Vegan Ramen

Step 1

To make the ramen broth, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot and shimmering, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until very fragrant and the onion is golden. About 5-6 minutes. Lots of flavors develop here so don’t rush this step.

Step 2

Add in the vegetable broth, water, tamari, and dried mushroom. Give a good stir and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 35-40 minutes to develop lots of flavor. Give a good stir every 8-10 minutes.

Step 3

While the broth is simmering, start making the tofu. In a container with a lid, add the tofu cubes, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Close lid and gently shake until the tofu is well coated.

Step 4

Heat up the sesame oil in a large skillet. When hot and shimmering, place the tofu in an even layer with room in between each piece. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, until the tofu cubes, are golden and crispy. Set aside.

Step 5

When the broth is done, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer with a large bowl underneath and gently press the mixture with the back of a large spoon to release all the broth. Reserve the mushroom for serving and discard the rest.

Step 6

Pour broth back into the pot, but take out a ½ cup of broth and place it in a small bowl with the miso paste. Whisk well to combine and add it back into the broth and give a good stir (the miso is very hard to break down otherwise).

Step 7

Bring the pot of broth to a boil. Once boiling, add the baby bok choy and cook for 1-2 minutes to blanch. Remove with tongs and set aside.

Step 8

Now add the 3 packs of noodles and cook for 2-4 minutes until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Don’t overcook. Taste and add more tamari if needed.

Step 9

To serve, use tongs or chopsticks to divide the noodles between 4 bowls and ladle the broth on top. Add the tofu, reserved mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, green onion, cilantro. See notes for additional serving suggestions.