Japanese Ramen Noodle Soup (Printable)
A comforting Japanese noodle soup with rich miso broth, tender pork belly, soft-boiled eggs, and fresh toppings.
# What You Need:
→ Broth
01 - 6 cups chicken or pork broth
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon miso paste
04 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, sliced
07 - 1 tablespoon mirin
→ Noodles
08 - 14 ounces fresh ramen noodles
→ Toppings
09 - 2 soft-boiled eggs, halved
10 - 7 ounces cooked pork belly or chicken breast, sliced
11 - 3.5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
12 - 1 sheet nori, cut into strips
13 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
14 - 3.5 ounces bamboo shoots
15 - Corn kernels, to taste
16 - Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
# How-To:
01 - In a large pot, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sliced ginger, sautéing until fragrant. Pour in the chicken or pork broth, then stir in soy sauce, miso paste, and mirin. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes to develop depth of flavor. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove solids and discard.
02 - Prepare the ramen noodles according to package instructions until tender but still firm. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - Soft-boil the eggs by gently lowering them into boiling water for exactly 6 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath. Once cooled, peel and halve. Slice the cooked pork belly or chicken breast and shiitake mushrooms. Cut the nori sheet into strips and thinly slice the spring onions.
04 - Divide the drained noodles evenly among four serving bowls. Ladle the hot strained broth over each portion. Arrange the sliced meat, halved eggs, mushrooms, nori strips, spring onions, bamboo shoots, and corn kernels on top. Finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately while steaming hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The broth is layered with miso, soy, and mirin in a way that tastes like you spent all day on it, even though you barely did.
- Toppings are completely flexible so you can empty your fridge and still end up with something beautiful.
- It reheats brilliantly, making it the kind of recipe that pays you back twice.
02 -
- Never boil the broth vigorously after adding miso, because aggressive heat dulls its flavor and makes it taste flat.
- Straining the broth is the step I almost skipped once, and the difference in texture between a clear bowl and a gritty one is enormous.
- Fresh noodles cook in about two minutes so have everything else ready before you drop them in the water.
03 -
- Warm your serving bowls with hot water before assembling so the ramen stays hot longer while you eat.
- A tiny drizzle of toasted sesame oil right at the end, just before serving, gives the whole bowl an aromatic lift that makes people close their eyes when they take the first sip.