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Ramen is one of those universally loved dishes that can feel like a warm hug from the inside out. While traditional ramen features a rich, meaty broth, this vegetarian ramen recipe offers a delightful alternative that is just as satisfying and flavorful and vegan-friendly.
Whether you’re a full-time vegetarian, a plant-based foodie, or just wanting a light, vegetable-loaded comfort soup, this quick recipe is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen. Let’s dive into how to make this light and nourishing soup.
Tips for the Perfect Vegetarian Ramen
I’m not gonna lie, I feel fancy when eating ramen at a restaurant. Yet the reality is it can be quite affordable and tasty to make at home. You can buy Instant Ramen for $0.33 at the grocery store or spend $36 on a bowl at a restaurant in Aspen (I know from experience!). Vegetarian or not, this ramen recipe I’m sharing today is the best of both worlds using instant ramen noodles and ton of veggies.
- Make it Ahead: The broth can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, or frozen for longer storage. Just reheat and add noodles and veggies when you’re ready to eat.
- Broth Variations: Feel free to experiment with the broth. The shiitake mushrooms add extra depth, yet you can go even farther by tossing in kombu (dried seaweed), miso paste, fresh ginger root, garlic, or red chili paste while simmering to enhance the umami flavor.
- Noodle Choices: While instant ramen noodles work great, you can use traditional ramen noodles, soba noodles, udon, or millet ramen. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, use rice noodles or make zoodles, spiralized zucchini.
- Seasonal Vegetables: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand! Bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, or snap peas can be great additions. You can even swap fresh mushrooms for dried shiitake mushrooms or use both!
- Increase the protein by adding in tofu (you can fry it in the skillet with the veggies), nuts or seeds (ex: toasted pepitas or sesame seeds). With ramen, there’s really no wrong way to go!
- Spice it up: If you like spicy, add in some red chili oil, kimchi, sliced serrano peppers or a dash of cayenne pepper.
Vegan vs Vegetarian
Vegan and vegetarian ramen both use a vegetable broth base, yet the toppings can differ. If you’re vegan, you’ll strictly use vegetables, nuts and seeds. If you’re vegetarian, you can add a soft-boiled egg for additional protein.
How To Make Vegetarian Ramen
Prepare the ramen Broth
Start by creating a rich and flavorful broth that will serve as the backbone of your ramen. In a large pot, combine the vegetable stock (or vegetable broth) and water. Heat over medium-high heat until it starts to boil. Add the mushrooms, tamari (or soy sauce), and sesame oil. Bring it to a gentle simmer. If you like a bit of spice, add some chili paste during this step.
Cook the Noodles
Add the instant ramen noodles to the broth and cook according to package. Typically, 3-5 minutes. You can toss the flavoring packet that comes with your ramen noodles, or save it for the end and sprinkle a little on the broth if you think it needs a little extra.
Sauté the Vegetables
In a separate pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, cabbage and baby bok choy, cooking for about 3 minutes, just enough to gently toast it all. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Assemble the Ramen Bowls
Once your noodles are ready and vegetables are sautéed, it’s time to assemble your ramen bowls. Divide the noodles and veggies between bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, ensuring each bowl gets a good amount. Top with crushed red pepper, green onions (scallions), thinly sliced radishes and chopped cilantro.
Serve and Enjoy
Serve vegetarian ramen while it’s hot and steamy. The beauty of ramen is that it’s completely customizable, so feel free to adjust the toppings and ingredients based on your preferences. Enjoy this warm, comforting bowl of goodness on a chilly day or any day you’re craving a nourishing meal.
Best Way to Store Ramen Leftovers
Ramen definitely tastes best eaten right away. If you need to store leftovers, keep toppings and sauteed vegetables separate until ready to reheat. You can store broth and noodles together in an airtight container and the toppings and veggies in a bag in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Ingredient Swaps
- Swap instant noodles for millet and brown rice ramen noodles to get a hearty They’re super delicious, and I can get a big bag at Costco.
- If you aren’t able to find baby bok choy, use swiss chard or spinach.
- Coconut aminos or white miso paste are great swaps for tamari.
- If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, leave them out or swap for another vegetable you really do enjoy.
Instant Vegetarian Ramen
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 packages instant ramen noodles
- ½ head baby bok choy halved
- ¼ cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- ¼ cup shredded carrot
- ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp tamari
For garnish
- red pepper flakes
- 1 radish
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a pot, bring the vegetable stock and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, tamari and sesame oil and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the ramen noodles and cook about 5 minutes, or until noodles are softened (refer to noodle package for more specific time).
- In a separate pan, saute the carrots, bok choy and cabbage for 3-5 minutes, until gently toasted. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Divide vegetables and noodles between bowls and ladle broth on top.
- Top with green onions, crushed red pepper, radishes and cilantro.
Notes
- Short on time? Skip sauteeing the veggies and toss right into the broth!
- Swap vegetable broth with miso broth or mushroom broth.
- Swap ramen noodles for spiralized zucchini for a grain-free version.
- Swap fresh shiitake mushrooms for dried shiitake mushrooms.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Looks amazing!!! The book is calling my name because I keep my cholesterol in check by eating a plant-based diet. Health as a lifelong pursuit
Let us know how you like it once you try it 🙂
Thank you for sharing how you live a plant based lifestyle!!
Wow, this recipe could not have come at a better time for me! I live in Southern Austraia where we are in early autumn and those chilly nights are starting… and my workplace (a school) has a Soup Club in the late autumn/ winter/ early spring (and a Salad Club in late spring/ summer/ early autumn).. so this recipe will be perfect for the Soup Club, plus I practically live on soup during winter as it is so warming and nourishing and comforting and also so easy to make a big pot that provides several meals! I have also been trying to eat mostly plant-based for some time, partly from the inspiration from your website and partly after reading another excellent book called ‘How Not to Die’ by American doctor Michael Greger, which provides excellent arguments, based on a multitude of worldwide scientific studies, for a whole food, plant-based diet. He has also written a cookbook, which I have bought, and I would love to read the Pollan family’s book too! Thanks for sharing the delicious recipe!
Hey Ari,
Wow, sounds like you have an awesome work place for them to have a soup club and a salad club. Love that!!! I know you will really enjoy this book as well. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
I eat more plants fir my health…to show my boys that I can be strong and beautiful on a plant based lifestyle. Thanks for all your inspiration.
Love that you are setting such a good example for your boys! They will see your strength and beauty shine through for sure.
Another 5 star supper added to my meal plan. I love a warm comfort food dish instead of the regular go-to salads. This is a warm bowl of awesomeness!!!
Thanks Lori!
So glad you love this bowl and all of its awesomeness 🙂
Eating more plants helps give me more energy. I tend to gain weight with high meat protein and carb/sugar diets. Veggies have been a great way to give me the energy I need as well as the keeping me healthy.
Yay! plant-based eating is seriously the best! Thank you for sharing that with us.
I’ve followed you for years and I’d love to incorporate even more veggies into my family’s diet. Thx!
That is awesome, thank you for sharing!
Simple Green Smoothies has taught me how much of a difference life can be when striving to live a plant based lifestyle. My mind is clearer and my health is better. My calf had swollen and I was having trouble with my knees and swollen ankle prior to starting the 21 day vegan. They stated their was a cyst behind one knee and the heal of one foot was swollen. The third day of the 21 day vegan things started to clear up and my knees are returning to normal along with the cyst downsizing. I truly believe the eating plan is the reason for the improvement. Having even more recipes to try that is being recommended by SGS is a win, win for anyone.
I have long been searching for a ramen made with veggie broth and can never, ever find one. Can’t wait to try this recipe for myself!
I have had some serious health issues since the beginning of this year and I am learning to eat more healthy, especially but adding more vegetables into my diet. These are essential changes that I need to make in order to quite honestly live. This ramen recipe looks amazing! Plant based meals are new to me and I don’t really miss meat.
Thank you for sharing your story. Welcome to the plant-based lifestyle!
This recipe looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it. I love Michael Pollan and have been reading his books for years but I’ve had a hard time implementing his ideas. SGS has really helped me to see how I can eat more plants and I love it!
I want to eat mostly plants to be healthier, leave a smaller carbon footprint and lose weight. I want to show others that plant based eating is filling and delicious!
I’ve been looking for new ways to incorporate veggies – especially to please my kids as well. Ramen (or soups in general) is an easy fix for everyone. Thanks for the recipe!
Raman is my Favorite! Thank you for the recipe
Reasons why: I have always been bad at incorporating veggies and greens, and I dislike cooking very much. Thanks to Simple Green Meals and the 21 day spring and autumn cleanses that’s changing *hurray* But I am a variety girl and have zero imagination when it comes to cooking so I need the mind of someone who does. I am in the middle of a huge life style change, with the rude awaking I received at the doctor last month and the knowledge of both my father and mothers heart conditions, I told myself no more messing around if I don’t take myself seriously and make my health a priority now, in 20 years I won’t be much different. So in a nutshell… I am looking to expand my veggie horizons
Thank you for the recipe! I’m looking forward to trying it. I always feel better when I eat more vegetables but I struggle with figuring out how to cook with them!
Hello! My body is desperately searching for its survival with unadulterated pure holistic food. Not the virtual reality imposter food that we see surrounding us. I want to be truly fed and start feeling alive and nourished. That is why my body is making me listen. Today I discovered this recipe of yours and will prepare it with the Konjac Shirataki Miracle Noodle Kitchen brand as a healthy substitute to regular ramen. I’m quite enthused to try it out! And to continue the nourishment your book will help me achieve this. Thank you.
I would like to eat more vegetables and plants because my diet has changed unfortunately over the years with a very demanding, stressful, busy job. With so much confusion these days about different eating styles, one doesn’t know what to believe anymore. Studies stating that beans are toxic to our bodies, the new Keto and paleo craze. I eat beans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, dairy, chicken, salmon, eggs and my doctor told me I was slightly anemic and need to take iron vitamins and eat red meat. I would love some healthy vegetable recipes thank you
I can’t wait to try this receipe! I love eating mostly plants to feel my best!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! It sounds amazing and if other recipes in the book are similar, I know it will be a great addition to my books. We’ve been eating mostly plants for quite some time but have become a little stuck with our meals. I’m looking for ways to find new ideas!