Ramen Japanese noodle soup is possible with German ingredients.

A hot, delicious broth bursting with umami flavor, bright yellow, wavy noodles, and colorful toppings from egg and bamboo shoots to tender meat to spring onions: That's ramen - and ramen is so much more than just a noodle soup! This incredibly versatile dish is on the menu in Japanese restaurants around the world - and once you've tasted truly authentic ramen, you're sure to come back for more! From the broth to the toppings, the light yet filling soup can be wonderfully varied and adapted: for vegans, hearty and meaty, with classic Japanese ingredients or with those you can find in any supermarket in Germany. Ramen is the perfect comfort food for cold winter evenings and hungover Sundays, for quick hunger and as a health booster when you have a cold.

As early as the 19th century, ramen noodles, largely made from wheat flour, made their way from China to Japan. Ramen ( ラーメン rarely written in Kanji 拉麺 ) are now a fixture of Japanese cuisine - and are also very popular in the rest of the world! In almost every major city today you can find ramen restaurants. The mild, distinctive flavor of the broth, the interplay of different ingredients and toppings, and last but not least the appetizing, colorful appearance appeal to people around the globe. Have you never tried ramen before? Be sure to visit a ramen restaurant near you - or grab your own ladle. We'll tell you how to make this delicious soup!

Ramen Soup: The Five Basic Ingredients

1. Ramen noodles
2. Broth (this can be Shio, Shoyu, Miso or Tonkotsu broth)
3. various toppings (e.g. vegetables or meat)
4. Ramen Tare (sauce as a flavor enhancer)
5. Oil (usually sesame oil)

In Japanese cuisine , rather exclusive ingredients are often used, which are not exactly cheap. This is different with ramen: All the ingredients you need for the classic noodle soup are very inexpensive. That's why ramen has also established itself in every segment of the population. From the super-rich to the student, hardly anyone can avoid the Japanese specialty! Ramen is served around the world in gourmet restaurants, in cozy ramen restaurants, and also as a quick meal in the form of instant ramen.

So that you can prepare this delicious dish yourself, I will explain different cooking variations here and give you different recipes to choose from. But first, let's take a closer look at what the ramen broth is all about.

Jump to preparation

What types of ramen broths are there?

The taste of the Japanese noodle soup stands or falls with the quality of the broth! In Japan, we distinguish between four different versions of this important liquid:

• Miso (fermented soybeans)
• Shio (salt)
• Shoyu (soy sauce)
• Tonkotsu (pork bones)

Miso Ramen (broth with a paste of fermented soybeans)

Miso ramen is one of the newest ramen broths! It was invented in the long, cold winters of Hokkaido. It gets its complex, intense flavor from the miso paste . This consists of fermented soybeans and glutinous rice flour and is often used in Japanese and Korean cuisine . It is naturally vegan. Miso itself tastes somewhat salty, and can be purchased in different intensities. The mildest, lightest variant is ideal for newcomers who are trying miso for the first time. With this miso paste I have had good experiences - I can therefore recommend it to you in any case. But of course, any other miso paste is also suitable. If you have miso at home, you can use it to make miso shiro and other tasty dishes besides ramen.

Shio Ramen (salt broth)

The usually light and clear broth gets its flavor - as the name suggests - from salt. Actually, all ramen broths are quite salty, but Shio ramen, apart from salt, has no spices (like soy sauce or miso) that dominate the flavor. That's why many chefs believe that Shio ramen is one of the most challenging broths! But don't worry: It's not hard to prepare. We've described below how to make Shio broth yourself. By the way, you need not only salt, but also other ingredients that bring out the umami flavor in the broth.

Shoyu Ramen (soy sauce broth)

This clear, slightly brownish broth gets its flavor from Japanese soy sauce . The base is usually chicken broth, but can also be made with pork or beef. Shoyu broth is the most commonly used ramen broth. It is especially popular in Tokyo. When cooking, you should pay attention that the broth is not heated too strongly. Otherwise it will become cloudy.

Tonkotsu Ramen (pork broth)

Tonkotsu ramen is especially popular in the area around Kyushu. It is made from pork bones and takes up to 24 hours to prepare! It is whitish, cloudy and very creamy. Chicken broth and pork fat are often added to this broth as additional flavor carriers.

Jump to preparation

How do I prepare ramen myself?

How long or short the preparation of ramen noodle soups takes depends primarily on the type of broth. Some ramen broths can be prepared quickly. But there are also variations that are not quite as quick to make. Certain broths take up to 24 hours to make! But don't worry, we'll also give you ramen recipes where the soup is on the table in less than 30 minutes!

If you want to make ramen yourself, you definitely need the following three basic ingredients: ramen noodles (fresh or dried), ramen broth (Shio, Shoyu, Miso, Tontoksu or even another broth, e.g. vegetable or meat broth) and toppings. We'll go into the individual components in more detail shortly.

One more thing I want to say. In restaurants, ramen is considered fast food, and you have to wait a maximum of 2-5 minutes. Sometimes the delicious soup is served even faster! If you make ramen yourself, however, the opposite can be the case. As mentioned above, the preparation can sometimes take a whole day or even longer - up to 2 days! So: Take your time cooking. You will definitely be rewarded with super delicious ramen. Have fun!

Ramen: The Right Noodles

You can make ramen from two or actually three different types of noodles. One is dried ramen (i.e. noodles that come in a similar form to spaghetti). The other is fresh ramen noodles. These are now even available in Germany in Asian markets. Finally, there is also instant ramen. I don't recommend this version. If you want to try it anyway, you can check out this post: Ramen for 2 Euros .

Caution: Ramen noodles don't need to be cooked for very long. They are very thin and therefore become soft quickly. Pay attention to the information on the packaging: It usually states how long your type of noodle needs to be cooked.

The Ramen Broth

This is the part of the ramen soup that takes the most time and love! I can't say it often enough: The taste of the ramen depends mostly on the broth :) So put a lot of effort into this if you want an authentic end result!

Miso Ramen Broth: Preparation

Miso ramen might taste a little intense for people who have never tried miso before. But at some point you should definitely try this specialty! Apart from miso, the Japanese cuisine doesn't use too many intense spices. Therefore, miso ramen as a whole is also good for newcomers to enjoy after a short period of getting used to it. I personally love miso broth. It has a very unique character and is a little heavier than, for example, Shio broth. You don't quite understand what I mean? In Japan, we would say that Shio broth is more "sappari" than Miso or Tonkotsu broth :)

Nevertheless, the miso broth is a very aromatic broth that, together with the noodles and toppings, will unleash a true taste explosion in your mouth. Have fun cooking!

1. Prepare the following ingredients: sesame (grated), sesame oil, garlic (best to press with a press), ginger (grate or cut into very small pieces), onions or shallots (cut into very small cubes), miso, chili oil or chili powder (if you like it a bit spicier), and finally a meat broth. This can be chicken or pork. If you don't eat meat, you can also use vegetable broth.
2. Now sauté the following ingredients in sesame oil: garlic, ginger, onions, and shallots.
3. After about 5 minutes, add sugar, seam, miso, and optionally chili powder or chili oil.
4. After another 2-3 minutes, add the broth and stir well.
5. Finally, season the broth with salt and pepper and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. That's it! The miso broth is ready!

Shio Ramen Broth: Preparation

The broth for Shio ramen is very simple and only needs a few spices. It is very quick to prepare. The recipe I have listed below takes very little time and still tastes incredibly delicious. Have fun cooking!

1. First, prepare a meat broth. You can use chicken or pork broth. Ideally, it shouldn't be unseasoned. If it is seasoned anyway, you should season a little less later on so that the broth doesn't become too salty.
2. Heat the meat broth. If it is instant broth, then prepare it according to the package instructions.
3. Now turn off the heat and season the warm broth with the following ingredients: a little salt (1 tsp), pepper (preferably white), sesame, and a little sesame oil.
4. That's it! The Shio ramen broth is ready - one of the easiest broths for ramen!

Shouyu Ramen Broth: Preparation

The Shoyu ramen broth is basically a Shio ramen broth that has been supplemented with a little soy sauce. But to keep it from being boring, I've picked out a recipe for you that's a little different and also takes a bit more preparation. But the result is a perfect Shoyu ramen broth!

1. You also start with meat broth here. You can use chicken or pork broth.
   1. Put water in a pot and cook the following ingredients in it: meat, spring onions, ginger, and garlic. Adjust the heat so that the water only simmers slightly.
   2. After a few minutes, a layer of foam will form. Carefully remove this with a spoon, ladle, or sieve.
   3. Now let the broth cook for at least 30 minutes, better yet for a few hours.
   4. If you want to let the broth simmer for a few hours, then make sure that the water level doesn't drop too much - otherwise the ingredients might burn. You can add water at any time. Ideally, heat it in a kettle or on another hot plate so that you don't interrupt the cooking process of the broth.
2. Now prepare the Dashi broth.
   1. To make it faster, you can also use instant Dashi. You only need to mix Dashi powder with some water.
   2. You can prepare Dashi as follows: Put water in a pot, add Kombu and warm it over low heat. Attention: The water must not boil!
   3. Wait for about 5 minutes, then add some Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and let the broth steep for another 5 minutes.
   4. Now strain the Dashi with a sieve.
   5. That's it! By the way, if you're vegetarian or vegan, you can also leave out the bonito flakes.
3. Now you can cook the Tare (sauce).
   1. Mix one part soy sauce and one part Mirin, half a part Sake, some Seasamöl and sesame in a pot. Now cook the whole thing for a few minutes so that the alcohol from the Sake evaporates.
   2. Tadaa: The Tare for the Shoyu ramen is ready!
4. In the last step, mix Tare and broth! The ratio should be something like this: 1/2 chicken broth, 1/4 Dashi, and 1/4 Tare. Of course, this is a matter of taste. So feel free to experiment with the mixing ratios :)

Tonkotsu Ramen Broth: Preparation

Tonkotsu ramen is one of my favorite ramens. It's creamy, tastes delicious of meat broth and has lots of umami. But there's a small problem with Tonkotsu broth: It's really elaborate to make. If you want to cook it perfectly, it can take a very long time. So that you can also try Tonkotsu ramen, here are instructions on how to prepare this wonderful broth!

1. First prepare the pork and pork bones. You can use, for example, shank, but other parts of the pig also work well. Of course, you can also use other meat. However, only pork gives this unique flavor that you should definitely try. If you still want to use other meat, I recommend parts that have a lot of bones, e.g. chicken legs instead of chicken breast.
2. Cook the meat for 5-15 minutes and remove the foam that rises to the surface little by little (in Japan we call this "Aku"). This foam contains bitter substances and can therefore alter the taste of the soup.
3. After a while, drain the water and replace it with fresh water. Also, wash the bones and remove impurities and blood - these have no umami, but rather bitter substances on the contrary. The meat should of course remain on the bones! You also add 1-2 stalks of spring onions, onions, and ginger to the cooking water. Bring the whole thing to a boil again.
4. Now turn the heat down a bit, but so that the broth continues to simmer. This is important so that the delicious aromas from the meat, bones, and vegetables can transfer to the water.
5. Now comes the exciting part. Depending on how important the perfect taste is to you, you can let the broth simmer for up to 24 hours. Yes, you read that right: 24 hours! I didn't make a typo! However, you should make sure that the water level doesn't drop too much, as the broth may burn. Check once an hour to see if the broth still has enough liquid. If you need more water, then you should ideally heat it up before adding it to the soup. I know, of course, that 24 hours is a very long time, but I would still recommend letting the Tonkotsu broth simmer for at least 12 hours. For those who don't want to wait 12 hours either, 1-2 hours is also enough. You should not cook the broth any shorter than that - otherwise the umami will not transfer sufficiently from the meat and vegetables to the soup. A tip: You can prepare the other ingredients in the meantime. For example, that's Chashu and Menma.
6. To give the Tonkotsu broth its spiciness, you also prepare Tare (sauce in Japanese).
7. To do this, you first prepare Dashi . To make it faster, you can also use Instant Dashi .
   1. You can prepare Dashi as follows. Put a piece of Kombu in a pot with water. Warm it over low heat. Attention: The water must not boil.
   2. Wait for about 5 minutes, then add some Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and let the broth steep for another 5 minutes.
   3. Now drain the Dashi.
   4. The Dashi broth is ready! By the way, you can leave out the Katsuobushi if you are vegetarian or vegan.
8. Now add one part soy sauce, one part Mirin, half a part Sake, and the Dashi to a pot. The Dashi should make up about half of the total mass. Now cook the sauce for a few minutes so that the alcohol from the Sake evaporates.
9. Tadaa: The Tare for the Tonkotsu ramen is ready!

Using German Vegetable or Meat Broth

If you don't have an Asian supermarket nearby and don't want to order ingredients online, you can use a normal soup broth. I recommend meat broths, as they are a bit more flavorful. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you can also use vegetable broth.

Jump to preparation

The Toppings for Ramen

The toppings on the ramen make the soup complete. Every ramen restaurant has its own special toppings. Typical are vegetables, meat, and fish. But there are of course also ingredients that don't necessarily go well with Japanese noodle soup. That's why I have listed traditional Japanese and German topping ideas below. German ingredients are by the way those that you can find in almost every German supermarket, and that go perfectly with ramen.

Japanese Ingredients

Here, practically anything is possible! I've tried several variations in Japan. The most unusual so far have been Mapo Tofu ramen (spicy tofu with minced meat), Okinawa ramen (tastes very unusual and honestly not quite my taste), very spicy ramen (some ramenya have made it their mission to cook extremely spicy ramen - just like German currywurst! There are also different levels of spiciness with ramen), and very thick ramen noodles, which were almost like udon (since I don't like udon, these ramens weren't my favorite either).

German Ingredients that go perfectly with Ramen

Jump to preparation

Ordering Ramen in Japan

In Tokyo , I've eaten ramen several times. The interesting thing about ramen restaurants is that you place your order at a machine. How this machine works can be seen in the following YouTube video:

By the way, you don't pay at the end, but at the beginning. So you go into the restaurant and to the vending machine, select the dish of your choice, pay, and then receive a receipt that you give to the chef. He prepares your ramen within 2-3 minutes and brings it to you. Water to drink is of course available in ramen restaurants - as in other Japanese restaurants - free of charge :)

Tips for Eating Ramen