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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.Â
- 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.
This was pretty good! I used gluten-free Ramen noodles by Lotus and subbed coconut aminos for tamari as I try my best to be Soy-free. I had read thst shitake mushrooms need to be cooked do I sautéed them first. I’d make it again!
this is a keeper.
This is a soup I will try …
Versatile soup dressed up fancy and colourful – what a healthy homemade version of a staple meal.
It was hard to find just Ramen noodles, but after an all day search I did find them. I added the veggies stock and the noodles and miso, dropped in the veggies. I drizzled tasted sesame oil and tamari over the thinly sliced radishes and it was a meal. Slept like a dog after we did the dishes.
The Simple Vegetarian Ramen Soup was very healthy, however; it was not as flavorful when I made it and is not one of my ‘favorites’. But I tried it!
The nice thing about this recipe is how quick it is – no real cooking, just chop the veggies, boil the noodles, and ta da, soup! I boiled the noodles in the broth to not waste the water. The radishes were an odd addition to me, and when I do this again in the future I think I will include some pan-cooked tofu.
Flavor packed and easily customizable! I couldn’t find bok choy anywhere so subbed in broccoli slaw. Used 1/2 zoodles, 1/2 ramen and Chili Sesame Oil for some heat, yummy.
I always tell my clients that if they eat ramen, just add some frozen mixed veg! This, of course, was a significant upgrade. I bought the expensive organic ramen at Whole Foods (no flavor packet but still 290 mg sodium!!!) and subbed spinach for the bok choy (couldn’t find it anywhere) and it was good.
Versatile soup dressed up fancy and colourful – what a healthy homemade version of a staple meal.
Colorful bowl of tasty ramen and veggies. Served it to houseguests and it was a hit! Let each one customize exactly what portions of veggies and seasonings they wanted. Perfect!
I didn’t think I would like this soup but I did. When I make it next time I will cut up the box choy and just use the the vegetable broth to make the ramen and not drain.
I loved the vegetables and noodles and so much flavor. This is a great dish and loaded with lots of veggies and tastes delicious!
Did not expect to like this soup but I did and it made up very quickly. Ramen is the butt of so many jokes but this is fresh and yummy. Recommend.
Thanks so much for such an easy and delicious soup.
Not quite sure what I think about today’s Vegetarian Ramen soup. I’ve never made a Ramen soup, and only ate Ramen during my budget-crunched college days, sans vegetables. I saw a review earlier about cutting the veggies, which helped, but was still awkward to eat.
Nice soup with lots of vegetables. Could not find baby bok choy so just chopped up a large one. Simmered all the vegetables in the broth for just a few minutes until vegetables were crisp-tender.
This is one of my favorites!!
The store didn’t have bok choy, so I used Chinese cabbage from my garden.
I added spinach flowers on top.
Because I love raw veggies SO much, this soup will now be a staple for me!!
Yummmmm!
Thank you!