to check out this cookbook. PS – I also love the quote by Michael Pollan you mentioned in your recent e-mail, so simple but so true 🙂
I started this year committed to eating a plant base diet and lifestyle. I loved the 7-day THRIVE, btw. Its been very difficult making this change because of my current eating habits, but I want to make the jump and do this! Something like a cookbook could help me be more committed. At least when I was completing Thrive and continuing with some of the recipes (love that cucumber and orange smoothie) I was motivated by having it placed on my cookbook holder. I hope to do the same with something like Mostly Plants.
I’m always looking for more great plant based recipes to try out with my family. This ramen recipe sounds really good and I will love trying it out on my family! I would love a new book as well to check out more ideas to make!
Thanks for sharing the recipe, can’t wait to try since I’ve been struggling with getting enough depth and umami joy with vegetable broths!
In an attempt to improve our health issues, our family is doubling our efforts to eat more veggies and less meat, fruit and grains. I’m having a hard time finding recipes that use multiple veggies, and in good quantities. (2 carrots for 6 servings of soup doesn’t cut it in my book. I always end up quadrupling the veggies so we get enough.) Anything that can help us with ideas sounds good to me!
I liked to eat food too much but couldn’t get a handle on it. I prayed that something larger than me would intervene to help me take control. Last summer I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. By default I’ve consumed more vegetables and fruits in my diet. Life remains busy so I try to consume 2 fruit-vegetable smoothies a day. I lost 15 lbs in the process.
Looks delicious! I’m always looking for ways to get more veggies in and love new soup recipes! Would love to get new veggie ideas.
I cut out on the garlic…My system can’t tolerate it…..yet.
Which leads to why Im going to a Simple Green safe place!
My body is sick and is having a drastic effect on my mind and life.
I want to live a bright green joyful life. Plant based foods are whole, living foods.
We are, indeed, what we eat.
Thanks so much for this recipe. It looks wonderful. I am disabled (and diabetic) and can not spend so much time in the kitchen, but by making a few adjustments, I think I can make this work. I’ll omit the tofu, use frozen veggies, and prep the bok choy the night before etc. Maybe not the perfect method, but eating healthy with more veggies is a BIG plus for me, and everyone else in the U.S. as well. Down with junky food! Thanks again.
We are getting started on our veggie and herb garden and this book will help us with more recipes to try out and feeding 7, we need a lot of recipes(and veggies)!
Eating plant-based, or “mostly plants” 🙂 is not only a more healthy wholistic way of eating, which is good for our bodies, it’s all around more sustainable for the environment and the world we live in. Eating green is the way to go! This book would help me continue to build my collection of green eating recipes. Simple Green Smoothies was my first step, now I am trying to slowly increase the incorporation of plant-based meals into my routine. Thank you Jen!
I’m always struggling to think of new, creative plant based meals to get on the table and I know how important it is. This book would be an awesome resource in helping me to achieve my goal!
I have been following Simple Green Smoothies for quite a few years now, but the last 18 months or so I have been cooking with their meal plans exclusively, as I have every single one! I would LOVE this new book to try out! Eating this way is the best thing you can do for your body, and for the environment!
There are no negatives to consuming a plant based or mostly plant based diet. It is the one thing that could improve the health of millions of Americans and lower the incidence of chronic disease. For me, cooking is an act of love for myself, the planet, and those I share my food with.
This ramen looks delicious and is the epitome of comfort food for me. Can’t wait to make it!
This looks scrumptious❣️ I’m learning everything I can on how to switch to plant based eating, as I’d like to help my husband and I to be be more heart healthy. We’re trying to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides and are teaching our son what clean eating is all about. Your articles have been so helpful in making this fun and attainable for us – thank you so much for all you di❣️
This recipe for ramen looks so good! I haven’t tried to make them, but would love to and would love to win the book. I think eating plant based makes me feel so much better, I don’t get sluggish. I get up and move instead of sitting, or taking a nap.