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Savor the umami flavors in this steaming hot bowl of homemade tofu and miso ramen... Customizable with your choice of proteins, vegetables, garnishes, and condiments. Don't forget the runny egg!
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👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks - Recipe Inspiration
A week in Las Cruces, and Sunday funday (on Monday 😉 ) was just what this "homesick" girl needed! Hanging out with my "kids" is the best therapy... Of course we made plans right away to spend several nights cooking together, and Evan's Tofu and Miso Ramen was planned for Sunday funday. Gaelen works as a Catering Supervisor for Sodexo, and this is a very busy season for them... thus the move from Sunday to Monday.
My sons have been talking up this ramen recipe for quite some time, so I was pretty excited about writing an actual recipe for this dish. Since Andersens all tend to cook with a "pinch of this and a pinch of that," I had to stress the importance of slowing down and actually measuring and making note of the ingredients - Lol.
Evan makes his own dashi stock, as does his mom, and the end result always justifies the extra effort. Dashi stock comes together so quickly, there really is no reason to not make it yourself. I have included a link to the recipe I use (Evan's is quite similar), but the dish is still delicious if you substitute dashi made with dashi granules or dashi powder, or even vegetable stock.
I try to stress the value of knowing flavor profiles and being flexible when preparing a dish. We used Forbidden Rice Ramen noodles, but I would encourage you to use your favorite. The Forbidden Rice Ramen noodles are black, and add visual interest to the dish.
🍜 About This Miso and Tofu Ramen
I've provided links to these less common ingredients should you not be able to find them. My family loves tofu, but I realize it's not a favorite for everyone. You can substitute chicken, shrimp, pork, etc. Be creative with your choice of vegetables, and by all means, go with the fresh and seasonal options if at all possible.
I keep a lot of Asian ingredients in my Well-Stocked Pantry, which means I only need to shop for the fresh stuff. Evan is a master of runny fried eggs; I like to top the ramen with a runny yolk boiled egg. The choice is up to you. 🙂
One aspect of this dish that is fun when making it for a larger group (like my family) is that you can set it up as a "build-your-own-bowl" if you wish. We had the noodles cooked, the soup base hot, all the ingredients prepped and in bowls. We each took a bowl, added a serving of noodles, added our choice of toppings, ladled the very hot soup to cover it all, and then Evan topped it all with a perfectly cooked egg.
This is really a fun way to serve this dish. I prefer the vegetables slightly tender rather than crunchy, so I did add the matchstick carrots, bean sprouts, and sugar snap peas to the soup pot just before I served it.
Be sure to provide the condiments/sauces to season the soup to taste. We like rice wine vinegar, sriracha, sesame oil, and tamari. Sliced scallions and fresno or jalapeño chile make perfect garnishes, and each person can make it just the way he/she likes!
📋 Ingredients You'll Need
Soup
- 6 cups dashi stock*
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- ½ cup rice wine [b](not vinegar)[/b]
- ⅓ cup miso paste*
Ramen and Garnishes
- 12-16 oz. package of firm or extra firm tofu*, cubed
- 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups matchstick or shredded carrots
- 2 cups sugar snap (or snow) peas
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts
- jalapeno chiles, sliced thin
- scallions, finely chopped
- 8 ounces ramen (or other) noodles, cooked as per package
- 4 eggs*
Condiments
- rice wine vinegar
- sesame oil
- sriracha sauce
- tamari or soy sauce
- wakame (seaweed), crumbled
- furikake
- Cover shiitake with boiling water. Place a lid over them. Soak for 30 minutes. Strain shiitake, reserving liquid for soup pot. Cut off stems and slice them thin. Set aside
Soup
- To a deep soup pot or dutch oven, add oils over medium high heat. Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry until fragrant.
- De-glaze the pan with rice wine. Add dashi stock, reserved shiitake liquid, and miso paste. Reduce to barely simmering.
Ramen and Garnishes
- In a hot wok with a bit of canola and sesame oil, cook the tofu cubes until the edges begin to brown. Drain on paper towels. Place in a bowl.
- Prepare the vegetables. As I suggested in the post, you may enjoy them all added directly to the bowl, or you may prefer to add them to the soup pot just prior to serving. It's up to you!
- Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain. Toss with a sprinkle of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Don't overcook! You want them al dente.
- Cook the eggs the way you like them.
To Serve
- Divide the noodles among the 4 bowls. Top with tofu and choice of garnishes. Ladle the very hot soup over the noodles to cover. Top with an egg, and add desired condiments. Enjoy!
💭 Tips and FAQ
What kind of miso should I use? I like white miso in this dish as its the mildest and doesn't overpower the dashi stock.
How to prep the tofu - I like to cut the tofu block into 3 slices, press them with layers of paper towels to blot excess moisture, and then cube. They fry up better, and spatter less.
Eggs - You can fry the eggs, poach them, or boil them... The choice is up to you!
Substitutions - Feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables. Matchstick sliced bell pepper, baby bok choy, even spinach work well.
Note - Dashi stock is not vegan/vegetarian! If this is important to you, see this umami vegetarian broth recipe, mushroom broth, or 5 Substitutes for Dashi Stock.
My kids don't cook any of the vegetables prior to ladling the hot soup over top. My husband thought that was a bit too much like salad, so we add the carrots, sprouts, and sugar snap peas into the hot soup briefly before serving. Again, the choice is up to you.
Lastly, I want to mention (once again) that my approach to cooking involves using flavor profiles to create healthy meals with fresh and seasonal ingredients. My recipe for Miso and Tofu Ramen is based on Asian flavors, and not intended to be an "authentic" Japanese, Chinese, or Korean dish.
This is a somewhat liberating way to cook, as I rarely open a cookbook, and I'm not tied to a long grocery list when I shop. Be sure to check out my Flavor Profiles page, and my Pantry Checklist if you've not already done so! What are your thoughts on that approach? I love to hear from you...
📖 Recipe
Evan's Tofu and Miso Ramen
Savor the umami flavors in this steaming hot bowl of homemade ramen... Customizable with your choice of proteins, vegetables, garnishes, and condiments. Don't forget the runny egg!
Ingredients
Soup
- 6 cups dashi stock (see Tips)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- ½ cup rice wine (not vinegar!)
- ⅓ cup miso paste
Ramen and Garnishes
- 12-16 oz. package of firm or extra firm tofu*, cubed
- 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups matchstick or shredded carrots
- 2 cups sugar snap (or snow) peas
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts
- jalapeno chiles, sliced thin
- scallions, finely chopped
- 8 ounces ramen (or other) noodles, cooked as per package
- 4 eggs*
Condiments
- rice wine vinegar
- sesame oil
- sriracha sauce
- tamari or soy sauce
- wakame (seaweed), crumbled
- furikake
Instructions
- Cover shiitake with boiling water. Place a lid over them. Soak for 30 minutes. Strain shiitake, reserving liquid for soup pot. Cut off stems and slice them thin. Set aside
Soup
- To a deep soup pot or dutch oven, add oils over medium high heat. Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry until fragrant.
- De-glaze the pan with rice wine. Add dashi stock, reserved shiitake liquid, and miso paste. Reduce to barely simmering.
Ramen and Garnishes
- In a hot wok with a bit of canola and sesame oil, cook the tofu cubes until the edges begin to brown. Drain on paper towels. Place in a bowl.
- Prepare the vegetables. As I suggested in the post, you may enjoy them all added directly to the bowl, or you may prefer to add them to the soup pot just prior to serving. It's up to you!
- Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain. Toss with a sprinkle of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Don't overcook! You want them al dente.
- Cook the eggs the way you like them.
To Serve
- Divide the noodles among the 4 bowls. Top with tofu and choice of garnishes. Ladle the very hot soup over the noodles to cover. Top with an egg, and add desired condiments. Enjoy!
Notes
I like white miso in this dish as its the mildest and doesn't overpower the dashi stock.
I like to cut the tofu block into 3 slices, press them with layers of paper towels to blot excess moisture, and then cube. They fry up better, and spatter less.
You can fry the eggs, poach them, or boil them... The choice is up to you!
Feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables. Matchstick sliced bell pepper, baby bok choy, even spinach work well.
My kids don't cook any of the vegetables prior to ladling the hot soup over top. My husband thought that was a bit too much like salad, so we add the carrots, sprouts, and sugar snap peas into the hot soup briefly before serving. Again, the choice is up to you.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 348Total Fat: 11g
Anne Murphy says
Interesting ramen! I'll have to look for that!
And yes, that's totally the way I cook - I'm going in *this* direction today, and so I will use *these* seasonings... great for both variety and flexibility.
(And let me second - it is *so* fast and easy to make your own dashi...)
Tamara says
Yay! Thanks Anne for backing me up on how easy it is to make dashi. People seem very skeptical 🙂 I'm also excited to hear that your approach to cooking is similar to my own... Thanks so much for your comment!
Ann {Created To Cook} says
I can't wait to give that the forbidden rice ramen noodles a try. I cook with forbidden rice but have never had it in ramen form. Do you happen to know if they are deep fried or baked? I could totally go for a bowl of your ramen right about now... It looks so good!
Tamara says
Hi Ann! The noodles are dried - I assume baked. They get briefly boiled like pasta, and are quite black. They looks so pretty in the ramen. Unfortunately, the noodles don't show up in the pictures. I hope you try it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Mark, CompassandFork says
What an attractive looking dish. Love that egg. And a great combination of color and Asian-style ingredients.
Marvellina @ What To Cook Today says
I'm willing to sell my soul for a good bowl of ramen kinda girl ha..ha..! that's what my husband said. This looks amazing !!
Tamara says
He and my husband would be good friends! Ramen is like exotic comfort food... the flavors (I guess it's the umami) just make me happy! Thanks Marvellina 🙂
Shiho says
That looks very healthy Ramen! I am Japanese and dont even make from scratch. I use powder stock or ready made one and just add boiling water. You are very good!!
Tamara says
I do the macro nutrients on myfitnesspal.com, and it appears to be pretty healthy... 🙂 Making stock - vegetable, chicken, beef, dashi, and even stock with beef bones and pig's feet for menudo - is one of my favorite things! Thanks Shiho!
Ramona W says
Greetings from the FBC sharing group! 🙂 I love ramen style soups and I have never tried it with miso.... so I need to now! Those jalapeno slices and the egg are making this soup even more irresistible.
Tamara says
Hola Ramona!I hope you give it a try... and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Vicky @ Avocdo Pesto says
I LOVE a good ramen soup. Spent 2 weeks backpacking in Japan and pretty much ate ramen soup every single day! Definitely need to make this and need to learn how to make my own dashi stock - if you say it's quick and simple definitely no reason not to make it yourself!
Tamara says
How awesome that you got to spend two weeks backpacking in Japan, and eating authentic ramen! Dashi doesn't require hours of cooking like good chicken or beef stock... You can make it in about half an hour 🙂 I do hope you give it a try!
Evan says
Yay! My recipe ? Mostly.
Tamara says
Pretty darn close! And delicious, I might add 🙂