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Vegan Shiitake Ramen

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on February 29, 2020

Time

2 hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Vegan Shiitake Ramen

Ingredients

4 ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts 3 tablespoons soy sauce 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar 1 onion, chopped1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled4 cups vegetable broth 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved, caps sliced thin¼ cup mirin ½ ounce kombu 2 tablespoons red miso Salt 12 ounces dried ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded2 scallions, sliced thin on bias1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

Before You Begin

A sprinkling of shichimi togarashi (a common Japanese spice mix) tastes good on the ramen; you can find it near the Japanese foods in the supermarket or in Japanese markets, or you can make your own. We strongly prefer our favorite vegetable broths, Orrington Farms Vegan Chicken Broth or our homemade Vegetable Broth Base.

Instructions

  1. Combine bean sprouts, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oil, and vinegar in small bowl; set aside. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Stir in onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in broth, 4 cups water, mushroom stems, mirin, kombu, and remaining soy sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until flavors meld, about 1 hour.
  3. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much broth as possible; discard solids. Wipe saucepan clean with paper towels and return strained broth to now-empty saucepan. Whisk miso into broth and bring to gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking to dissolve miso completely. Stir in mushroom caps and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute; season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
  4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add ramen noodles and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain noodles and divide evenly among individual bowls. Ladle soup over noodles, garnish with bean sprouts, scallions, and sesame seeds, and serve.
Vegan Shiitake Ramen
Photography by Keller + Keller. Styling by Kendra McKnight.

Vegan Shiitake Ramen

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

2 hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 onion, chopped
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
4 cups vegetable broth
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved, caps sliced thin
¼ cup mirin
½ ounce kombu
2 tablespoons red miso
Salt
12 ounces dried ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

Ingredients

4 ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 onion, chopped
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
4 cups vegetable broth
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved, caps sliced thin
¼ cup mirin
½ ounce kombu
2 tablespoons red miso
Salt
12 ounces dried ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

Ingredients

4 ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 onion, chopped
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
4 cups vegetable broth
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved, caps sliced thin
¼ cup mirin
½ ounce kombu
2 tablespoons red miso
Salt
12 ounces dried ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds

Why This Recipe Works

We added kombu, a type of Japanese seaweed commonly used in stocks and soups, to a brew of browned aromatics, water, and vegetable broth; supplementing the kombu with shiitake mushroom stems and soy sauce provided a triple hit of umami. To round out this savory profile, we poured in some mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine. Finally, red miso added smoky complexity and body. Instant noodles are handily vegan and maintained a desirable chew in our ramen. (We threw away the lackluster seasoning packet.) Next up: garnishes. We stirred in the delicate caps of the shiitakes until they were just cooked. Lightly dressed bean sprouts were a crisp contrast, and sliced scallions and toasty sesame seeds topped things off.

Before You Begin

A sprinkling of shichimi togarashi (a common Japanese spice mix) tastes good on the ramen; you can find it near the Japanese foods in the supermarket or in Japanese markets, or you can make your own. We strongly prefer our favorite vegetable broths, Orrington Farms Vegan Chicken Broth or our homemade Vegetable Broth Base.

Instructions

  1. Combine bean sprouts, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oil, and vinegar in small bowl; set aside. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Stir in onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in broth, 4 cups water, mushroom stems, mirin, kombu, and remaining soy sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until flavors meld, about 1 hour.
  3. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much broth as possible; discard solids. Wipe saucepan clean with paper towels and return strained broth to now-empty saucepan. Whisk miso into broth and bring to gentle simmer over medium heat, whisking to dissolve miso completely. Stir in mushroom caps and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute; season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
  4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add ramen noodles and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain noodles and divide evenly among individual bowls. Ladle soup over noodles, garnish with bean sprouts, scallions, and sesame seeds, and serve.

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