Friends, are we ever excited to share this recipe with you today. Our creamy ramen noodle bowl is going to have you feeling all sorts of ways. We swear you'll be making it on repeat!
So, grab a big bowl and let's get to it.
Table of Contents
📖 About
Ramen has gained serious popularity amongst foodies in recent years. When we caught wind of the ramen craze, our first thought was of the old Ichiban noodle packet that used to cost $0.10 at the grocery store. Ahh, how times have changed.
As avid travellers, some of our fondest moments have been trying out foods native to certain cultures. Being foodies ourselves, having our palates navigate through new tastes is an experience like none other. We cant' tell you how much we want to eat our way through Japan, and taste all kinds of ramen.
Hopefully soon. But, for now we decided to bring Japan to us.
We are huge fans of ramen. To be honest, we love all types of noodle soup. But, a great bowl of ramen can easily be ruined with a bad broth. It all comes down to the broth people.
We decided to create a creamy broth infused with notes of lemongrass, ginger, garlic and peanut. These flavors fuse so perfectly together that we often find ourselves wanting to drink all of the broth before we eat the veggies!
Maybe this recipe isn't as quick as opening a pack of crunchy noodles and boiling some water. But in under 30 minutes, you'll be chowing down on a delicious bowl of gourmet ramen. We're guarantee your tastebuds will be in for a wild ride.
🍲 Key ingredients
- Ramen: we're huge Costco fans. If something is vegan at Costco, you bet we've tried it. Lotus Foods millet & brown rice ramen is so delicious, we always have a package of it on hand. Naturally gluten-free, these noodles have the edge over traditional ramen because they contain 4g of fiber per cake. Fiber will help keep you full for longer, especially since this recipe is lower in calories. Did you know over 97% of Americans are fiber deficient? So, you better slurp up some of these noodles!
- Coconut milk: this is a great cream replacement that is gaining popularity amongst cooks and bakers. We use canned coconut milk (full fat) to create a rich and smooth broth. It's just enough to make it creamy, while still keeping things light enough to prevent you from needing a nap after you're done. Some experts think coconut milk contains unique proteins that provide a whole host of health benefits (although more research is still needed). Moderation is key to this delicious nectar!
- Curry paste: we always have a tub of curry paste on hand since we use it in so many of our recipes. For this ramen, we use Mae Ploy red curry paste. We personally buy it from our local Oriental market, but any curry paste will do! Just make sure it doesn't contain shrimp paste. We just love the tangy flavor of lemongrass that lingers after every slurp.
- Broccolini: looks may be deceiving with this long slender vegetable. But, don't be fooled! It's not broccoli — it's a hybrid! This vegetable is actually a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, which creates a different taste and texture. Broccolini is sweeter and more comparable to asparagus than broccoli. But, it packs the same great nutrient benefits as it's cousin. Broccolini is an excellent source of vitamin A, folate, iron, and potassium.
🔪 Instructions
To start these ramen bowls off, heat some sesame oil in a large soup pot on medium. Does anyone else love the smell of sesame oil cooking on the stove as much as us?
Next, add in your sliced onion and mushrooms. Sauté both of those for a few minutes, or until the onions are turning translucent. Add in the minced garlic, ginger, red curry paste, peanut butter, and liquid aminos (we're starting to drool just writing this).
After you're done wiping your own drool away, add in the julienned bell pepper, vegetable broth, coconut milk, and lime juice. Stir the broth well, then cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer for about 6-8 minutes.
In the meantime, wash and steam the broccolini. Once it's cooked, set it aside until serving time. In the same pot, add more water and bring it to a boil. Mix in ramen cakes, and cook them according to the package directions.
We use the millet & brown rice ramen from Costco, and they only take 4 minutes to cook! Once the noodles are tender, drain and rinse them in a strainer.
Back to the broth. Add chopped baby bok choy to the pot when there is about 2-3 minutes of cook time remaining. Taste and adjust broth seasonings to your liking.
To serve, divide noodles evenly between bowls. Then, ladle broth over top and add a few stalks of broccolini. Garnish with our vegan ground beef, Sriracha hot sauce, chopped peanuts, and sliced green onions.
🌡️ Storage
To store these ramen bowls, keep the broth and noodles separate (otherwise the noodles will become soggy). Both will store well in the fridge for 4-5 days. We do not recommend freezing this recipe though.
💭 Budget tips
We think everyone should be able to eat better for less, so here are a few tricks to make this recipe even more affordable:
- Skip the shiitake mushrooms and use brown instead
- Replace the broccolini with more bok choy
- Use half or none of the optional garnishes
🍴 Tasting notes
This nutrient packed and delicious bowl of ramen will be your new favorite meal. It's:
- Filling
- Tangy
- High-protein
- Spicy
If you try this bowl of ramen, please rate it and leave us a comment below! Want to stay up-to-date with new recipes? Subscribe to our newsletter or connect with Broke Bank Vegan on social media. Happy eating!
📋 Recipe
Creamy Ramen Noodle Bowl
Equipment
- Large pot
- Chef knife
- Steamer
- Strainer
Ingredients
Noodles
- 4 ramen cakes ($3.68)
- 8-10 cups water for boiling ($0.00)
Broth
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil ($0.13)
- ¼ medium white onion, thinly sliced ($0.06)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced ($0.06)
- 8 whole shiitake mushrooms ($0.45)
- 1 whole bell pepper, julienned ($0.82)
- 2 cups baby bok choy, roughly chopped ($0.57)
- 8 stalks broccolini ($2.20)
- 3 tablespoon liquid aminos ($0.54)
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter ($0.44)
- 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.99)
- 1 ¾ cups full-fat coconut milk ($0.95)
- ¼ cup Thai red curry paste ($0.68)
- 2 tablespoon lime juice ($0.24)
- Sea salt & pepper to taste ($0.02)
Garnishes optional
- Vegan ground beef
- Sambal chili paste
- Sriracha hot sauce
- Chopped peanuts
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- To start, heat sesame oil in a large soup pot on medium. Add in sliced onion and mushrooms. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until onions are turning translucent.
- Add in minced garlic, ginger, red curry paste, peanut butter, and liquid aminos. Stir well.
- Next, add in bell pepper, vegetable broth, coconut milk, and lime juice. Stir again, then cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer your broth for 6-8 minutes.
- In the meantime, wash and steam the broccolini. Once softened, set aside for serving. In the same pot, add more water and bring it to a boil. Mix in ramen cakes, and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles.
- Add chopped baby bok choy to the broth when there is about 2-3 minutes of simmer time remaining. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- To serve, divide noodles evenly between bowls. Then, ladle broth over top and add a couple stalks of broccolini. Garnish with vegan ground beef, Sriracha hot sauce, Sambal chili paste, chopped peanuts, or sliced green onions.
Notes
- Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price of the recipe.
Nutrition
♻️ Similar recipes
If you liked this ramen, check out our:
- Teriyaki tofu stir fry for a perfect balance of sweet and salty.
- Sweet and sour cauliflower served on a bed of warm rice.
- Asian slaw with a sesame ginger dressing that is to die for (seriously, it's addicting).
- Sesame ginger tofu with a secret ingredient to make it extra crispy in the oven!
💬 FAQ
This meal isn't particularly spicy, but it does have a bit of heat. We usually add extra chili paste and sriracha on top. However, both of these toppings are optional.
You don't have to use coconut milk, but it's what makes the broth extra creamy and adds to the overall flavor of this dish. If you'd prefer not to use coconut milk, try adding in a little more peanut butter.
If you can't find broccolini, you can use regular broccoli or more bok choy as a substitute.
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