Here’s a quick and healthy ramen recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes but tastes like it’s been simmering for hours! This Miso Ramen Soup is seriously easy to make and perfect for a cozy meal. Bonus? It’s vegan & vegetarian-friendly!

Miso ramen in a white speckled bowl

What is Miso flavor ramen?

Ramen soup is probably one of the coziest meals out there. It combines chewy noodles, warm broth and tons of flavour and toppings all into one bowl.

I think I’ve become a bit ramen-obsessed making all kinds of fun flavoured ramen soups like Kimchi Ramen and Coconut Curry Ramen.

But today we’re going a little more classic with a Miso Ramen Soup recipe.

Now don’t be fooled, just because it sounds simple does not mean it sacrifices flavour! This Miso Ramen is PACKED with bold umami flavour and is savoury, salty and creamy. Basically, it’s ramen heaven.

So, what exactly is Miso Ramen?

Miso Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish that is flavoured with miso paste. Miso Paste is made from fermented soybeans and has a very umami flavour. It’s one of the three main varieties of Ramen seasoning along with Shio (salt) ramen and shoyu (soy) ramen.

Miso is definitely my favourite seasoning of the three and is perfect for making a vegan ramen broth since it has so much flavour.

Where to buy miso paste

You can find miso paste at your local Asian grocery store, at your local health food store, or at many large chain grocery stores. You’ll find the miso in the refrigerated section of the store. Miso has become more popular in North America and can be found pretty easily.

Miso has also become considered a “health food.” (since it’s fermented, it’s great for your gut health!) so almost all health food stores should have miso in their fridge section.

two bowls of miso ramen with spoons and a napkin on the side

Different types of miso paste

There are several different types of miso paste that you may come across when shopping for Miso. So how do you know which one to chose?

Miso will often be characterized in North-American grocery stores by its colour. These colours usually range from white miso, yellow miso to red miso. In Japanese, these three types of miso are called Shiro miso, Shinshu miso and Aka miso.

White Miso (Shiro Miso):

White miso is light in colour and has been fermented for the least time. It has a mild flavour, is the least salty and is slightly sweet. This type of miso is great for soups, salad dressings and marinades.

Yellow Miso (Shinshu Miso):

Yellow miso has been fermented longer than white miso and has a saltier and slightly more acidic taste. Overall it’s still quite mild and great in soups, marinades and sauces.

Red Miso (Aka Miso):

Red miso has the longest fermentation time and a bolder, saltier and sharper flavour. This miso is great to use a little to intensify flavours in stews, sauces and even desserts. When using red miso, make sure to use less than you would with white or yellow miso, as it can be quite salty.

Which miso paste is best for ramen soup?

For this recipe, I recommend using white miso or yellow miso. You may find that red miso has a taste that is too strong and overwhelms the other flavours in the dish.

Vegan Miso Ramen Ingredients

ingredients for miso ramen

  • Ramen noodles: you can use dried or fresh ramen noodles in this recipe. Both will work.
  • Scallions: these give a mild onion flavour to the ramen soup.
  • Ginger: I love adding ginger to vegetarian ramen soup to help build up more flavour.
  • Garlic: make sure to use fresh garlic, not powdered.
  • Shiitake mushrooms: you can use fesh shiitake or dried shiitake in this dish. Since this ramen soup is vegetarian, the shiitake mushrooms help to give the soup a rich and savoury flavour, instead of using pork.
  • White miso paste: this is the key ingredient to making a tasty miso ramen!
  • Tahini: if you can find Japanese sesame paste, you can use that instead. This is the secret ingredient that will make the ramen soup creamy.
  • Vegetable broth: your favourite vegetable broth or stock.
  • Soy sauce: use gluten-free if needed. You can also use tamari instead of soy sauce.
  • Chili paste (optional): add this if you want a little bit of spice.
  • Soft tofu (optoinal): add this if you want some protein in the ramen soup.

How To Make Ramen Miso

Step 1

Sauteé the scallions and garlic in a pot with some avocado oil on medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Then add the Shiitake mushrooms and garlic and continue to sauteé for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms start to brown.

  • scallions and ginger in a white pot
  • scallions, ginger and shitake mushrooms in a white pot

Step 2

Add the tahini and miso paste and mix everything together. Then add the vegetable broth, soy sauce and optionally some chilli paste if you like it spicy.

Tip: you can also add sriracha or chilli flakes for some spice if that’s what you have on hand.

  • sauteed shitake mushrooms with miso and tahini in a white pot
  • broth being poured into a white pot with shitake mushrooms and miso

Step 3

Bring the soup to a light boil then add the ramen noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes until the noodles are soft. Before serving add in the soft tofu or any other mix-ins or toppings you love on your ramen.

  • miso ramen soup in a white pot
  • miso ramen soup with ramen noodles in a white pot

Miso Ramen Noodles Toppings

Miso broth is great with just ramen noodles in it, but if you want to mix things up you can add a variety of different toppings to your ramen. Feel free to experiment and find which ones are your favourite!

  • Nori (dried seaweed)
  • Jammy Egg (for a vegetarian miso ramen)
  • Sliced green onions
  • Corn
  • Steamed spinach
  • Bok choy
  • Bean sprouts
  • Radish
  • Shiitake
  • Bamboo shoots
  • Pickled ginger
  • Kimchi
  • Sriracha
  • Chili oil
  • Sesame oil
  • Sesame seeds

FAQs For Making Miso Ramen

How to Store Ramen Miso?

When storing leftover Miso Ramen, it’s best to store the broth and the noodles separately.

If you store the broth and noodles together, the noodles will start to absorb all the broth and become soggy as it continues to sit. (Plus you’ll be left with very little broth.)

To avoid this from happening, store the ramen noodles in one airtight container in the fridge, and the miso broth in a separate airtight container in the fridge.

How to Reheat Leftovers for Miso Ramen?

To reheat add the noodles and broth together in a pot on the stovetop, or in a bowl in the microwave.

How Long Will Miso Ramen Stay In The Fridge

This ramen will stay for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Tips for Making Ramen Miso

  • Use white or yellow miso paste. These varieties of miso are mild in flavour and won’t overpower the soup. If you use red miso paste, it can make the soup too salty.
  • Want to make this soup gluten-free? Use gluten-free ramen noodles, or you can substitute the ramen noodles with rice noodles. Make sure your soy sauce is also gluten-free.
  • Add the noodles to the broth right before serving. The longer the noodles sit in the broth, the more liquid they will absorb. If you add the noodles in too early and let the soup sit on the stovetop, you’ll end up with less broth.

More soup recipes you’ll love

A bowl of miso ramen with amen noodles and shitake mushrooms

If you tried this Miso 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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Miso ramen in a white speckled bowl

Ramen Miso

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Japanese
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Here’s a quick and healthy ramen recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes but tastes like it’s been simmering for hours!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil (can sub vegetable oil)
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp white miso paste
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1–2 tbsp tamari* (can sub soy sauce)
  • 2 tsp Sririacha (optional)
  • 2 packs of ramen noodles
  • 1 pack soft tofu (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the avocado oil in a large pot on medium-high heat, then add the scallions and ginger and sauteé for 1-2 minutes. 
  2. Next, add the shiitake mushrooms and garlic and let sauteé for another 2-3 minutes. (Don’t mix the mushrooms around in the pot too much, let them sit so they’ll brown.) 
  3. Add the miso paste and tahini and mix everything together. 
  4. Then add the vegetable broth, tamari and Sriracha and bring to a light boil. 
  5. Add the ramen noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes until the noodles are soft. 
  6. Add the soft tofu and serve. 

Notes

*start with one tablespoon of tamari and add more if it needs more salt.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the noodles and broth separately. 

Want to make this soup gluten-free? Use gluten-free ramen noodles, or you can substitute the ramen noodles with rice noodles. Make sure your soy sauce is also gluten-free.

Add the noodles to the broth right before serving. The longer the noodles sit in the broth, the more liquid they will absorb. If you add the noodles in too early and let the soup sit on the stovetop, you’ll end up with less broth.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 of the recipe
  • Calories: 405
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Fat: 5g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 50g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 20g