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Satisfy your craving for Ramen soup with this homemade ramen bowl recipe. In less than 30 minutes you can be slurping up this restaurant-worthy Ramen in the comfort of your own home with little effort. This is the noodle soup everyone deserves!
Table of Contents
This homemade Ramen soup remains a reader comfort food favorite after years of it being published. To be able to enjoy a big yummy bowl of your favorite Japanese soup in your own home is some kind of bliss! Between this recipe, my Shoyu Ramen Recipe, and my Miso Ramen, we’re all set come soup season.
We aren’t all fortunate enough to have access to restaurants that offer this good stuff. So having this simple recipe up your sleeve is awesome.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Accessible ingredients—A quick trip to the grocery store will get you what you need! (If you want to build yourself an authentic Japanese Ramen bowl however, check in with Nami at Just One Cookbook and her collection of authentic Ramen recipes.)
- So flavorful—The garlic, ginger, and sesame do wonders for the broth. You’ll want to drink it by the mugfull!
- You can make it your own—Readers love to cook this recipe as their very own by adding their favorite veggies, proteins, and garnishes.
Featured Comment
I used shimeji mushrooms , cuz we dont have other ones here, and it still ended up really good, love the recipe thank you very much ♡ this was my first homemade ramen experience and you made it amazing 🤩
— Sarah
Ramen Soup Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sesame oil—This brings a wonderful nutty flavor to the broth that is familiar with Japanese foods. You could use olive oil instead, though. Or half and half!
- Rice vinegar—The mild acidity and subtle sweetness offers a nice balance here.
- Soy sauce—I highly recommend going for low-sodium. Kikkoman in particular, as their low-sodium soy sauce takes exactly the same as the regular type, so you won’t lose out on any flavor.
- Chili garlic sauce—Making your Ramen soup spicy is optional, but if you do, reach for the chili sauces like Sriracha or sambal oelek.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Vegetables—I love using shredded carrots and sliced shiitake mushrooms, but you could also add others, like cabbage, broccoli, diced zucchini, or seared baby bok choy.
- Protein—Anything goes with this Ramen soup recipe! You could add chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or even tofu to keep it vegetarian.
- Egg—The jammy soft-boiled egg will always be my favorite part of a Ramen bowl, but you could omit it if eggs aren’t your thing. See the recipe card for instructions on cooking a Ramen egg.
- Other fun Ramen toppings—Narutomaki (fish cakes), enoki mushrooms, nori (dried seaweed), bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, or corn kernels
How to Make Homemade Ramen
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger; simmer until fragrant.
- Add the carrots, mushrooms, and any other veggies you want to cook and add to the soup. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until tender.
- Pour the broth into the pot. Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Give it all a good stir to combine.
- Let the soup simmer for about five minutes, then give it a taste and add more soy sauce or Sriracha if needed, depending on how salty and spicy you want it.
- While the soup simmers, cook the Ramen noodles in a separate pot as per the packages instructions.
- When the noodles are ready, drain them and give them a quick rinse under cool water, then place them into your soup bowl; set aside.
- Spoon the broth over the noodles, then garnish the bowl with whatever fun toppings you have on hand.
Pro Tip
I don’t recommend cooking the noodles in the broth because the noodles will soak up the broth, leaving you with less of it! For this reason I always cook and store my noodles separately.
How to Serve Homemade Ramen Bowls
Ramen soup is hearty, so it can be eaten like a meal on its own. Especially if you add some protein. There are some great sides you can bring to the table, however. I love this cool and crisp smashed cucumber salad. You could also work in these honey miso roasted sweet potatoes or some seared baby bok choy, which could be added right to your homemade ramen bowl.
Storage & Reheating
- Leftover broth and noodles can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, but be sure to store them separately if possible. Otherwise the noodles will soak up all of the broth and turn mushy.
- To reheat, bring the broth to a low simmer in a saucepan then stir the noodles in. Remove from heat, then transfer to a soup bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aside from the obvious Ramen noodles (yes, you can use the popular Instant Ramen packets you grew up with), Ramen soup is made up of broth, vegetables, and proteins in addition to various seasonings like garlic, ginger, sesame, and soy.
Shoyu (soy sauce), miso (fermented bean paste), shio (salt), and tonkotsu (pork) are the four broths you’ll most often see served with Ramen soup in restaurants.
Various vegetables such as mushrooms, baby spinach, broccoli, bok choy, onion, zucchini, etc. can be added to Ramen soup, as well as your favorite protein.
Ramen Soup Essentials
- Japanese Style Ramen Bowl
- Chopsticks
- Wonton soup spoon, the best way to slurp up that homemade Ramen broth.
If you try these Easy Homemade Ramen Bowls, or any other recipe here at Killing Thyme, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating! And let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
More Ramen Soup Recipes You Have to Try…
Easy Homemade Ramen Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 4 cups Chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 TBSP rice vinegar
- 3 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce (more to taste)
- 1 TBSP Sriracha sauce (more or less, depending on your heat tolerance)
- 2 3 oz portions of Ramen (discard the flavor packets)
Toppings
- Sliced scallions
- Sesame seeds
- Shredded carrots
- Soft-boiled egg
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium-large saucepan over moderate heat. Add garlic and ginger, and simmer until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Do not brown the garlic, or else you'll get a bitter flavor.
- Add the carrots and mushrooms if you’re using them, and simmer until they soften, about a minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the broth, Sriracha sauce, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Stir, and bring to a simmer; let it go for about five minutes. Taste, and adjust heat and taste to your liking by adding more Sriracha and soy sauce if needed.
- While the broth simmers, cook the Ramen noodles in a separate pot as per the package's instructions. (You could cook the noodles in the broth directly, but I don't recommend it as they will soak up some of the broth and it also makes for a messy transfer to the bowl. It's much easier to transfer drained cooked noodles to a bowl and spoon the broth over top.) Once the noodles are tender, drain and rinse under cool water, place into a soup bowl, and set aside.
- When the soup is ready, spoon the broth over the noodles. Allow to cool. At this point, make your soft-boiled egg if you're garnishing with one, and add the rest of your toppings to serve.
Soft-Boiled Egg
- Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Add the egg(s), and let them boil for five minutes. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath in a bowl.
- Once five minutes are up, remove the egg(s) and dunk them into the ice bath for about a minute to cool them off enough to handle. Then, lightly crack and roll them on a flat surface, peel, slice in half, and place on top of your Ramen soup.
Funny, I wasted a bunch of time making this more complicated version of at home ramen from Bon Appetit thinking hey, it’s Bon Appetit, it’ll be worth it, and NOPE. It was awful. I should have known when it called for tomato paste. Then I stumble upon this here food blog and bam. This at home ramen is the one. Easy to do, simple ingredients, and most importantly, it taste like freakin’ ramen. THANK YOU.
You know, I’ve encountered this with so many recipes: make something posted by a big name company or food celebrity and it’s mediocre at best. (Though I’ve had great results with Melissa Clark, Giada, and Tyler Florence.) I find food blogger recipes to be so much more approachable and friendly—they know their audience. Just us regular folks at home. Less about trying to impress or be super technical. I’m really really glad you found this recipe and enjoyed it, Anna!
My favorite thing to make for lunch while working at home!
Awesome! Glad to hear it, Dan.
Yessss! Mike’s daughter here. I see he’s already commented but I wanted to come and rate and comment to say that this is amazing and I foresee myself making it A LOT. It’s such an easy and comforting meal.
I’m so you both loved this recipes so much! Good luck with your studies and hey, you can boast to your peers about how you can up your dorm-room Ramen game ;)
I’ve been making these bowls for a while now. I never comment but I figured I should to let you know this is my absolute favorite way to eat Ramen!
I really do appreciate the comments and ratings! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your thoughts, Ruth :)
My daughter is in town visiting from college this weekend. I made this for us for lunch and it was a hit. She thinks I’m a culinary genius now! She saved this recipe and said she will be making it back at her dorm with her friends. Thanks for the great soup.
This is so awesome, Mike. Time with your kids away at college is precious, and I’m flattered you picked my recipe to make for her! So glad it was a hit :)
We love this recipe! I’m just wondering since my husband is pescatarian, could we add shrimp? And what would be the best way to go about adding it? Thank you so much for such a delicious and easy recipe!!
Hey Zoe, I’m so glad! And yes! If you want to add shrimp, I’d suggest cooking it in the pot you plan to cook the soup in first. Season it however you’d like. Once they’re cooked, remove the shrimp and set them aside, then proceed with the rest of the Ramen recipe. Don’t wash out the pot! The leftovers in there from cooking the shrimp will just add extra flavor. Let me know how it goes! :)
Best ramen recipe I’ve found yet! Thank you! -Ginny
You’re so welcome, Ginny!
I appreciate this ramen recipe *so* much. After developing a gluten allergy, I thought ramen would be out of my reach, but no more! I was intimidated by the idea of making my own ramen, but Dana’s made it completely approachable and a total cinch. I’ve already made this a few times. Now, I’m just playing with different broths and spice levels to get it just to my taste. Simple, yet really hits on all those warm, rich, umami notes you look for in a ramen. Thank you for helping me enjoy one of my favorite foods again by making it myself!
Comments like this make my day, Lindsey! I’m so glad you can still enjoy Ramen. No one deserves to be robbed of that deliciousness ;)
I LOVE this recipe and have made it multiple times! I’m thinking of mixing up a paste with some of the ingredients and keeping it in the fridge for easier prep.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Diane! I love that you’re so into it. Let me know how the paste goes if you come up with one, that’s a great idea!
This was a big hit for dinner tonight! I added chicken and broccoli. It’s a keeper for my recipe pins!
Hi Wendy!
I’m so glad this was a hit for you. Thanks so much for stopping by with feedback. I really appreciate it! Happy Ramen-slurping :)