Easy Homemade Ramen
by Chungah
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
The easiest ramen you will ever make in less than 30 min! So much tastier + healthier than the store-bought version!
Featured Comment
Reasons to make ramen at home
- 30 min dinner. This recipe is incredibly fast and convenient, making homemade ramen in just 30 minutes using pantry staples and veggies you already have on hand.
- Healthier than store-bought. Making ramen at home allows you to control the nutritional content (ex. avoiding high sodium, additives and preservatives).
- Clean-out-the-fridge meal. This is a great recipe to use up leftover vegetables, meats, and pantry staples, making this so economical and budget-friendly.
- Versatile and customizable. Homemade ramen can be so flexible, adding in your desired protein, veggies, and noodles to suit the entire family.
Let’s talk ramen toppings
There is no hard or fast rule on ramen toppings, but you can easily upgrade your ramen dish by adding so many different toppings, whether it’s proteins, vegetables, leafy greens or something crunchy, saucy or spicy.
Tips and tricks for perfect ramen every single time
- Use Yaki-Soba noodles. Yaki-Soba noodles is a convenient hack when it comes to homemade ramen as they are pre-steamed (and can be added directly to the broth) and their robust, chewy texture holds up very well in a hot broth (and thus less likely to get mushy!).
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in added nutrition for those picky eaters. Spinach, bok choy and cabbage are all suitable options.
- Jammy eggs go a long way. The soft-set yolk adds a creamy, custard-like consistency to the ramen, thickening the soup ever so slightly and complementing the noodles and broth so perfectly while adding high-quality protein to a carb-heavy dish.
- Avoid soggy noodles. The key is serving the ramen immediately as the noodles will continue to cook and soak up the broth as it sits.
- Divide and conquer. When storing leftovers, separate the noodles and broth. This will help the noodles retain its texture.
more favorited ramen recipes
- Mushroom Ramen
- Quick Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
- Thai Coconut Curry Ramen
- Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry
- Quick Chicken Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
Easy Homemade Ramen: Frequently Asked Questions
Yaki-Soba is ramen-style noodles and can be found in the refrigerated aisle of your local grocery store. If Yaki-Soba is not available or accessible, fresh refrigerated ramen noodles, dried ramen (sans seasoning packet), or chow mein noodles can be used instead. Udon, rice noodles, or glass noodles are also alternative options but their textures will vary quite a bit.
Narutomaki is a type of kamaboko fish cake and is mainly used as a garnish in noodle soups such as ramen or soba.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days, separating the ramen noodles from the broth.
Easy Homemade Ramen
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3 (5.6-ounce) packages refrigerated Yaki-Soba, seasoning sauce packets discarded
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 8 slices Narutomaki, optional
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Cover eggs with a tight-fitting lid and remove from heat; set aside for 8-10 minutes. Drain well and let cool before peeling and halving.
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in chicken broth, mushrooms, soy sauce and 3 cups water.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until mushrooms have softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in Yaki-Soba until loosened and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in spinach, Narutomaki, carrot and green onions until the spinach begins to wilt, about 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with eggs.
Equipment
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
So don’t use the ramen noodles and sauce packets but the yaki-soba is ok? Is it healthier??
Yes, the fresh refrigerated yaki-soba noodles are a little bit healthier and have less preservatives than the dried ramen noodles in those sealed packets.
This recipe is amazing!!! I’m pregnant and my husband won’t let me have the packaged ramen (which I understand but still want!). This is so much better and I think tomorrow after the flavor are together longer it will be even better! I added a bit more soy sauce and some hot sauce. Thanks for all the great recipes
Thanks for posting! I love ramen! I add mushrooms, corn, green onions and Sambol to mine 🙂
What can you add to this to make it spicy?
Sriracha will certainly add a kick of heat!
can I make ahead for tomorrows work lunches?
Yes, absolutely! The leftovers still tasted great the very next day.
Anyone tries adding shredded chicken or other meat or would this totally make it not ramen??
Karen, chicken sounds like a great addition!
Aren’t the noodles bad too? Can I substiute another noodle? Or then it would just be soup?
I’m not sure what you mean by “bad” but please feel free to use any kind of noodles, although you may have to adjust cooking time as needed.
The noodles from the instant ramen are not healthy, because they are deep fried. The soup packets have a lot of sodium and msg, but the noodles are high in fat. The yaki-soba noodles that Chungah are referring to are in the refrigerated section and are not deep fried.
I found non-fried ramen in my oriental food store. A little more expensive than the fried, but still a great deal.
Wow this looks amazing! I love Ramen!
Yaki soba noodles: Our local grocers carry them in the refrigerated produce section.
I buy dried ramen noodles in the Asian section of a local grocery store chain. I use them for lo mein.
I am going to try this too!
I just made this and it is so fabulous!! (yes I eat instant Ramen for breakfast all the time!) No more instant for me! Yummy!
Your photos are too real. It’s difficult for me to accept that this is not sitting on ,my desk for me to eat. You have some excellent Asian influenced recipes—thanx for sharing.
Where is it you buy your yaki soba noodles? I ask because I work at a super target and so most of my grocery shopping is done there and we don’t seem to sell it.
Yaki soba noodles should be available in most grocery stores in the refrigerated section.
Excellent recipe and it helped me make some delicious ramen. Unfortunately, yaki soba noodles are not available in ‘most’ grocery stores. They’re certainly not common here in Chicago and I don’t remember them in the stores on the east coast. I’d guess that you’re somewhere west where it’s easier to come by these ingredients. I do know of local asian markets where you can obtain them.
Another option is to make the noodles yourself. Check out the section on “you mian ‘oil’ noodles” on this blog (which is not mine, but I also think is good): http://www.mummyicancook.com/2013/01/how-to-make-asian-egg-alkaline-noodles.html
Agreed. I live in an area with a fairly decent Asian population and refridgerated Yaki Soba is only found in specialty Asian markets here. My brother-in-law in Japan actually mails me a box of them periodically because they aren’t easy to get here, and I live in a huge metropolitan area, not the boonies! These delicious noodles are far from universally available.
This looks amazing! I love ramen, and this is one of the simplest and yummiest looking homemade takes on it that I have seen yet. I am curious- do you know how to get the egg to be as if it was scrambled in the ramen?
Kiley, the egg is actually a hard-boiled egg.
I would scramble the eggs in a separate pan to your liking, then slice it up and to soup just before serving.
You need to slowly pour whisked eggs into the hot soup while stirring the soup somewhat quickly in one direction.
Thank you!
I would scramble an egg season to taste and as the soup is sinmering id very slowly pour the scrambled egg into the broth and stir in complete circles slowly as i poured to make paper thin like strands of egg that clings to the noodles and veggies 🙂
Hi Kiley,
I too, grew up on ramen (mostly I doctored-up the ubiquitous packaged kind we all know and love). However , being half Korean, I did pick up a few pointers from my mother. To get what looks like “scrambled eggs” in your asian soup, definitely do not scramble them first. I also wouldn’t recommend whisking the eggs. Simply wait until all your other ingredients have been added, then crack an egg (or two, if you! like egg) into the hot simmering broth. Wait a moment then take a Chopstick ot other utensil to drag the egg throughout the soup, breaking up the yolk a bit.. I prefer larger pieces of visible egg so I’m always gentle not to “scatter” the egg too much. I hope this helps.
This looks delicious! Especially for the cooler weather. If I wanted to add tofu would I just add at the time you added the mushrooms or wait until I add the spinach?
I would wait until the spinach is added.
i love ramen. looks great!
Do you think this would freeze well?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I LOVE noodles! specially in a soup. Never heard of refrigerated Yakisoba noodles but will be on the lookout in my supermarket.
Love your website. Do you think it would work out with nangmyeon? Would I reduce the cooktime?
My husband loves Ramen noodles but NEVER uses the flavor packets. He uses my homemade chicken broth but the next time, I will try the other flavors for him. Thank you for sharing.
I love this way of making ramen!! Will be trying soon!