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Easy Weeknight Ramen

This recipe is a filling soup, perfect for a cold weeknight.

Course dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Asian
Keyword eggs, ramen, ramen noodles, tofu, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Author Laura

Ingredients

Tofu

  • 1/2 block extra firm tofu (cubed after pressing - see directions) 6-7 oz
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili garlic or chili sauce About 20g
  • 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark) equal to 1 & 1/2 teaspoons or 7 g

Eggs

  • 2-3 large eggs, boiled to jammy or hard boiled (see directions), peeled & cut in half

The Broth

  • 4 cups miso broth (boxed is fine) or vegetable, chicken or beef broth with about 3-4 tablespoons of light or white miso paste dissolved in it. Among the alternatives to boxed miso, I prefer vegetable broth with miso.
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon rice or other white vinegar equal to 1 & 1/2 teaspoons
  • 1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce equal to 1 & 1/2 teaspoons
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili oil equal to 1 & 1/2 teaspoons
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced or grated
  • 1 med. clove garlic, minced or grated or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Vegetables & Noodles for the Ramen

  • 1 cup leafy greens, chopped (bok choy or baby bok choy are good choices)
  • 1 - 2 cup/cups "hard" vegetables, if large julienned or chopped into small pieces - e.g. carrots, green beans, broccoli, snow peas, edamame,
  • 1 package/square Ramen noodles (without seasoning packet)

Toppings

  • 1 handful chopped cilantro or basil or mixture optional
  • 2-3 small scallions, sliced optional

Instructions

Tofu

  1. Wrap the tofu in a clean towel and add a heavy weight on top to press out the moisture. Leave pressing for at least 8-10 minutes.

  2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small-medium bowl and set aside. After pressing, cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes and gently mix the tofu into the combined ingredients, coating all or most of the sides of the tofu.

  3. Preheat a heavy pan (Preferably cast iron). After the broth simmers for about 8-10 minutes, add the tofu to the preheated pan and leave undisturbed for a few minutes. Cook the tofu for a total of about 10 minutes, gently moving it around every few minutes to brown all or most of the sides of the cubes. If they are done slightly before the broth, turn off the light and let them sit in the pan.

Eggs

  1. Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Add the eggs and bring the water back to a boil. Boil for 6 minutes for "jammy," i.e. soft yellow - 10 minutes for hard boiled.

  2. Once the eggs are done, rinse them with cold water and leave in a bowl (or the pot, cooled down) filled with ice and a bit of cold water. When they are thoroughly cooled down, peel them and cut in half lengthwise. Set aside.

The Broth

  1. Combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Putting the Ramen Together

  1. While the soup is cooking (during the last few minutes), microwave, steam or boil the hard vegetables until cooked but still crisp. For microwaving, generally 2-3 minutes in a covered bowl on high will be sufficient.

  2. After the broth is fully simmered, add the noodles and greens. Simmer for another 3-5 minujtes, breaking up the noodles as they get soft. Once the noodles are soft, add the hard vegetables and stir.

  3. Ladle the ramen into bowls, top with tofu, egg halves, and the optional scallions and cilantro/basil if using.

Recipe Notes

For an easy way to peel ginger, try this.