Easy Vegan Ramen

Name: Easy Vegan Ramen
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon chopped garlic; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1 cup shredded carrots; 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms; 4 cups vegetable broth; 4 cups water; 6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (more to taste); 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar; 1-2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce (to taste); 2 packages instant ramen, flavor packets discarded; 1/2 cup sliced scallions; more sliced scallions; sesame seeds; more shredded carrots; extra-firm tofu, sliced; more hot sauce

This Easy Vegan Ramen recipe simmers noodles, simple vegetables, and a mushroom-enhanced veggie broth together in one pot. It’s a flavorful and umami-packed meal that’s ready in less than 20 minutes!

vegan ramen in a large white bowl with chopsticks.

Every spoonful of this Japanese-inspired soup is overflowing with umami flavors, an enhanced vegetable broth, and flexible toppings. While the flavors are restaurant-worthy, it’s the quick 20-minute cook time that will have you turning to this recipe on a weekly basis!

This is a quick and easy recipe, and nothing close to authentic Japanese ramen. For a creamy, delicious more authentic recipe, check out this Vegan Tonkotsu Ramen by Lisa at Okonomi Kitchen.

The process is foolproof; simmer the ingredients together in one pot, add your toppings, then enjoy! Easy veggie ramen is as simple and comforting as a classic Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup but you’ll find that it’s the Japanese-inspired flavors that are especially hard to resist.

It’s a flexible recipe, too. Turn to it when you need to upgrade a package of ramen noodles, or mix and match the toppings, flavors, and spice level as much as you want. The customization options are endless!

What is ramen?

Ramen is a popular Japanese noodle soup that consists of 4 elements:

Wheat noodles
Broth
Flavor boosters (soy sauce, hot sauce, or miso)
Toppings (mushrooms, scallions, bok choy, etc.)

There are endless add-in and topping options for ramen recipes, but the popular choices are meat, seaweed (nori), soft-boiled eggs, vegetables, bamboo shoots, and scallions. Luckily, there is no one right way to make this flavorful soup. That’s why it’s so easy to make a quick vegan ramen with as many toppings as you like.

Ingredients needed (with substitutions)

Sesame oil – A nutty and rich-tasting alternative to vegetable oil. Try not to substitute this!
Garlic
Ginger – Use fresh ginger root if you can. It will give you the most flavorful baseline in the broth.
Carrots
Shiitake mushrooms – Or use button, oyster, or portobello mushrooms.
Vegetable broth – Simmering the mushrooms, soy sauce, and vinegar in the vegan ramen broth transforms it into a base that’s bursting with rich umami flavors. If you want to double up on the mushroom flavor, use vegan mushroom broth. Vegan chicken broth or vegan beef broth can also be used for an extra savory base.
Water
Soy sauce – Low-sodium soy sauce is used to enhance the vegetable broth even further. Use tamari if you’re gluten free. If you love umami, use 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of white miso paste.
Rice vinegar – The sweet and sour flavor adds balance to the broth.
Sriracha hot sauce – Or the hot sauce of your choice.
Ramen noodles – Vegan ramen noodles are easy to find in most well-stocked grocery stores and Asian markets. Remember to discard the flavor packets ahead of time. Most ramen noodles are wheat-based but you can use gluten free ramen noodles if you’re gluten free.
Scallions

ingredients for easy vegan ramen in individual white bowls.

How to make easy vegan ramen

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

Start by heating the sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the garlic and ginger, and cook until they’re fragrant.

sauteeing garlic and ginger in an oiled white pot.

Stir the shredded carrots, mushrooms, broth, water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and hot sauce into the pot. Bring the soup up to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Let it cook until the carrots and mushrooms soften.

mushrooms and carrots simmering in a dark brown broth in a large white pot.

Next, add the noodles to the pot and simmer until they’re soft. Finish by stirring in the scallions.

Take the ramen off of the heat and give it a taste. Adjust the flavors, adding more hot sauce or soy sauce as needed.

Ladle it into bowls, add the toppings of your choice, and enjoy!

pouring diced scallions into a large pot of vegan ramen.

More vegan ramen toppings

Prepare the toppings while you wait on the soup to simmer. Toppings are a necessary part of veggie ramen recipes because they add bulk, flavor, and color to every bite! There are plenty to choose from:

More sliced scallions
Sesame seeds
More shredded carrots
Air fryer tofu
Marinated tofu
More hot sauce
Baby bok choy
Cilantro
Bamboo shoots
Extra firm tofu slabs
Nori
Red chili flakes
Lime wedges
Parsley
Chili oil

a large pot of vegan ramen next to a small bowl of scallions.

Frequently asked questions

What else can you add to vegetarian ramen?

Feel free to cook as many vegetables as you like in the soup, like bok choy, spinach, celery, edamame, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, or corn. Roasted sweet potatoes or fried tofu will add even more protein and substance.

Is it gluten free?

This ramen recipe isn’t naturally gluten free but you can easily make it gluten free by substituting tamari for soy sauce and gluten free ramen noodles for regular ramen wheat noodles.

How do you store ramen?

I recommend keeping the noodles separate from the broth if you plan on storing leftovers. They tend to become soggy the longer they sit in the liquid.

To store, keep the cooked broth and noodles in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat them together in a pot on the stove when it’s time to eat, add your toppings, then enjoy.

Want more easy dinner recipes?

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