This Kimchi Ramen comes together in under 30 minutes and is packed with kimchi, tofu and perfectly chewy ramen noodles! Enjoy this soup as an appetizer or as a full meal.

two bowls of ramen with noodles, tofu and cilantro

A vegetarian ramen recipe made with kimchi

If you’ve never had Kimchi Ramen before, you’re missing out! This recipe is packed with bold and vibrant flavours and is way healthier than packaged ramen, or ramen you’d order at a restuarant.

The best part is that making ramen soup at home doesn’t have to be long and tedious process. You can make this entire recipe in under 30 minutes, and I promise the broth will be super flavourful!

What is kimchi?

Kimchi is a Korean fermented cabbage (or sometimes other vegetables) that has a bold and tangy flavour. The taste is slightly comparable to pickled vegetables, but with Korean seasoning.

Since kimchi is a fermented food, it’s also generally very healthy for you since it contains probiotics.

You can find kimchi at your local Asian grocery shop, many large chain grocery shops, and specialty health food shops. If you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet, make sure to check the label since some kimchi brands may have ingredients like shrimp paste in them.

a bowl of kimchi ramen with tofu and cilantro

Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe

  • Vegetable oil: to sautee the garlic and onions
  • Garlic: a couple of big cloves for flavour. Use fresh, not powdered.
  • Green onions: for flavour. You can also use shallots
  • Shitake mushrooms: fresh or dried both works, but I prefer fresh
  • Red curry paste: For instant flavour without taking hours 🙂
  • Kimchi: the star ingredient!
  • Vegetable broth: I recommend low-sodium, so you can control how salty the broth is
  • Soy sauce or tamari: to season. Tamari for a gluten-free option
  • Coconut sugar: to season and balance the tartness from the kimchi
  • Soft tofu: don’t use firm.
  • Ramen noodles: dried or fresh

How to make kimchi ramen

sauté the garlic and green onions in a pot then add the Shitake mushrooms and continue to sauté. Then add in the red curry paste and kimchi and let it cook together for a couple minutes.

  • a white pot with mushrooms in it
  • a white pot with kimchi in it

Add the broth and the rest of the ingredients and let everything cook together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed then add in the ramen noodles and tofu.

  • a white pot with kimchi ramen in it
  • two white speckeld ceramic bowls of kimchi ramen with spoons in them

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • Use a low-sodium broth so you can control how salty the soup is. This way if it needs more salt, you can simply add more soy sauce.
  • Don’t skip out on the curry paste or kimchi juice in this recipe. These are important to flavour the soup.
  • This soup is even better the next day after it sits if you want to prepare it ahead of time.
  • If preparing this soup ahead of time, leave the noodles separate from the soup so they don’t get soggy.

More Ramen recipes to try

kimchi ramen in a bowl with noodles and tofu

If you tried this Kimchi Ramen or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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two white speckeld ceramic bowls of kimchi ramen with spoons in them

Kimchi Ramen

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Korean
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

A delicious ramen noodle soup with kimchi that comes together in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 5 shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1/2 cup kimchi
  • 1/4 cup kimchi juice
  •  1 litre vegetable broth
  • 1–2 tbsp soy sauce *(see note)
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar
  • 1 block soft tofu, cut into cubes
  • 2 packs ramen noodles

Instructions

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot on medium-high heat
  2. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 1 minute, then add the shitake and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  3. Next, add the curry paste and kimchi mixing everything together.
  4. Add the kimchi juice, vegetable stock, soy sauce, and coconut sugar and bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. Raise the heat to medium, then add the tofu and noodles letting the noodles cook 2-3 minutes until soft.
  6. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Depending on the brand of vegetable stock you use, you may need to add more or less soy sauce to season. Start with less and taste, then add more if the soup needs more saltiness.

Use a low-sodium broth so you can control how salty the soup is. This way if it needs more salt, you can simply add more soy sauce.

Don’t skip out on the curry paste or kimchi juice in this recipe. These are important to flavour the soup.

This soup is even better the next day after it sits if you want to prepare it ahead of time.

If preparing this soup ahead of time, leave the noodles separate from the soup so they don’t get soggy.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 230
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 35g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 8g