Spicy Vegetarian Ramen

Step 1

First make the fried garlic in chili oil. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Once hot, add thinly sliced garlic and pan fry, stirring often, until garlic is just beginning to turn golden, approx. 3 minutes. Stir in sesame seeds and cook an additional minute until garlic is crisp and toasty. Carefully transfer mixture to a small bowl and add crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well and set aside.

Step 2

Bring the same pot to medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil and add garlic, chopped green onion (whites only - save the greens for topping) and chopped dried porcini mushrooms. Sauté until fragrant, approx, 1 minute.

Step 3

Add your broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, and Sriracha.

Step 4

Simmer, covered, on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

Step 5

While the soup simmers, prep your choice of toppings.

Step 6

Once your broth is fragrant and ready, strain by pouring through a fine mesh sieve/strainer and add back into the pot, removing the onion and dried mushroom bits.

Step 7

Give the broth a little taste and further season if/as desired. A little extra Sriracha will add heat while extra soy sauce will add saltiness and umami. For a brother, soup-like ramen bowl feel free to add an extra cup of broth and adjust seasoning to taste.

Step 8

For a thicker ramen broth, cook your noodles directly in the simmering broth for approx. 3-4 minutes or until tender. For a thinner broth, feel free to cook ramen seperately and add before serving.

Step 9

If you prefer any of the other veggies softened versus raw (sliced carrots or jalapeños for instance) you can absolutely add them to the broth to simmer/cook until tender as well! This soup is crazy easy to customize.

Step 10

Ready to eat? Top ramen and broth with a drizzle of chili oil and add all your favorite toppings and feel free to check out the blog post for even more topping ideas! Enjoy!