Homemade Vegan Miso-Mushroom Ramen with Charred Broccoli
I finally did it. I took on the project of making homemade ramen and I’m not going to lie, I was very intimidated. Ramen is ALLL about the broth so I did extensive research to figure out how to make the most delicious and flavourful broth without any of the meat. I’m so happy to say that it worked out, and guess what? It’s REALLY not very difficult!
First of all, let’s chat about ramen for a minute. Ramen is typically thought of as a Japanese noodle soup and although this is true in some sense, it actually originated in China! According to the Yokohama Ramen Museum, ramen made its way over to Japan from China in 1859, and most early versions were made with wheat noodles in a meat- or fish-based broth flavoured with soy sauce or miso and topped with Chinese-style roast pork, nori (seaweed), egg, scallions and more. Miso ramen hails specifically from the Hokkaido region of Japan, a country where nearly ever area has its own version of the dish. Pretty cool, right?
I absolutely adore the rich flavour of miso and I find it to be a welcome addition to many vegetarian dishes that could use the extra salty, umami flavour that it provides. I knew I wanted to incorporate it in this vegan miso ramen along with dried shiitake mushrooms, which give the broth a depth of flavour that is difficult to reach using only traditional veggie broth. Since this ingredient was quite unknown to me prior to my research, I will admit that I was a little bit unsure of how to use it and how much to include, but I quickly realized what a magical addition these tiny dried mushrooms are. Plus, they were WAY easier to find than I thought - I grabbed mine at Farm Boy in the mushrooms section, but I’ve also spotted them at Whole Foods and at many Japanese and Chinese markets across Toronto!
I promise that this homemade vegan miso-mushroom ramen is much easier to make than you think. While I know there are far more authentic ramen recipes out there from creators who grew up with this dish as part of their culture, I am happy with this quick, simple and tasty version for nights when you want a warming and comforting homemade vegetarian meal in about 45 minutes.
This homemade miso-mushroom ramen with charred broccoli features a few special touches that I incorporated to make it super flavourful and satisfying. This ramen has:
A salty and gut-loving miso-mushroom broth that simmers for just 30 minutes
Thin ramen noodles (I used gluten-free ones made from black rice, but use whichever variety you love!)
Extra-crispy roasted sesame broccoli and shiitake mushrooms that get nice and charred in the oven while the ramen broth simmers to top the soup
Tofu for protein (either my homemade crispy tofu or a pre-seasoned miso tofu that gets a quick cook)
Toppings like sliced scallions (green onion), sesame seeds, sesame oil, chili flakes, cilantro, thinly sliced carrots and whatever else you desired!
Homemade Vegan Miso-Mushroom Ramen with Charred Broccoli
Ingredients
6-7 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tbsp sesame oil, divided, plus more for topping
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
8-10 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tbsp tamari, divided
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp white or yellow miso paste
2 tbsp sesame seeds, divided
1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
200g fresh shiitake mushrooms
Crispy tofu or seasoned miso tofu, optional for topping
Toppings: sliced scallions, carrot matchsticks, cilantro, sesame seeds, chili flakes, soft-boiled egg
Method
In a large pot over medium, heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Add your garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until just starting to brown. Add in 6 cups of vegetable broth, 1 tbsp tamari, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and the dried shiitake mushrooms, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a strong simmer and let the broth cook for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour to infuse all the flavours.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 410 degrees. Place your broccoli florets on a large baking sheet and coat with 1 tbsp tamari, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp sesame seeds. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then remove tray from the oven and flip the broccoli florets. Tear up your shiitake mushrooms into 1-inch chunks and add them to the baking sheet with the broccoli. Give them an extra sprinkle of sesame oil and tamari as well if desired. Place the sheet back in the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the veggies are nice and charred and crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Cook tofu according to your preferred method, if using. Cook ramen noodles according to package directions, then rinse with cold water and set aside.
When the broth is finished simmering, remove from the heat. While the broth is still hot, place your 2 tbsp of miso paste in a small bowl or cup and ladle a bit of broth on top of it. Use a small whisk to incorporate the miso into to the broth, then pour this mixture back into your large pot of broth (off the heat - this is important to do after it is finished cooking to prevent from cooking the miso!)
To serve, place a nest of ramen noodles into each of 4 bowls, then ladle broth overtop. Top each soup bowl with a handful of your crispy charred broccoli and shiitake mushrooms and the tofu if using. Sprinkle each bowl with extra sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil. Add toppings like cilantro, scallions, thinly sliced veggies, chili flakes and whatever else you like!
Serves 4
Notes + Substitutions:
You can use soy sauce in place of the tamari if not gluten-free
Use any variety of ramen noodles you like - I went for these ones from Lotus Foods
This recipe was heavily inspired by Just One Cookbook, Half Baked Harvest, Feasting at Home and more!
