Vegetable Miso Ramen ( W. Vegetable Broth ) Recipe

Prep

Rinse the kombu quickly under cold water to remove any dust. If using dried shiitake, wipe them and trim stems. Roughly chop the onion, carrot, and celery. Smash the garlic cloves and slice the ginger.

Soak kombu & mushrooms

Place 8 cups water, kombu, and dried shiitake in a large pot. Let sit 20–30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 1 hour) to begin extracting flavor. If short on time, proceed immediately to heating.

Simmer

After soaking, slowly bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Just before boiling, remove the kombu (if left in, it can make the broth bitter). Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and ginger. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes.

Strain

Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot or bowl, pressing gently on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids or reserve mushrooms for topping (slice thinly). Return the clear broth to the pot and keep warm over low heat.

Finish broth

Whisk miso paste with 1/2 cup of the warm broth in a small bowl until smooth to prevent lumps. Stir miso slurry into the pot. Add soy sauce, mirin (if using), salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning; keep broth warm but do not boil once miso is added (boiling will degrade its flavor and probiotics).

Prepare vegetables

While the broth simmers, prepare toppings: trim broccoli into small florets; halve baby corn lengthwise; rinse and rehydrate wakame according to package (then drain and roughly chop); slice straw mushrooms if large; slice tomato into wedges; rinse and slice scallions thinly; drain and slice bamboo shoots if needed.

Blanch quick-cooking vegetables

Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil. Blanch broccoli florets and baby corn for 1–2 minutes until bright and just tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to an ice bath (or very cold water) to stop cooking; drain and set aside. If using frozen corn, drop into boiling water for 30–45 seconds and drain.

Pan-fry tofu & mushrooms

Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add fried tofu pieces (or firm tofu that has been pressed and pre-fried) cut-side down and sear until golden, 2–3 minutes per side. Add straw mushrooms to the pan for the last 1–2 minutes to warm and lightly brown. Drizzle 1 teaspoon sesame oil over tofu and mushrooms and toss. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Cook noodles

Cook ramen noodles in boiling water according to package directions until just al dente (usually 2–4 minutes for fresh, 4–5 for dried). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve 1/2 cup of the noodle cooking water, then drain noodles well.

Warm other toppings

Briefly warm bamboo shoots and corn in the broth for 30–60 seconds or in the microwave to ensure they are hot. Gently warm wakame in the broth for 15–30 seconds right before serving so it softens but doesn’t overcook. Keep tomato wedges raw or warm according to preference (raw will add freshness).

Assemble bowls

Divide the cooked noodles between 4 bowls. Ladle hot miso vegetable broth over the noodles (about 2 cups per bowl). Arrange toppings on each bowl: seared fried tofu slices, straw mushrooms, blanched broccoli, baby corn, bamboo shoots, corn kernels, rehydrated wakame, tomato wedge, and sliced scallions. Place 1/2 sheet nori (cut into strips) over each bowl or tuck a strip into the side.

Finish & serve

Drizzle a few drops of sesame oil over each bowl and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of shichimi togarashi or a few drops of chili oil if desired. Serve immediately while broth is hot.